Fleur De Lys
777 Sutter Street
(between Jones St & Taylor St)
San Francisco, CA 94109 (415) 673-7779
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 6:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sat 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
114 reviews
Neighborhood: Mission
"The food here is truly wonderful (and 1664 on tap!). It's very expensive but I thought it was worth it. In particular there is a fresh salt…" read more »
283 Reviews for Fleur De Lys
I've been able to enjoy some excellent "Fine Dining" experiences at this restaurant. The tasty dishes were paired with some excellent wines (red & white, depending on the dish), the selection of drinks at the bar were exceptional, and the desserts were mouth-watering and savory. And the staff were exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable with the dishes and wines. Of course, I have to mention that the times I did enjoy this restaurant were for company holiday parties, and there was an open-bar, followed by 5-course meals. I'm sure my experiences would have been slightly different if I had gone here with a date for dinner.
What a surprise to be brought to this beautiful restaurant for a special celebration. The service was wonderful, I felt like I had a brigade to ensure I had the best wine, fresh bread, a clean table, everything I needed was taken care of.
The buffalo steak was perfectly cooked and the foie gras duo was amazing. I especially liked the tiny pot with fingerling potatoes and mushrooms and leeks, so good.
The Fleurburger was so adorable, the plate was a classic looking burger, fries and milkshake but with a sweet twist. The burger was chocolate ganache with passionfruit gelee (cheese) and kiwi and strawberries as the pickle and tomato. The fries were sticks of ultra chilled ice cream in a chocolate basket . A mini banana milkshake finished it off. WOW.
yep this was a winner.
It's not how you start the date, it's how you finish. Now, if I were to equate eating at Fleur de Lys to a date, here's how it would have went:
I pick up the lady, we go to coffee to chat it up but therein make some key mistakes such as chewing the bread wif my mouf ofen (nom nom nom), but swoop the woman off her feet as quickly as possible with some cheesy self-deprecating lines and then end it with the most unbelievable hm-hm-hm she's ever had.
The amuse bouche was, forgive my lack of originality, perfectly amusing. It served its purpose and that little bit of leafy micro-greens on the spoon and the little shot of soup (awww how cute) made for an interesting one-two punch on the palate.
The appetizer (Symphony Of...) was some sloppily contrived amalgam of a smoked duck and foie gras tartine, salmon tartare, salad lyonnaise, cream of salsify, and some sliced chicken breast or something that will only be mentioned one more time.
Starting with the smoked duck and foie gras tartine, it was garnished with a pink peppercorn and I think it was meant to be eaten upside down... incredibly rich, smoky, and basically perfect. The peppercorn added a little bite that cut through the smoky duck.
Smoked salmon tartare was next best-- delectable, little shreds with a perfectly matching cream.
Salad Lyonnaise was painfully mediocre-- a little nasty on the texture and nothing really distinguished itself to me. Perhaps the smokiness was starting to ruin the rest of the dishes.
Cream of salsify-- eh. It's as boring as it sounds, bland, but a nice creamy texture. The taste was a little tangy but not much else.
Unidentified poultry breast-- tasted awful. Shredded up after a couple chews and made me hate this restaurant.
at this point the dinner starts to go downhill.
Took forever for my hazlenut crusted scallop to come out, but when it came it was actually very good-- the little spinach bed on the bottom was just spinach, but the truffle gnocchi was poorly made-- gnocchi should be light but the truffle gnocchi came off heavy and coated the mouth with an unpleasant texture. Disappointing.
And now it falters for a moment:
twenty minutes in between that course and the meat course. I had to call for it, and after I did it came out immediately.
Lamb loin and cheek sausage-- the loin and its accompanying mustard sauce was something to marvel at; wonderfully tender, juicy, and the flavors of mustard and that distinctive taste of lamb melded together wonderfully.
The cheek sausage was this watery, painfully bland monstrosity that made me turn my head sideways. After something as thrilling as the Lamb Loin, to have something like that sausage come along and just rape my tongue was a severe letdown. It's not a good sign if I take one bite and then swallow the rest whole to be polite.
The time between my meat course and the cheese course was another good fifteen minutes. Yes, they make it slow on purpose from what I know. The cheese was interesting, and I have no idea what I ate because I am not a cheese expert.
