Crepes On Cole
100 Carl St
(between Cole St & Shrader St)
San Francisco, CA 94117 (415) 664-1800
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 7:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m.
Sun 7:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast, Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
222 Reviews for Crepes On Cole
One of Crepes On Cole's Favorite Reviews
I'm actually shocked Crepes on Cole isn't more consistently given 5 stars. Wow, are people that picky about a place that has such good food, always seems to have room, and keep you there and filled with food and with smiling staff? If you aren't sure, try this: order the banana/coconut pancakes!!! Side of bacon if you want a little more. Coffee too...I love this place. Today was especially nice. I have a diabetic dog and had to feed him there today and had to bring his frozen beef patties to brekkie, where he was dropped off to me. The manager, even though he didn't have a microwave there (another sign of a good restaurant) he gave me a to go box and set me up with the place to get the dog's food zapped next door. That was great...the dog ate, we ate, and it was delicious. This is my new breakfast spot and its not even in my neighborhood.
Never been a fan of salty crepes, but this place was decent. Came here for lunch and didn't know what to order. I ordered some crepe with spinach and cheese and it tasted good. I liked that they served salad with it, but I wish they gave me more salad than potatoes.
Overall, not a bad place.
Convenient - yes. A place to sit - yes. But food is bland and just not good. I live in the neighborhood and I am amazed how bad the food is. I keep on going back thinking it will get better.
Although, the location is great and free wifi is great . And you can't go wrong with sweet crepes. Maybe a magical chef will come in and resparkle the place.
In the vast sea of crepe joints in the city: I recommend finding another.
I saw another review that was the same complaint as mine: AWFUL SERVICE.
I recently graduated from college and moved here for a job and saw the restaurant while I was on the N. I LOVE crepes and had a great experience at a restaurant in Nob Hill.
Well my parents were in town helping me move and when we got into the restaurant we kind of looked around for directions on whether to seat ourselves or wait to be seated. We kind of looked over to the girls at the counter for some indication and out of nowhere, with an annoyed look on her face, the hostess (I'm assuming) rudely calls out "You have to come to the counter!" as though we were SUCH idiots for not knowing to do so.
When we approached the counter the staff there looked annoyed that we had to actually look at the menu for a bit and didn't know RIGHT AWAY what we wanted when it was clear we'd never been there. Then when we'd ordered and were getting our coffees, my parents and I started talking amongst ourselves but I could actually hear them talking about us and how "irritating" we'd been: "Oh my god, it's so annoying when people don't get it..."
I've had better food - it definitely wasn't worth the money and the self-serve coffee was burnt. To be honest, I might have had a better impression of the place if the waitstaff (I'm sorry the BEHIND-THE-COUNTER-staff) didn't sour the whole experience.
It should never be the customer's problem if you don't like your job.
These ladies were, for lack of a more accurate word, BITCHY, and for no good reason, and Bitchy doesn't taste good on crepes.
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This was the first place I ate at when I moved to San Francisco. I remember ordering the Cole Valley Crepe and noting the large portion of food I was served--huge crepe stuffed to the max, nice handful of greens, and an overflowing pile of house potatoes. The crepes may not be the most authentic; however, they sure are tasty! I appreciate their creative fillings.
In addition, Crepes on Cole has one of the most personable owners in town. He walks around to each table and chats up customers when he is not working the register, and you can usually find him in the restaurant from early in the morning to late in the evening, long after all other Cole Valley eateries have closed.
I would definitely recommend this place for a quick breakfast or morning latte if you're ever in the neighborhood!
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So this is the third time I've stumbled upon a place BEFORE reading reviews for it on yelp. Perhaps that's a good thing, because the previous review doesn't do this place justice, and unfortunately, one person's bad experience can colour someone else's impression. Fortunately for me, I like to see for myself anyway. I agree with other reviews about the tasty, large portions and friendly staff. I got the basic crepe and enjoyed it. The girl behind the counter was friendly, and waited while I looked from menu to menu. And my coffee was good too. This place also doesn't make you feel like you have to limit your time...relaxed and comfy. I'll be going there again.
Who goes to a crepe place and doesn't order crepes?!
Umm, me. So I just started back full force on my Eat Right For Your Blood Type diet and on Sunday, my friend (who's also on this crazy adventure with me) and I were in need of some food fuel and so we decided to give this place a go. Only problem with that was we could only basically order a few things. No wheat, no meat, no dairy, translation: no crepes.
