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Amelie

4 star rating
based on 507 reviews

Categories: Wine Bars, Restaurants, Lounges

Neighborhood: Nob Hill
1754 Polk St
(between Clay St & Washington St)
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 292-6916
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Hours:

Mon-Sun. 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Good for Kids:
No
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Price Range:
$$
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
No
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Good for:
Late Night
Best Nights:
Thu, Fri, Sat
Happy Hour:
Yes
Alcohol:
Beer & Wine Only
Smoking:
No
Coat Check:
No

507 reviews for Amelie

Review Highlights   

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"The food is great and the wine selection is fantastic as well." (in 55 reviews)
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"They have a great wine selection and the cheese plate was delicious." (in 59 reviews)
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"The food was absolutely amazing, and the happy hour can't be beat." (in 69 reviews)
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One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?

Photo of sandy c.

Elite '09

134

61

sandy c.

New York, NY

5 star rating
11/3/2009 6 photos

"Sparkling or Still?"

Why pay for your water? Amelie serves complimentary still or sparkling distilled water on the house. It's the little touches that make this place a true find.

This place is one of those spots that "take you to another place".  It's not fancy, but it's charming.  The staff and the service here make you feel taken care of.   The place oozes of a journey to another time. There is a mobile chandelier made of postcards, bits of paper with half written notes and drawings, and story written in French on the ceiling stretching back to the back of the restaurant. Finally your check comes clipped to a collection of old vinyl record albums. Can't beat that.

MUST ORDER the cheese plate with choice of three cheeses from California, France, Spain, and Switzerland, served with homemade jam, apple slices, honey, and a straw bag, filled with fresh warm sliced baguettes. Great wine list, with very reasonable prices. Glasses range from $5-$15. Bottles range from $20-$200. A great range and selection of hearty red wines.

I heard Amelie gets crowded on the weekends, but I like to enjoy this place on the weekdays, or on a random Sunday afternoon, sit at the bar, talk to the bartender, who just moved here from Paris, and listen to him go through his collection of French music. After all wine bars, should be savored.....a small group of friends, bottles of wine, cheese, prosciutto, olives and a dash of dreaming, and a little bit of romance.

I loved my experience at Amelie.

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Photo of Hiromi N.

Elite '09

97

624

Hiromi N.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
11/17/2009

Je suis amoureuse!!!  Really, truly, I'm in LOVE with this place.  If you weren't LOOKING for it on Polk Street, you would miss it.  It is located between Clay and Washington and is tucked between La Parrilla Grill and The Cinch and if you are driving by and you BLINK, then you actually might miss it.

A friend and I came here and had a great SATC moment drinking wine and catching up on girl talk.  It is the perfect location to do so on a weekday night to unwind.  Unlike other locations on a Monday night, it was pleasantly filled with locals.  it is a perfect locale for a romantic rendezvous or a place to lounge with your most fabulous of friends!  I stepped in and loved the vibe.

In addition to the positive energy, what  I enjoyed about Amelie is not only the large, large list of wines, but also the food menu.  OMG, we tried the truffle raviole and it was AMAZING and the foie gras torchon was DELECTABLE.   Almost everything, including the wine, that we tried last night was delicious with ONE EXCEPTION.  There was a  free range chicken breast dish, which was not to our liking.  The mashed potatoes surrounding the sliced chicken breast were cold and the red wine reduction sauce was also congealed and cold.  Yet, all in all, we were quite impressed with the other selections that we made.

For wine, we chose to start out with Champagne, then focused on red wines.  My friend ordered a Malbec (amelie) and I chose a Rhone Valley blend.

Oh and I must complement the MUSIC selection that evening.  It was a perfect complement to the lounge vibe.  The staff are so friendly and the local clientele are very business casual.

One question - why are the lounge chairs up front so tattered?  It is the only thing that doesn't fit with the great decor of the lounge!

For our 3 dishes and 6 drinks our total came to around $125 (including tax, but sans tip)

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Photo of Tammy C.

Elite '09

293

659

Tammy C.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
11/15/2009

Okay, let me be the 500th review. When it's good, it's worth all the good reviews.

I walked by this place many times before and always thought it's just a regular lounge.

A group of us walked around the hood after dinner trying to find a place to have a drink and chat and with a pub crawl going on and most other bars being very stuffy, we saw this way better upscale and non-drunks and decided to give it a try.

Great choice. They serve wines and champagne. A decent list of wines especially from Rhone Valley and mostly from France.

The couple servers who served us were both very nice and even checked and gave us the table as soon as a party left. Their service is super smart and nice, funny but not intrusive.

The decoration is simply red themed, clean and elegant. The air is warm and not bad at all. People all acted sober and well dressed. This is when we realized next table was a few French who actually work at restaurants. We chatted with them and so in addition to my champagne, I had the 1664 for the first time, which was a very light beer, perfect since I had to work the following day at 6am!