A white rinded cheese, goat cheese apparently infused with olive oil, pink peppercorns, and garlic, a french cheddar that was delectable, a cheese shaped like a rose which I thought was pretty awesome, and a blue cheese that was not as harsh as gorgonzola but had some character. Served with apples, grapes, and bread slices. This one was pretty good, it saved the meal.
Dessert was absurd. Absolutely absurd. If it weren't for dessert, FDL would be getting three or possibly two stars. I don't care who you are, you bring me here for dessert and I will put out. I had the fleurburger, which was this adorable assemblage of classic burger joint food (a strawberry milkshake, a "cheeseburger", and "french fries") with a sweet twist. My only complaint is that the chocolate ganache in the "burger" was WAY too rich and sweet. After taking a bite I had to look over my shoulder to make sure God wasn't looking-- it was that sinful.
After the dessert was a dish of nine mediocre petit-fours that seemed incredible only by proximity to the absolutely unbelievable dessert I had just had.
Overall, it's not how you start the date-- it's how you finish, and Fleur de Lys can booty-call me any time.
EL
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I've been wanting to try Fleur De Lys for months, and I am so glad I did. Hubert Keller is an amazing chef, and in my opinion, everyone should try at least one of his restaurants.
We arrived a half hour before our reservation, but were whisked away within seconds to our table. While I will explain what food we selected throughout the evening, I must say that my favorite part about Fleur De Lys is the entire experience in itself. The dining room is beautiful, the service is impeccable, and the food.. well it truly does speak for itself.
We each decided on the 4 course meal with wine pairing. The fourth course being a dessert. I had heard the Chocolate Souffle was amazing, so being a chocoholic - I had to try.
1st Course:
*White & Green Asparagus Salad: black truffles & aged Veres vinegar, topped with froie gras & pistachio "marble." (the pistachio marble was the best part)
*Colorful Vegetable Ragot: poached egg, truffles & port wine sauce. (it was a little bland, but it might had been due to everything was prepared for us mindful of our dairy intolerance)
2nd Course:
*Hawaiian Prawns on Fennel Confit: sweet oranges, red wine licorice emulsion & fennel pollen (not only was this one of my favorite courses of the evening, but the presentation was beautiful)
*Sea Bass w/ Black Trumpet Mushroom Crust: warm cabbage & bacon salad, riesling sauce
3rd Course:
*Colorado Lamb Loin & Lamb Cheek Sausage: with a "tarbais" bean cassoulet, whole grain mustard & tarragon sauce ( I love lamb, and this part did not disappoint. The sausage was something I had never tried before, so that was fun & different)
*Pan Seared Buffalo Strip Steak Thinly Sliced with Rustic Vegetables: enhanced with a spicy lemongrass, ginger & red wine sauce
4th Course:
Aside from the plate of delicious cookies and treats they brought our table courtesy of Fleur De Lys, I had the Chocolate Souffle (as noted above) and my boyfriend had their assortment of sorbets. While I like the souffle, I thought Cafe Jacqueline's was a tad bit better
Overall, amazing experience. I would love to go back the next time I have something fantastic to celebrate!
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Great food and experience. I took my brother there during his Christmas break and we had a great time. The experience was grand, the staff was excellent and beyond accomodating. The lighting, the ambiance really added to the mood. We were excited as it was our first time trying this particular place out and since we've heard so many good things about it.
We followed the waiter's recommendation and ended up going with the wine pairings. The pairings were exceptional and if I were to go back, I'd definitely do it again. We had a wide range of fare that night, from scallops, to foie gras, to lobster, and lamb. All dishes were delectable.
For a great contemporary French cuisine experience, you can't go wrong at Fleur. It may be a bit on the pricey side (over $400 for 3), but it'll be an experience you'll likely not forget anytime soon.
PS I don't recommend their Fleur Burger dessert.
What's the big hype about?? The service is good but the food does not match up to it's "reputation". I wasn't wowed by anything. It could have been what I ordered but I expect a place like that to have everything tasting up to par.
GREAT food! While I don't eat venison often enough to 'know' how it's supposed to taste like, I wasn't a big fan. My dish was excellent. 5+ for presentation and 5 for taste. Desserts are a tad on the tiny side. All I have to say is I'm glad that I wasn't paying.