But what I did order was deeelish. I opted to go with the scramble dealio with spinach, mushrooms and some goat cheese (I can actually have that!) and all was cooked to perfection. It came with potatoes that I couldn't eat and fruit which I could, but all in all it was a really yummy brunch.
I also really love their iced tea here. Tasty stuff :) I could come back again and it's definitely better than standing in a two hour line and the little brunch spot down the street. Sorry, but I wait for no man or breakfast.
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I love this place!
Let me put it in math terms: awesome location + great hours + spacious dining area + friendly staff + good music + bottomless cup of coffee + free wireless + a good amount of power outlets = a happy Rick. Most cafés in the area close at 8:30, so it's nice to have a place open late.
I know, I know, it's a crepe place. I admit, I haven't yet had (the money to try) their crepes yet. I'll post an update when I have the desire and/or funds to do so, but for now this place is just fine for me.
It sucks having to be a bridge and tunnel patron here, though. I'm determined to move to Cole Valley after college, if for no other reason than this place right hurr.
I grew up in this neighborhood and can count on one hand the amount of times I've been here. The crepes are HORRIBLE! They are just plain nasty, I got better crepes from street vendors. To their credit, their eggs are good. Go someplace else, it's a big city, if you like crepes try TiCouz in the mission or if you see someone selling them on the street I suggest you try them before you come here. Seriously, I don't know who writes these reviews but I don't think they have taste buds. This place does not have even decent crepes. Which is sad because they aren't difficult to make. Once again, just go someplace else if you want a crepe that rates better than "I didn't gag".
This a place that requires a lot of restraint, as there are so many menu items you will want to order!
All I know is that their hot apple cider is freakin' amazing! Not syrupy and not watered down, I couldn't get enough of it. My friend had the half carrot/half orange blend made from scratch that was also very tasty. If you like carrot juice that is.
We both had the SF Eggs Benedict, which was also scrumpcious. I really wish I had ordered the traditional NY Eggs Benedict, only because I'm one of those people that needs meat with their breakfast and the spinach, while very good, made me feel incomplete. But nothing personal against their food or service, the place is wonderful and has a very comfy atmosphere to it. I will be back!
Stopped by here at 8pm on a Wednesday night. I was a bit of a wreak after working out, but no one made me feel like I looked.
Chalk menus, cute-cheesy music, lots of macbooks. I could be describing any of the dozens of coffee, sandwich, or crepe spots around the city, which is exactly why this place gets three stars: It's about average.
The place is spacious, I'd feel comfortable coming here to spread out and study or work. What I wouldn't come here for is the food. I got a curry chicken crepe, which I was super-excited about. What I got was merely average. Well-seasoned but overcooked chicken, and a side of wimpy salad and decent potatoes. For about $10.00. Next time I'll just go to one of the less popular bars to spend my dinner-time.
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So, I'm sitting here inside the restruant thinking, hmm.. I really should review this place. So, here goes.
The breakfasts are just ok, I had the Half Moon Bay, eggs with smoked salmon, goat cheese and spinach.. It's just ok.. The eggs were a little runny, and the salmon wasn't evenly distributed throughout the mound. The potatoes were pretty good though.
The wife had the salsa crepe which actually looked decent. She commented that a savory crepe should probably have the crepe part be somewhat savory as well.. Not the sweet crepe for deserts.
I think the biggest problem, which is why I'm only giving them 2 stars is that the service was horrible. The women behind the counter obviously don't want to work here and treat their customers like annoyances more than paying people who keep their paychecks coming in. Not that people should be overly gracious at a cheap crepe joint, but there should be some sort of customer/employee respect here that they just lack. Makes me think that if we were in LA they were only here till they get their acing break.
On the upside, they have internet and don't seem to mind people using their laptops.
Another plus is that their espresso is all illy.. too bad their drip isn't.
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Was in the mood for a dessert-type of crepe (banana and chocolate) and it was alright. They have a wide selection of breakfast/lunch items and the place is quite spacious, a great place for studying. Price is okay...I'd prefer going somewhere else for a better tasting crepe.
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The food here is pretty good, but so overpriced. What's with the kiwi, melon, undressed greens, and other random fruit that comes with every order. It's not enough to justify the ten dollar omelets.
Since I lived across the street, I was often tempted by the available seating and quick service, but I could never manage getting out of this place without dropping 15 - 20 bucks.
I do like the owner. He is a Cole Valley institution. I seem to always see him walking around the neighborhood.
Great location but, simply put, the crepes here are quite dull. Given its moniker, that is not a good thing. Go to Savor or Ti Couz instead for crepe yumminess.
