Alfred's Steakhouse

Dinner review.

Ribeye bone-in 28oz - 3/5
Filet 8oz - 3/5

Sauces - 2/5
Oxtail bordelaise
Brown butter bernaise
Green peppercorn & mustard

Carrots (aged beef fat, smoked creme fraiche, almond) - 3/5

Mandatory service charge (20%) - 0/5 - If there's a 20% mandatory service charge, there better be service and quality on the level of Alexander's or the like. Both of which are notably absent here.

Overall, this was shaping up to be a solid 3/5, unfortunately I have to warn, "I think not."

If you are looking for a very traditional steakhouse in downtown SF this is a great place to go. The steaks are in the $50-ish range, but it comes with an opener of meats and cheeses, an appetizer (I highly recommend the prawns and their in house cocktail sauce) or salads, your entree, 2 sides, and bread. Quite a lot of food for the price.

The wine selection isn't bad, but for the area it wasn't fantastic but the service was outstanding.

NOTE - As an out of towner it is good to know that they charge a "tax" to cover workers healthcare, etc. but that is the norm in the area.

For a good, traditional dark paneling good steakhouse meal this is a great place to go.

YELP 100 CHALLENGE 2017 - PART 3: 87/100

Hubbers and I made a not-so-solid decision where to grub on our FriDate.

We get in the car and started heading to wherever we were going, then on a whim, he decides to call an audible and made an executive decision to check out Alfred's in the city instead.

He's had dinner with friends here before. He couldn't stop talking about how much he really liked it the first time so he thought it a good idea to share the experience with me.

And I trust Hubbers' taste, so, "Yes! Absolutely."

Made reservations via Open Table. (Yay for open tables!) Got there a few minutes later which was no big deal. We got seated immediately.

I really like the décor. It truly gave me that "steakhouse restaurant" vibe.

Complimentary bread was delivered immediately. Our server (I believe his name is Gio, aka "the guy without hair" as he self-described) inquired about drinks. I got a beer, Hubbers got a Manhattan.

For starters:

OYSTERS: They had 3 different kinds to choose from, and since Hubbers is an oyster fiend, he had to have 2 of each. And continuing with making executive decisions, he ordered the same set for me. Shucked fresh and clean, I felt very little need for the sauce, horseradish or the lemon. Why disturb the purity of the oysters' taste? I enjoyed them immensely.

TATER TOTS: Definitely not the tater tots we're all used to. These are the prettiest ones I've seen yet. Seasoned well and topped with crème fraiche. The roe gave each bite a good finish. Me likey!

OXTAIL-FOIE GRAS CROQUETTES: My first bite of this immediately transported me to some next level food bliss. (Think Anton Ego's immediate reaction after he took that very first bite of Little Chef's ratatouille - that was me with this.) I've had foie gras. I've had oxtail. I've never had them together and this was a marriage of pure yum heaven. It was rich, it was savory, it was beyond sublime; I could have had this all night. And the endive salad did a great job cleansing in-between bites. (I almost put in a 2nd order!) What I'm trying to say here is... THIS IS A MUST HAVE!

MASCARPONE MASHED POTATOES: Buttery and fluffy. This is a level up. No seasoning needed.

CREAMY SPINACH: Seriously?! How were they able to bring such a side dish to another level? It was creamy, yes, but not too rich to get tired of the taste after a few bites. And the texture of the breadcrumbs and bacon pulled it a notch higher.

STEAKS: Hubbers got the 12 oz filet and I opted for the culotte. Gio suggested medium rare for both. BEST STEAKS EVER. Now I've had my share of steaks but these really set the bar. Tender. Juicy. Beautiful texture. Seasoned just right. They couldn't have been more perfect.

(Yeah, we got the brown butter bernaise and three peppercorn sauces, but we hardly used them. We loved the steaks the way they were.)

Hubbers and I were too full for dessert, but since he was splurging, he decided (again with those executive decisions!) we couldn't leave without trying the bananas foster. So, I'm not really a dessert person, but I agreed: we couldn't possibly leave without having it. Flambéed tableside, it was entertaining. And I liked it - not too sweet, not too rich. It was pretty good. (Hubbers loved it.)

As we basked in the magnificence of our meal, Gio came by with the dessert tray and with a grin, told us, "See what you guys did? Now I have to do five more orders of the foster..." I guess many of their other patrons decided to give it a try! We all sorta silently chuckled. Ah, he was awesome.

I can't think of even the most minute thing to bring it down - the entire experience was amazing. What a great call by my loving Hubbers.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDING!

(TIP: Parking is available at the Hilton next door - 3 hours free with validation from the restaurant.)

And on a side note, we had a bit of leftovers: small pieces of both the filet and culotte, mashed potatoes and spinach. They were just as good once we properly warmed them up at home.

Looking forward to the next visit!

They got a 3. One of my biggest pet peeves.... don't make me wait for the bill .......25 minutes to come and ask if there is any thing else.

Resistant is perfect, Food was great. Server was NOT. What a shame

I just dropped you to a 2. Total attitude when I made a comment about waiting for the bill. "We are busy Sir". We'll be kidding

I think giving this place two stars is generous and that probably has more to do with me having a good time with my family than actually enjoying the restaurant.

We made a reservation here on open table. When we arrived it was a little confusing as to where to go because there was no hostess in sight and the place is extremely dimly lit. Once sat the waiter was average but not super friendly.

We started with some wine that had to have been opened for a while because it was almost pure vinegar. They did bring us new glasses which were a vast improvement. They also give you bread and butter to start which is great because who doesn't love bread, I just wish the bread was warm (personal preference, not a complaint).