From a visit in October of 2007:
I had a wonderful meal. Schedule enough time to go through all courses.
Sample of the 4 course meal:
- Maine lobster cappuccino and cornbread with a crisp wine.
- Trio of charcrute with a fruity (not sweet) Alsace wine.
- Hazelnut crusted sea scallops with a wild mushroom gnocci and shitake mushroom jus over spinach with a Faively burgandy (chardonnay grape).
- New Zealand Red Tail Venison with butternut squash and spatezel. (This was amazing!) with a wine from Cotes du Rhone - spicy, earthy, and fabulous with the game meat.
...and extras like truffled popcorn and an amazing cheese selection to end the evening.
Maybe it was all the wine, but at the end of the evening, I couldn't have asked for a better meal experience.
From a visit in June 2007:
My Birthday... It was exquisite. I enjoyed all 7 courses!!! The wine pairings was a little overwhelming with each course, I did leave there quite toasty. It was packed when we arrived and we were initially seated at a make shift table where everyone was walking by, but then we were able to get reseated at another table. Luckily because we got a great table in the corner, it was cozy and romantic. Desserts were divine. Everything was amazing!
From the food to the service, our experience was flawless. I was delighted to find a unique shrimp with fennel/licorice dish
Such a treat when I'm in town -- the entire meal is a sensory and gustatory experience, and getting the well-matched wine pairings makes it even more exciting. The halibut with truffle sauce and edamame and the seared scallop with mushrooms and truffle gnocchi are both standouts. (This is a great place for a truffle-lover). And on my last visit there was an added thrill -- we met Hubert Keller as he did the rounds in the dining room at the end of the night.
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It's sad to say when a famous restaurant is well know for the location, will taste better at a different location.
I came here with high expectations after dining at the vegas location, and i guess i was TOO impressed with vegas, this restaurant just seemd reasonable.
the restaurant looks like an old dining room, from a palace setting, except the tables are just too close together, the center table in the middle of the big dining room takes up all of the space in the room, and not to mention my space. our table seemed like it was just placed there because there weren't even tables out for all the guests. but it seemed like everyone was enjoying there food, wine, and company.
it seemed each plate i had was too overpowering, and eventually i gave up all my expectations. by the end of the appetizer, i was just hoping to get to dessert, because honestly, who can mess up dessert at such a nice restaurant? to my relief, dessert was definitely worth it. we had a 3 tier tray full of petite four desserts. so yummy, and delicious. overall, the restaurant relies mostly on their appearance, the presentations of the food, and the customers - who bring it to life.
the location is definitely not in the best part of SF, its almost near tenderloin, so be careful! parking is a pain, so plan accordingly, they do have valet, but how many people do you know that can actually drive stick? and would u trust your manual car to valet? who knows what they do with your car before the park it!
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I don't get the hype. The service of this place was excellent. The food I thought was so so. I didn't think the flavors were so distinct that it justified a $135/person bill. The restaurant is very small and I thought the staff had a bit of an attitude. But I'm used to that coming from the ghetto up. Nobody wants us to get out of the ghetto. Anywho, I think for this price, I think there are better tasting restaurants with a little less attitude. You gotta be able to deliver the goods before you give the attitude. That's like me acting like a big shot because dunked on Kobe once.
The food was excellent and the service outstanding. Definitely try the Fleurburger dessert - it was one of the most creative desserts I've had.
My sister and brother-in-law were in town in mid-November last year and we decided to celebrate an early Christmas at Fleur De Lys The other nearby patrons and the staff seemed to get a kick out of our opening Christmas presents before Thanksgiving. We went for the 5 course dinner but selected wines ourselves rather than the wine-pairing. I've been there a second time also with the 5 course dinner but with wine pairing. I normally prefer like wine pairing because the selections are selected for each dish.. However, since Fleur De Lys does not offer a tasting menu with fixed items, the pairing isn't really matched to each specific menu item. My sister and brother-in-law's wine selections greatly exceeded the quality (and price) of the restaurant's wine pairing.