My recent trip to SF was somewhat hindered by the fact that I arrived with a cold. The ensuing windstorm didn't really help, but Crepes on Cole did.
On our way to the Haight, my friend and I decided to hop off of Muni and grab a bite to eat here. I opted for one of their soups, which was absolutely delish. It really hit the spot and soothed my slightly sore throat. The tea helped as well. This might be TMI, but after all of those liquids, I was in need of a restroom, which can be hard to find in the city, but this fine establishment also boasts a very clean loo if you're in need.
The prices were also very reasonable, and I liked the cozy atmosphere inside. The only downer is that it's cash only. Buyer beware.
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Honestly, my first meal at Crepes on Cole left me, well, kinda cold (Cole'd?)
Crepe was okay, but kinda room temperature, kinda undercooked and kinda bland. Coffee kinda weak.
Wish I could be kinda, but I'm afraid it didn't really measure up to my crepe expectations.
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I frequented this place toooo much when first moving here, now I keep it to a guilty pleasure minumum. While the 1/2&1/2 combo is a good deal for a healthy meal, I can't help ordering the slightly pricey for too small a crepe dish- strawberries/whip cream....SO good.
Additionally this place makes you feel comfortable to stay even after you finish eating...bring a book or laptop and get some work done..they are open pretty late for that sort of thing, which is great. Nice owner too. 5 stars for service, menu options, tasty menu items, location, hours...beware of CASH ONLY:-/ kind of annoying..still 5stars
Really great location and very cool atmosphere. Okay, there are your two points. As for the rest, honestly I think you can skip this joint. We went there Friday evening. It was not crowded at all but it took forever to get our crepe. And as for the crepe. Bland, tasteless and uninspiring. Maybe this place would be better for breakfast, but in my opinion, probably not.
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Chi latte was good. Savory crepe was bland, not enough cheese. Also kinda expensive to boot. Did get a nice big side salad with it though. My friend got the Greek salad which was huge and lots of lettuce, but not enough of the "Greek" stuff.
Nice dark wood decor, great people watching counter. Big round tables for groups.
One obnoxious 20-something gal talking loudly into cell phone for 30 minutes while she sat alone eating lunch....we weren't even sitting near her and she was too loud. I know, the employees can't really do much about someone being mildly annoying, I just wanted to rant.
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i found this place today and i will deffininately be going back. the service was great, laura served me, she suggested the chicken pesto crepe. it was filling and tasted good. not too pricey either. They have seating outside too which is such a bonus .....specially in this heat. As io said, i'll be back, even if its just to see the servers smile.
Crepes on Cole has a great corner location on Carl and Cole Streets. It's too bad that this restaurant's overall service did not deliver. Even though this place was not crowded it took a long time to get our crepes. And the crepe itself was a bit bland. The cashier was nice though.
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Breakfast with the girls and one of them suggests this place. Parking was super hard to find but this place rocks. I had the Fisherman's Wharf crepe (havarti, red onions, smoked salmon, capers, & dill) total total total yum-o! It came with a fresh side salad and roasted potatoes. I loved it. I also tried their Bon Jour crepe (goat cheese, onion, eggs, chicken apple sausage, bell peppers & mushrooms), this was good too but loved the Fisherman's Wharf one better. This place was super busy on a Sunday morning, looooong line but moves fairly quickly. There's only one bathroom which is not too great. Standing in that line was longer than standing in line to order your food.
I shared a black forest ham and cheddar sandwich on a baguette today and it was pretty good! Coupled with an Italian soda, it was a nice afternoon snack. The restaurant space is comfy and has a nice view of the intersection. It's also conveniently located in front of the N-Judah stop.
I'll definitely be back to try the crepes.
This has always been one of my favorite breakfast spots in the Cole Valley/Haight area. The crepes are always tasty, and as a bonus you get both potatoes AND salad. You have to be patient on weekends, because it's always packed during breakfast/brunch time, but be patient...your table will come.
- 1 star for only accepting cash. While that's usually OK, it can sometimes be an inconvenience. This place has been open long enough, and has enough business to start accepting credit cards.
Late Saturday afternoon and waking up with fuzzy memories from the night before... couple gals decide to take me to the fabulous Zazzie.
One problem... Zazzie is closed for remodeling. For the love -I'm starving and the last thing I could think about was finding some place else to go eat.
Thank you god! Crepes on Cole was on a hop skip and a jump away. Even with the lack of bacon on the menu I settled on the New Mexico Scrabble. For all that is holy in this world... its DAMN good. That and all you can drink coffee. I said peace out to my hangover and hello to my food coma.