We wish we knew we were to be a smaller group and we would have had dinner nibbles here since they serve escargots (too late when we got there) and we saw a lot of people having savoured the great cheese. And it would have been great to have foie gras to go with the champagne! Definitely going back next time for food.

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Photo of Stephanie S.

 

2

8

Stephanie S.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
11/17/2009

I went here to catch up with some girlfriends. We had made reservations, but when we arrived we had to wait 5-10 minutes for our table. To make up for this wait, the staff gave us complementary glasses of champagne!!

Two of us ordered the truffle ravioli, it's not Italian ravioli but it was amazing, cheesy goodness. Another ordered the mushroom flat bread, which was equally delicious (or so I heard). After ordering, we asked the waiter what wine he would recommend to go with our meal. He recommended a bottle of Pinot Grigio, it was decently priced at $35. Overall, a really great experience. I would recommend reservations if you are planning to get dinner because the place definitely fills up!

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Photo of Lynsey C.

Elite '09

45

91

Lynsey C.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
11/6/2009

After having taken a 6 month hiatus from the dating scene to do some soul searching, I decided I was ready to dive back into the pool as they say. Just in the nick of time, a text message came across my phone, "Meet me for a glass of wine tonight?"

"Umm, ok! When and where?" I inquired.

"Amelie, 8pm." I made my way home from work as quickly as possible, dressed for the occasion and nervously paced in my kitchen while enduring the teasing comments from my male roommates. Finally, the time came and I jumped on the cable car to my first date destination.

I have been to Amelie a few times before, but it never really stuck in my memory. Somehow I did the unthinkable and arrived before my date (damn, now I have to make a fake trip the ladies room to fix my lipstick and not appear over zealous by waiting anxiously at the bar!). I found a prime seat at the bar and asked the bartender for a recommendation. I wanted a white wine (gotta make sure my teeth stay white and sparkling) that wasn't too sweet. "Something crisp" I told him. The next thing I knew I had a lovely glass in front of me that was everything I envisioned.

My date arrived and I offered him a taste of my vino, upon which he instantly ordered the same. Clearly the bartender knew what he was selling...and we were buying. The bartender gets major kudos for deciphering what I described, and also for continuing to pay attention to us the rest of the evening while also leaving us plenty of privacy.

Two glasses of wine and three hours of delightful conversation and banter later...we decided to part ways. Obviously, Amelie offered up the perfect environment for a first date as I did not notice the time fly right by.

Summary? I will back for another night of wine and music. Oh yeah, and the first date gentleman and I are already scheduled for date number two. Thanks Amelie, you are the perfect wing-woman

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Photo of Jackie M.

Elite '09

82

149

Jackie M.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
11/3/2009

I came here for a second time with my friend Chris G. and her very hip father Jim G. He was decked out in the same exact shirt that Obama was wearing in the latest issue of Newsweek (which he brought to dinner to show us). I mean it doesn't get much hipper than that!

Thank god he was decked out in his hip button-down shirt because Amelie is one hip spot. The french waiters alone can give you an inferiority complex if you don't watch yourself. I think the $10 flights are a GREAT deal and I loved how you are not limited to a certain selection. I really enjoy the cheese plate and salmon appetizer here. Tre bien! (is that right?!)

Overall, this is a great happy hour or light dining spot. One star deduction for having to practically wave the table cloth to get the waiter's attention. No one's perfect I guess. Not even those cool French lads.

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Photo of Anna S.

 

125

98

Anna S.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
11/8/2009

Handsome, handsome bartenders, wonderful selection of fine wines and aperitifs, great small plates (and a huge cheese board to feed 2-6 people!).

I lurv the dark, dimly-lit ambiance, tinted in red, and the neato decor (who would have thought- wine bottle wall light sconces! How trendy!).

The downside? Everyone else in SF seems to think this place is as hot as I do. Which means, limited seating. Come early though, and you may just find me, squeezed at the bar with an enormous cheese plate and a nice bottle of sumpin-sumpin.

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Photo of Sofia H.

Elite '09

131

203

Sofia H.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
10/20/2009

I was disappointed with this place.  

Came in around 11PM on Friday and ordered 3 house white wines and the gentleman at the bar selected a Sancerre that was almost $15 dollars a glass (the total for one round was $44 and some change).  Granted it was a great wine but I was not expecting the price.

After checking their wine list online it states that they have glasses from $5 - $15.  Way to take advantage, not cool.

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Photo of Helen C.

 

4

18

Helen C.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
Updated - 10/26/2009

Fool me thrice, shame on me (and you).