We tried some of each others selections. The Maine lobster and truffle "cappuccino" was a big hit. The roasted sea scallops with a hazelnut crust, chanterelles and truffle gnocchi was also very good. The veal tenderloin and braised veal shank was excellent as was the lamb loin and sausage. Also very good was the filet mignon topped with sauteed foie gras which is served with truffled port wine sauce. Fleur De Lys does dessert really well. The famous "FleurBurger" is memorable.
There are small number of restaurants in the Bay Area which are nearly flawless in all aspects and Fleur De Lys is one of them. Compared to some of the other 5-star restaurants I've reviewed, Fleur De Lys is slightly less impressive in my opinion primarily because it doesn't offer a 9-course tasting menu which is usually more like 12 to 20 courses counting all the little extra dishes brought to your table. I like a lot of small courses for the variety. I especially like not having to wonder if I wouldn't have been happier ordering what the other person got. I also enjoy the even greater level of inventiveness that a few of the other restaurants offer. On the other hand, for fantastic French cuisine at its best while dining in a romantic atmosphere with friendly helpful service, Fleur De Lys is hard to beat.
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A recent very bad experience a close friend of mine had at Fleur de Lys reminded me of my one and only experience at Fleur de Lys just a little under 14 years ago.
At that time I still sported a American Express Platinum Card which had a program for reserved tables at certain establishments. I was dating my sweetie and we went there with some other family. We were four. I don't remember much, but what I do remember is that Jack ordered some seared ahi. He requested that it be only lightly seared, since he likes sushi grade fish pretty much raw. When it arrived, not only was it well-done, but it had a pretty bad fishy smell. It was definitely not fresh. When we told the waiter this, he took it back to the kitchen and returned stasting that it was perfectly good, but they would graciously bring him another dish. He finally got his meal after we were all done.
Afterwards I wrote a letter to the manager about the overall rude handling of the event. It was the first and only letter I have ever written to a restaurant. In the reply rather than getting an apology, I was told that there coudn't have been anything wrong with the fish!
I decided to never return!
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This restaurant is considered to be and listed in varies publications as one of the world's best restaurants. Service was world class. But, chef must not have been in the back of the house when I was finally able to get a table.
The dining room is plush and gorgeous.
I did the tasting menu. I just wasn't impressed. The food is French but it seems confused as to whether its contemporary or traditional. Maybe I'm just a food snob. The food is just fine. It's not inventive or cutting edge. They served a foie gras slider with an oxtail stew. The stew was salty. The brioche that was used for the but was dry. The same brioche made an encore appearance in the dessert hamburger. Hmm, 2 burgers in one meal.
Yep, I'm a food snob.
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And so for my 80th review.......to none other than Fleur De Lys!!!
This is Raechelle's all-time-favorite restaurant and so she was the lucky one I took with me when I received an invite. From beginning to end, the service was flawless. I think we had 5 different people attend to us but everything was orchestrated so effortlessly. The dining room is plush and whimsical. It felt like we were dining under a circus tent of luxurious fabrics.
Joseph told us we would be having the Chef's Tasting Menu. A total of 7 courses to be exact! Including 3 complimentary dishes from Chef Keller. I can't even recall all the dishes because we were so buzzed from the combination of different ingredients and flavors he used. (well, a different wine pairing each time might have helped the buzz a little too) hehe
From the Hazelnut Encrusted Sea Scallops with Truffle Gnocchi to my Tender Beef Cheek with Celery Root Puree......everything was just divine. What a special place.
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sorry fleur de lys and fans...brace yourselves for a not so pretty review.
this place is highly overrated!!! i can't believe so many people like this place. this is pricey french food that tastes mediocre at best.
$72 for 3 courses
$82 for 4 courses
$92 for 5 courses (5th course is a cheese platter)
the fiance had 4 courses while i had 3. the service was under par and the ambiance was so stuffy. i didn't expect such a popular and highly rated restaurant to fare so poorly in my book. anyway, here we go:
the ONLY amuse bouche: squash gaspacho and lentil salad with citrus vinagrette. uh, can we say CHEAP? who the hell serves LENTILS to wet someone's appetite?! seriously, this must have cost them 10 cents to make.
my first course was the duo of foie gras. but where was the foie gras?! the mini foie gras burger had the smallest sliver of liver...and OVERCOOKED...such blasphemy! inside my terrine was mushrooms, meat, and foie gras. but it was more like mushrooms and meat...without any foie gras...