Lost a star because its cash only. Seriously, I hate cash only places. Requires FAR too much thinking. That and every person who came in to get in line slammed into me. I get it. I'm 5'11 but I'm not freaking invisible!!!
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Frequently very crowded but the food is plain, not expensive but also not notably cheap, I would describe it as "high margin". It has the classic Haight Ashbury restaurant ambiance: dim lighting, the color brown, scuzz and greasy fingerprints on all the surfaces, utensils, plates, etc. I think the lameness of the other restaurants nearby allows this place to coast. What a wasted corner. The second star is because its still a better deal than Zazie on a weekend mid-morning, when you factor in the unbelievable crowd that accumulates up the street.
I ordered crepes, the crepes was ok, except they were cold. The potatoes were really oily, cold and a bit raw and felt like they were leftovers from the night before. The service was pretty bad and there is no atmosphere in this place.
This is not so much a review, but an inquiry -- an inquiry into Crepes on Cole, Crepevine, The Crepe House, Squat and Gobble, or any one of dozens of other Bay Area establishments with the same, colored-chalkboard crepe/omelet/sandwich/salad/soup menu and rosemary potatoes.
I have asked the staff at various locations if their creperie, let's call it Creperie X, was in any way related to the virtually identical Creperie Y in the next neighborhood over. I mean, we're talking genetically identical salads and without a doubt the same chalkboard menu letterer -- you can see her handiwork in the telltale way she places the blue drop-shadow in the "S".
And every single time I have received the too-hasty, Palestinian-accented answer: "No -- no relation at all. None."
Now, let me be clear. These are all good, reliable, consistent places to fill up with the basic food groups, like Florentine or Nutella-Chocolate. I also am fine with good, consistent, etc. local chains -- Pasta Pomodoro being a good example. All I'm asking is, what is being hidden from us here? Why the pretense of individual, unrelated businesses? Is a mysterious, shadowy holding corporation taking over the world, creperie by creperie? Is the CEO of CrepeCorp rubbing his hands an undisclosed location somewhere between Cole Valley and the Inner Sunset, saying, "Yes, my plan is succeeding! Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! HA HA HA!" -- while unbeknownst to him, Austin Powers creeps through the ventilation duct?
I'm just asking.
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A contingent of us local parents meet up here on Friday mornings. It's a roomy enough space for all of us, and our kids, and all their gear (strollers, etc.) And there's a changing table in the bathroom, which makes it so much kid friendly than most places in the neighborhood. One of the owners, Sam, is always there and makes us feel right at home. I take that back: it's like home, but better, since I don't have to wash the dishes. My kid needs some avocado slices to abate the onslaught of an impending meltdown? Sure, Sam will say, no problem.
In terms of the fare, I've had lots of different savory veggie options, all of which were quite good. I've only had one dessert crepe - the apple and cheese one -- which was divine and large enough to share.
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All I have to say is: Mexican hot chocolate. Absolutely perfect. Cinnamon stick, and cinnamon powder on top in a giant mug...ohh it certainly does remind me of home-style hot chocolate. We sat outside to eat because it's rather crowded inside. I look back on this place with fondness.
In order to raise the awareness of the importance of a potato as food in developing nations, the United Nations declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato.
Someone should bring this to the attention to the cooks at Crepes on Cole because their abysmal spud preparation seems to be shouting a giant "f*ck you, world!" and slapping the U.N. in its face. Have they really not noticed their garbage bins overflowing with these sad, uneaten tubers whose lives were prematurely and needlessly cut off?
The vegetable which has saved civilization after civilization deserves better than to be unearthed from their slumber, brutally ravaged by knives, then disrespected by unskilled cooks.
My boyfriend and I went to Crepes on Cole because the line was too long at Zazie, and after waiting for half an hour in the hot sun, we were hungry enough to eat garbage. Be careful what you ask for! ICK.
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ironically, i haven't tried any of the crepes here, but that's just because i'm still working my way through the breakfast options.
every meal i've had here has been delicious and huge [otherwise i wouldn't pay the kinda-high prices].
there's plenty of seating, and i especially like sitting at the bar by the windows and checking out cute boys getting off the N-Judah.
the coffee is pretty good, and although the girls at the counter gave me a weird look when i ordered espresso with whipped cream, it was delish. have they not heard of con panna?
also, i work in a coffee shop nearby, and if people are looking for something we don't have, i usually send them to crepes on cole. they admittedly have a much bigger selection, and the food [at least for me] has always been restaurant quality.
if only i could ever get a table outside.