As far as the food goes, for an expensive meal, it was disappointing:

-Caesar salad was sadly the best part of the dinner although my wife thought there was too much dressing which I enjoy

-Ribeye was the most disappointing of all. For $65 and supposedly a medium rare cut I did not expect to be chewing on each bite for so long. The meat was too tough and unenjoyable. They also offer a choice of sauces with each which typically with a good steak is not necessary so we just picked the butter and quickly realized that the sauces are needed because the meat is not seasoned.

-Mashed potatoes were delicious, we should have just ordered potatoes and salad and maybe we would have been happier.

-Petrale Sole was definite competition for the steak as the worst entree of the evening. The description just said "Brown Butter, Charred Lime" but you could not tell by ordering it. The texture was weird and it was almost like it had a light breading that got soggy. My wife ate a few bites of the center and tried to pawn it off on the rest of us but had no takers.

If you couldn't tell by now we will not be returning to this establishment. With all of the amazing choices in the I would suggest going elsewhere as well.

We had not been back to Alred's fo awhile due to physical setbacks and scheduling. Upon returning it was like going back to your favorite memories, a b it like visiting San Francisco of the 50s and 60s. And my wife and I have lived in SF since that era. The steaks were prepared exactly right , generous cocktails, reasonable wine list but most important was the great service and the warm cozy feeling. I peeked at a couple of recent reviews and was surprised to see complaints about service. It has been my observation that customers can be culpable for service problems. I maintain that if I'm out to enjoy myself I want soak in the good while I can. Alfred's has always been a place for us to relax in the toasty, almost decadent, atmosphere of real San Francisco. We hope to get back a bit sooner next time. Bravo, Alred's!

Walking into the restaurant reminded me of an "old school" high end steak house from the mid-to-late last century. Traditional definitely came to mind.

Our waiter was cold but professional. He never re-filled my water even it was empty... not sure what to make of it (as I thought it was automatic in other establishments). Perhaps he thought I needed to drink more wine?!

The steak was good. Our waiter recommended french fries as the restaurant's specialty. It was not that special to me... I would have preferred potato - however prepared. The mushroom sauce was good.

I had the steak at Urban Tavern in San Francisco the night before and I thought that was better than the 14oz ribeye here. In any case, it was a bit disappointing but not a bad experience either.

Really good steak house in the city! Love the decor, food, and service.

My friends got the "Alfred's for Four" deal. You get: Alfred salads, choice of 4 sides, all 5 house sauces, roasted bone marrow and bananas foster for dessert. $34o. It's a lot of food and a really good deal.

The salads are huge, the sides are delicious, and the meat is tender and juicy. It was definately a feast and a fun night out!

They cook the bananas foster next to the table and it's so fun to watch when the alcohol hits the pan, watch your hair and your phone.

Can't wait to go back and try their other specials. YUM

Great food, excellent service, classy vintage San Francisco vibe, can't beat value for a great meal with friends.

I had a dinner here for 19 guests to celebrate my 40th birthday on 12/29. I was very pleased with the overall dining experience.

Food: 4.25
Caesar salad was excellent. Steaks were good (filet mignon tender, Alfred's bone-in NY good, and Chicago ribeye was ginormous). Bread pudding for dessert was very good.

Service: 4.5
I believe the entire staff except for the bartender are all new, but they were all friendly, and attentive. Our main server (Joe) was very good, and delivered great service throughout the entire meal. The GM (Breanna) made it a point to welcome our party and checked in several times to ensure everything went smoothly.

Ambiance: 5
If you're looking for old San Francisco, look no further. There are few places in the city that still represent the city as well as this place. We were in the Owl and Turtle private dining room. Jazz music playing in the background, grand piano in the corner, exposed brick, and well appointed king's table for our party.

Value: 5
Make no mistake, this is not Alexander's Steakhouse, but it's not trying to be -- and that's a good thing. Alfred's provides a great steak, attentive service, with one-of-a-kind SF atmosphere at 1/2 the price of Alexander's all in. We will definitely be back!

Food: 5 out of 5 stars.
Atmosphere: 5 out of 5 stars.
Service: 1 out of 5 stars.

I really wish I could give this place a higher rating, but frankly I was very disappointed by their service, and thus have given it a 2 star. My boyfriend was visiting for the weekend, so I decided to bring him here because he loves steak, but I was let down by the staff tremendously and my biggest pet peeve of all is that they automatically charge you a 20% gratitude. Now, I guess that would be okay IF their service lived up to their gratitude, so for that simple reason I must give this place a 2 star, and trust me it hurts.

From the moment we walked in, no one was at the front to greet us, and we stood there for a while. I had made a reservation their their online service for 7:30pm, and we did not get seated until 7:45pm (Not a huge deal in my opinion so I was happy with that).

They do bring complementary bread with salted butter (which was delicious) but the bread was cold, and that was a little bit of a let down.

I ordered the ribeye, while my boyfriend ordered the filet mignon. I can say that this has been one of the juiciest, richest, and better tasting steaks I've had in San Francisco, no questions asked. Was very impressed with their food! My mashed potatoes had a creamy taste to them, and everything was savory.

Now, we did not get our water's refilled until after I kept trying to get one of the waiter's attention. On top of that, a waiter took my boyfriend's plate away when he wasn't even done with this baked potato. We both looked surprised at each other, and laughed because the waiter didn't even ask if he was done or not. Anyways, my boyfriend finished eating his steak way faster than I did, and his empty plate sat in front of him for MORE than 30 min. They also never bothered to remove our appetizer plates which I found strange.... SO overall I was simply let down by Alfred's.