there was a first course of trio of cabbage. 1 soup, 2 foie gras, 3 caviar. this was rather decent actually. but cabbage?! why do they use such cheap and season-proof ingredients?
the halibut with edamame on truffle sauce with truffled popcorn was errr...it just tasted weird! why bother calling it truffled popcorn if it's just going to taste like the fat free, salt free, stuff you get from a microwaved bag?
then the roasted seabass with olive oil mashed potatoes and fried artichokes...poo. i nearly choked on the chokes...they were seasoned with the oddest spices! my fish was swimming in olive sauce...and my fish OVERCOOKED. the olive oiled potatoes were drowned in oil and were probably the worst mashed potatoes i've ever had at any restaurant. they've got nothing on KFC.
the wagyu beef cheek: can we say chinese restaurant stew?
the polenta fries were decent...yet they only give you 4 sticks.
my chocolate souffle with chocolate creme anglaise: i'll give it to them, they make a darn good souffle. and the portion is HUGE. for the added $6 and request to order it in the beginning of the meal...it was still worth the trouble.
their famous fleur burger: strawberries as tomatoes, kiwis as lettuce, passionfruit/mango jelly as cheese. the burger is made of chocolate ganache in between sugar crusted brioche. fennel ice cream fries and a banana milkshake. yes this is very creative...but try to imagine eating all these things together. what on earth are they trying to accomplish here?
along with my souffle came a ping pong ball sized scoop of cherry vanilla ice cream: drink robitussin much?
so they surprised me with a flower birthday dessert. there is a candle inside the cylinder, illuminating the whole dessert...too bad all the cookies tasted like burnt candles
the petit fours: raspberry jellies, coconut marshmallows, and berry tarts. tres ordinary.
all in all, i'd give it a 2.5 out of 5. i came here with high expectations and was sorely let down. there will not be any return visits especially if they are going to serve me lentils and cabbage for such a high price tag.
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Solid, classic French cuisine. Pleasant, quiet atmosphere. Service was attentive, but not overbearing. I enjoyed myself immensely; however, my girlfriend feels the quality has slipped in recent years.
We were not impressed with Fleur De Lys at all. The overall ambiance and aesthetic was strange. The decor was stuffy and dated and the weird techno music was, well, weird. The lamb was cheap and gamey and the service left much to be desired. Our waiter barely paid any attention to our table. For the price, I would much rather return to Michael Mina or Gary Danko.
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Fleur de Ly's is on the Top of my Favorites List....I was absolutely blown away .
I was invited to have dinner at Fleur de Ly's last night. Dinner service from start to finish was flawless....
Chef Hubert Keller cooked for my BF and I and it was an extraordinary experience...I sampled Lobster, scallops, quail, and some of the most dreamy wines were paired with each course by sommelier, Marcus Garcia.
This is a perfect restaurant for a special occasion or simply to spoil yourself! The bar is also a great suggestion if you want to nibble on a fantastic cheese plate or have divine yet casual dinner...
The decor is beautiful, the music is soft, the service is very on point and extremely unobtrusive.
This is a seriously romantic date spot...Very impressive.
Thank you Marcus, see you soon!
Thank you Chef Hubert!!!
I love Fleur de ly's;-)
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Easily our favorite French restaurant in San Francisco. We first came expecting a stuffy place with attitude, old people and food too heavy and rich. We found an intimate, accommodating setting with consistantly excellent food and service. The appetizers and main are very very strong with a slight fall off for desserts. The cheese selection is limited but all the cheese presented were superb. The wine list is extensive and not surprisingly heavy on French wines but seems fairly priced. When we do bring our own bottles they are gracious even complementing our selection.
It is worth going just to see what a fabulous job the decorator did with a moderately sized box-like windowless room.
Food - AMAZING (think French Laundry).
Service - GOOD, not amazing...but good
Price - well worth every penny
I will say the crowd was older (similar to La Folie), but who cares, its such a romantic setting that I didn't care
So far, my favorite in SF, better than 5th Floor & Michael Minna...
My dad came and visited me recently. Before he came I decided that I was going to take him out to dinner at some place that was both very San Francisco and very good. I did some asking around for suggestions and Fleur de Lys came up a few times. And then I remembered that I've been interested in going there for years, ever since I saw a show with Chantal Keller talking about the redesign after their fire. So that sealed the deal. I called up and made the reservation, and then I awaited eagerly for the date.