I only had the crepes here but it was excellent. Soft warm chewy with sweet nutella. A must try.
Crepes on Cole is a nice place to eat, but unfortunately I didn't order a crepe that day as I wasn't quite feeling the crepe for dinner. What did I choose instead, an omelette-hah! So I ordered a regular cheddar cheese omelette with mushrooms and it was good, but not enough cheese for me. The potatoes were good though, and there was enough of that, along with the toast, to satisfy the appetite.
This place only takes cash, so make sure you aren't the type of person who never carries cash. It also took quite a while before the omelette was ready, which is surprising because an omelette shouldn't be too difficult to make. When you're ready to go, just look out the window and see if your N train is waiting (that's what I did, and it was great!)
i've got my comfort favorites at this place from when i used to live near, but it took me a good five or six times of mediocrity (still, convenience ruled somehow) to figure out what to order. i would not advise travelling across the city to come here. there are better crepe experiences to be had- even at the 'Vine or S&G.
here's a simple guide:
-soups are always a safe bet
-don't order crepes that have more than 4 ingredients inside (the goat cheese one was always my fave)
-breakfast is really not the time to come (try zazie or reverie instead)
-don't get a crepe with any kind of runny sauce on it (salsa, marinara)
-stick to one kind of cheese
-don't bother with the salads
sam the owner is a funny fella who will help you out of you're a few cents short (they're cash only). and he will probably remember you next time you come in.
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It always surprises me to come across a restaurant that doesn't accept credit cards. I rarely carry cash, but fortunately had some on me the morning I came. The chalkboard menu is cute, but there were almost too many items to choose from. I placed my order...and then waited. And waited. And waited some more. I don't think I waited as long as the man sitting next to me, who was clearly irritated at the slow service on what I could only imagine was a typical Sunday morning for a *crepe restaurant.* The food was good, and maybe if I'd ordered a crepe I'd have raved a little more, but it really wasn't all that exceptional.
In general, I think these crepe places are all the same. The first one I ever went to was the Crepevine on College Ave. in Oakland maybe 7 years ago and I really liked it. The crepe thing was novel and the food, although not all stellar, was satisfying. I have to say that Crepes on Cole may be the worst of any of these crepe chains that I've tried.
While it serves the "usual" crepes, I think the items inside their savory crepes tend to be undercooked (mushrooms especially... if they still crunch, it's not a good sign). My BF likes omelettes and will eat most breakfast food and he had a hard time eating the omelette at Crepes on Cole. Apparently the eggs were browned (eww), the mushrooms undercooked (surprise, surprise), and the whole thing generally unappetizing. The salads at these crepe places tend to be an afterthought sparsely coated with vinaigrette and Crepes is no exception.
The dining area always strikes me as slightly dark, which seems incompatible with light California crepes. Maybe that's just me... I'm pretty sure if I went there right now and had a Nutella crepe it would be delicious, but let's face it, Nutella straight from the container is 5 stars.
For some reason, I'm always more dedicated to writing scathing yelp reviews than positive ones. But the fact that I'm actually sitting here and typing this must surely show my dedication to how much I enjoy this place.
I like crepes. I like French crepes and I like Japanese crepes. I've never been much for American bastardized crepes, but sometimes it's just too late to go downtown or to Japantown for a crepe so I go here. Only a few blocks away, I usually bring the dog and sit outside while my boyfriend orders for me. Usually the servers bring out a small container of water for the dog which never gets old for me, so I'm constantly impressed. I've never gotten sass for sitting outside with the dog, which is also surprising.
But sometimes it's too cold to sit outside, so we call up and order for pick-up. One time we ordered thirty minutes before closing time and got there almost five minutes 'til 11PM. The guy who ran the place (assuming the owner) said something like, "We try to get ready for closing twenty or thirty minutes before closing time, but we thought maybe you'd show up so we stuck around a bit." He was really sweet about it even though I'm sure he had a long day and wanted to go home.
This place satisfies my crepe cravings (which are often) without being too far away or expensive. Sure, the crepes aren't authentic and sometimes the potatoes that come with the crepe are kinda tough, but I can't argue with convenience. Their mimosas are okay too.
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This is the place to go to when you want a world class crepe for a reasonable price! The portions are just right, they don't overload the plate with potatoes like other crepe places I've been to in the city and fill their crepes with size able servings of cheese and whatever it is you may order. The crepes have a standout taste as well, not one homogeneous taste leading to a watered down experience.
The restaurant is well kept and very very silent. The streetcars are only a minor disturbance. The service is nice and fast. Definitely added to my list of favorites.
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