We arrived about 15 minutes early (it was faster to get there than I thought). They apologized for making us wait. I wasn't surprised, I was early! But we still got seated about 5 minutes before the actual reservation time. We started off with cocktails while we reviewed the menu. We both decided to go for the four course option. I opted to add on the chocolate souffle as my dessert. Now for a quick rundown of the food:
My appetizer was a mix of several items. foie gras, duck breast, salad lyonnaise, and smoked salmon tartar. Each item was individually delicious, and they all made a fantastic combination.
My fish course was the scallops with truffle gnocchi. To call this dish delicious would not begin to describe how fantastic it was. Scallops are one of my most favorite foods and these were simply perfect.
The main course was braised Wagyu beef Cheek. Beef is not something I normally eat, but it just seemed right on this evening. The dish strangely reminded me of braised brisket, more so in flavor than texture. But the texture was fantastic, soft, juicy, and the flavor was fantastic. I was most satisfied. I also tasted my father's seared bison steak, which was also fantastically prepared.
And then dessert came. The chocolate souffle was both light and rich - a strange dichotomy, but it was the truth. Along with a latte it was the perfect end to a fantastic meal.
I've really used a single word a lot in this review, haven't I? Well that word is just the perfect word for the experience.
Service: Fantastic
Setting: Fantastic
Presentation: Fantastic
Flavor: Fantastic
This was in no way a cheap meal, but I felt like my money was well spent. I'd definitely go back on a special occasion!
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I felt compelled to write my first Yelp review after dinner last night. I'll lead with the abstract:
Food above average to excellent, atmosphere full of commotion with constant interruptions and distractions by an overzealous and unpolished staff. The annoyance was dyspeptic and made it difficult to relax or have a conversation. I finished a good meal in record time in order to leave and digest my food in a relaxed atmosphere and will never return again by choice.
The staff at a restaurant with that reputation and in that price range should know that service should be invisible and should lubricate a conversation; they succeeeded at accomplishing the opposite.
Full story:
The woman who took my reservation could not have been more accommodating, and I was pleased to get a good reservation two days before my friend was to land in town from Hong Kong. Since we were staying in the neighborhood, it seem as though the stars were aligning for a perfect dining experience and we were both looking forward to something new.
When we arrived, we were asked expectantly by the host if we were celebrating anything special. We both thought this was strange--that's usually something you would volunteer if you wanted someone in your business. Besides, some of us actually treat eating as a special event all of the time and don't need an excuse. Next I had to fight to keep my wrap with me--another first.
We were escorted into the restaurant, which was pretty, and seated at a table across from each other in the center of the restaurant. People were speaking in hushed tones, so we tried to do the same, but could hardly hear each other, as we were pretty far apart.
We received our menus (after a couple of interruptions to ask about drink orders), and were then interrupted by our waitress to welcome us and tell us that she'd come back and explain how the menus worked. I don't know about you, but I think it's expected that at least one person at the table should be able to read, especially if they could afford to pay those prices.
The food selections appeared overly complicated to me, and with all of the descriptions on the menu, there were still a lot of ingredients missing.
Our server came back and took 5-10 minutes to explain what a 3-course meal includes, then what a 4-course meal includes. And as if we hadn't caught on by then, she moved on to describe a 5-course meal. Can't they just put that in writing, too, and save the irritation? She never caught onto ANY of our signals that we were disinterested in the running commentary, and unfortunately, the entire evening was like that; when each course came, the food was descibed AGAIN in great detail, as if we hadn't read it on the menu and hadn't already heard it when we ordered it.
There was constant commotion around our table; nothing was done without interruption or reaching over us. When we were on our first courses and both of us declined a third serving of bread (which required an interruption), someone returned to clear the bread plates, the butter and our knives in the middle of our enjoying our courses--was that necessary? Water refills were done incorrectly and required numerous trips and disturbance (no ice for me, no one in charge of the details).
The appetizer came quickly. The main course took an eternity. The food was very good, though, and the kitchen got it right. That is rare, in my experience, so I have to give our server and the kitchen kudos for good communication and excellent preparation. Our souffles were not great. I fond mine (chocolate) lacking in flavor and richness. It was light and fluffy and prepared properly, but just not delicious, and the sauce didn't help.
When I went to the ladies' room, I placed my napkin on my chair. When I returned, it had been folded and put on the table. I know it is a common practice, but it is not proper etiquette to put something on the table once it has been on your lap. Again, I might expect that at other restaurants, but I thought this one would do better. The server walked up with dessert as I returned from the restroom and did not bother to wait for me to sit down before serving the food...and made it impossible for my companion to stand as I returned to the table, which he was attempting to do.
But the worst offense came when the check was placed on the table as we were finishing our dessert and trying to enjoy our coffees...with the waitress interrupting us again to say something irrelevant. Then the petit fours were served and she interrupted us AGAIN to describe EVERY item on the platter...until we cut her off. We were interrupted twice to ask if we required transportation, and then when we were finally out the door (which didn't come soon enough), the doorman interrupted us again when we were already 5 feet away and walking briskly to ask if we required transportation. It was like a punch line!
Ok, the food was undeniably delicious. The service was impeccable and there were some extras that came along with the meal as well, such as a couple of appetizers and some petit fours. The decor is over the top and not entirely cozy, but if you don't care to snuggle up with your dinner companion then it's not that big of a deal. The interior is reminiscent of a baroque circus tent if there is such a thing and the prices are pretty high compared to other French places of the same food quality caliber. A good place to try at least once but that's probably enough if you're more concerned about a good value rather than a famous name. Check out La Folie.
There is a reason this place is so iconic.... the food, the service, the decor-- Fleur De Lys is the restaurant to go to for a celebratory event. The food is exquisitely prepared and presented. I am still savoring the lobster salad days after the fact. I am not a meat person but I ate every bite of my buffalo steak. Definitely get the 4 course tasting menu.
And this might sound lame, but the restaurant was so romantic that I made my husband "propose" to me again at our little table!
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I went to Fleur De Lys for my birthday. While I had a nice time and enjoyed the food, I can't get past the service and the odd wine pairing. The service started out great, but went down hill pretty fast. We kept getting the check for other tables. and we were only on the second and third course. There was also several mix ups on who was eating what.
As for the wine pairing, after the second course, my husband and I were brought the same wine with our food. The problem was, we were not eating the sane thing and the fact that we are seated soo close to the people next to us, we could see and hear that they were brought different wines.
I guess what I am trying to say is, the food is good, the wine was good, the service was not so good, but I am happy that I went. Perhaps if I did not eat at The Dinning Room at The Ritz the following weekend, I might have given them four stars!!
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Went with Mom for her [XX] birthday - a wonderful place to make someone feel special on an eventful occasion, the space/ambiance is luxurious and somewhat surreal given the drapery and furnishings, yet simultaneously it is comfortable and feels cozy; we enjoyed solid service, the sommelier helped us get a good (albeit pricey) wine and did not try to up-sell us (thankfully - as that is a huge no-no when they do), and the food was more than good. I did a pairing, and we were provided a pleasant explanation regarding each selection and the pairings generally nicely complemented the dishes. I would recommend (and I will go back); after one outing I would say it ranks with Michael Minna without the frenzy, yet for me still a little below the Ritz or GD's if you want sheer elegance and superior and serious gastronomy. A must for any SF native that hasn't been since Keller has resurrected.
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I've got to say, I wasn't very impressed with the food, the quality of service and overall experience for the price. Gary Danko's by far- tops this place and is less expensive for the 3 course meal...
For the appetizer, I ordered the duo of fois gras but there was barely any fois gras. I felt cheated. For the main entree, my seabass was extremely dry. I've never had such overdone seabass in my life. I ate it anyway, didn't make a complaint but had to try to drown as much of the seabass in the sauce to get it down my throat. I ordered the fleurburger for dessert. I wanted to see the presentation. It was a nice presentation, but that was about it.
My bf ordered the venison which was okay, but the sauce was way overpowering the meat. All you could taste was the liquor.
We couldn't get reservations for Gary Danko's for my birthday. I should've opted to go to Chapeau instead...
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First time reviewer. Thank you Yelpers!
Wine: Decent (had the pairing). This is the second restaurant in which they've paired the same wine for both our courses (appetizers). The first that we've encountered same pairing was Campton Place. It's a little bothersome to me because the point of getting the pairing is so you can sample new and interesting wines. It also seemed thoughtless when they went from an Alsatian pinot gris to a saugvignon blanc; it was a jarring transition to go from bold to delicate. But the fact that they started off with an Alsatian earned them big points (me love, me love!).
Food: Wasn't too thrilled. The descriptions sounded much better than what we actually got. We were disappointed by the duo of foie gras - overcooked, small portions (unlike Gary Danko!), and we couldn't even find it in one of the presentations - hidden in a pot of mushrooms. I had the sweetbread. Being a novice to sweetbread, I couldn't really judge - tasted alright, though I probably wouldn't order it again. It had a sea urchin foam/sauce that was so delicate, it didn't taste like much. It also had popcorn on the plate, yup, popcorn (but with specks of truffle). Whimsical... kind of reminded me of La Folie..., but not really.
Fish courses we had included the sea bass and the halibut. The sea bass was the winner because the flavors were more intense. The halibut was bland (save for the cracked pepper) and had some sort of tomato sauce that tasted like it came from a can.
I then followed with the quail (with foie gras), which was juicy and flavorful. The small piece of foie gras was seared - done much better than the appetizer. My husband had the cheese plate which was good, except that there were no other accompaniments besides the bread they serve you at the table. So no fruit, no honey, nuts, nada. We ended up having to eat the cheeses straight.
Desserts were... interesting. Had the espresso dark chocolate mousse cake and husband had the caramel vacherin. Oh, the chaos of mine. It had a dark choco truffle (best bite of the plate), the mousse cake topped with a thin sheet of white choco (which made this morsel difficult to eat without removing it), and a toasted brioche triangle topped with tapioca. One of these things didn't belong... Husband seemed fine with his; I was too busy trying to make sense of mine to notice the bite that he handed me.
Service: Busboy too eager to clear the plates a couple of times; other than that, no complaints.
Nonetheless, we had a nice evening, but will not be returning. This was our second time dining there. For the money, my choices are still Gary Danko and Masa.
Don't let love interfere with your appetite. It never does with mine.
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the food is excellent but the service...uh..not so much. we literally waited 10 minutes before anyone brought us menus or the wine list. anyhow, i would rather spend my money at masa's, the dining room or danko's where they appreciate my business.
I just LOVE Fleur de Lys. This was our second time at Fleur de Lys. Dinner, the service, the champagne cocktails, the wine, dessert -- were all perfection. And, Fleur de Lys is the absolutely the most beautiful and elegant restaurant that I have ever been in. I hope Chef Keller has someone check these reviews every once in awhile. THANK YOU for a wonderful evening and making our anniversary extra special!
Exquisite, and it should be expected for its rep and price. I felt like I was dining under a circus tent of luxury. The chocolate souffle was extraordinary.
This restaurants rounds out the best dining you can get in SF/Bay and is in the same category as Gary Danko, Chez Panisse, and the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton. I would pop it in at #3 in that order.
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Most people I know who have ate at Fleur De Lys went for a special occasion. However, in my case, it was a random selection. I had dinner here last night with an old high school friend for no special reason.
The experience was phenomenal! The ambiance, customer service, and menu was impeccable. It's no wonder they round out as one of the best restaurants in the SF Bay Area and is comparable to Gary Danko and Chez Pannise. The customer service was great. Our waiter kept coming to our table to ask if everything was okay and how the food was.
The food was exquisitely served and presented that it looked like art. My friend and I went for the 3 course tasting menu. To be exact, it started off with an appetizer, an entree, and then dessert. For my appetizer, I chose Symphony Of which consist of Smoked Salmon tartar, chilled cream of salsify, Tartine of foie gras & break breast, and salad Lyonnaise, entree I chose Roasted Sea Bass, and dessert I chose the Chocolate Souffle served with cherry and Kirsch ice cream. My friend started with the Roasted Maine Lobster, for his entree he had the Pan Seared Buffalo Strip Steak, Thinly Sliced with Rustic Vegetables, and he also ordered the Chocolate Souffle as well.
It's definitely a good place for couples...very romantic.