Why do I keep going back to this place?  3rd time is a charm?  I think not!  Seriously... I sat there for 30 min. before given a wine list.. another 20 min. before our wines arrived.  WHY????  The service there is horrible.

Never again.. this time I'm serious.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 2 star rating
    5/25/2007

    This is my second experience at Amelie.  First time was actually pretty nice, I'd give that… Read more »

Photo of Kimberly M.

 

10

37

Kimberly M.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
11/17/2009

A little too crowded for my liking. People were not very nice in letting us order a drink and the bartenders were not very good at trying to help people that were not sitting at the bar. However, after my friend and I got our glass of wine each- a couple of people sitting in the lounge moved over so my friend and I could sit down and chat. I would recommend coming earlier if you want to really enjoy this place- after 10pm it is too crowded for my liking.

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Photo of Telisa K.

 

5

20

Telisa K.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
10/1/2009

Crowded, hot, and narrow. Unless you have a seat at the bar or a table there really isn't any room to drink your wine.
The last time we came here we put our name down to be able to sit in the "dining" area. The back where the dining area is must have been 10 degrees warmer than the rest of the place. Our plan was to order dinner but out of 4 of us we did not see anything that we really wanted. So we just decided to get some wine and an appetizer and grab the rest of dinner somewhere else...
- Eh this place just doesn't make me excited :(

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Photo of Maureen O.

Elite '09

62

44

Maureen O.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
9/17/2009

First of all, the lighting, ambiance, and staff are enticing. I came here with loving friends for my birthday on a Wednesday night and was infused with amour.
First impression was the clientele being unusually chic and trendy for a weeknight. Second, the wine was amazing! My Cabernet could turn anyone toward alcoholism. The cheese plate was so-so. I assume the food is wonderful by the aromas of herbs and baking bread emanating from the kitchen. Another delicious thing? The bartenders. Yummy.
Upset: No live music except for Sundays.

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Photo of Kerissa C.

 

46

84

Kerissa C.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
9/17/2009 1 photo

I don't know why this place has such high reviews.

It's a pretty swanky place but it's a really impractical setup that makes seating difficult and awkward.

the wine we got tasted worse than 2 buck chuck, which I guess is our fault, so i can let that slide.

but what really irked me was what an ASSHOLE our server was. we arrived at 7:20 and he said happy hour was over and showed us the menu. fine. that's cool. i replied, "well i think your website says it's 5:30-7:30."
his reply? "you think? or you know?" in a really rude manner.
DICK.

***and FYI, the website does say it lasts until 7:30 (refer to picture i posted) so the customer really was right this time and regardless he shouldn't have been such an ass.***

later, he asks how the bottle is and my friend remarked that it tasted salty and he just laughed and her said, "well we don't put salt in it."

no shit, idiot. we weren't suggesting that you did. fuck. what a bastard.

i'll never come here again. it's like a boozy Cathy comic strip come to life in an urban bar setting: just a bunch of aging women sipping wine and nibbling on appetizers whilst complaining about men.

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Photo of Jon T.

 

0

1

Jon T.

Cook, IL

5 star rating
11/19/2009

I was here three years ago and this place still sticks in my head.  We met the owner who had a few drinks and hung out with us.  The chef came out of the kitchen and gave us a table side presentation.  We felt very welcome here.  This place is absolutely amazing.

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Photo of Jenna H.

 

4

17

Jenna H.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/1/2009

I appreciate this place for the happy hour. $10 for a flight that's larger than a regular flight? Yes please! And...what's that? I get to pick from any wine offered by the glass? Wow, that's a big list...

Needless to say, the servers here are pretty nice. I haven't had any bad experiences with them until now, and I've gone a few times. I wouldn't recommend a big group going on the weekend as it gets pretty crowded, but any other time of day or week is fine by me.

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Photo of Lenee F.

 

87

57

Lenee F.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
9/4/2009

Fabulous!

I went to Amelie last night (Thursday) on a friend's recommendation. The four of us arrived around 8:15, promptly sat at the bar, and ordered glasses of wine (and a Mojito for my anti-wine drinker girlfriend.) By 9:00 pm the place was packed with locals from the neighborhood as well as others from the east bay (surprisingly). I would describe the crowd as mid 20's to 30's young and hip professionals.  This would also be a good pre-dinner drink place.

Great wine list!! Let's talk about the amount of wine you are given. The poor I received was HUGE, about two glasses worth. The wine is served in huge ultra thin glasses, which leave plenty of room for wine!

We paired our drinks with one of the cheese plates that consisted of three soft cheese (goat I believe) honey, homemade apricot jam, and thinly sliced apples. The cheese plate was absolutely fantastic, yummy, delicious, outstanding - well we loved it! One of my girlfriends ordered the crab and avocado salad which was also yummy.

The decor was definitely a French flair, and the waiters were European. The service was fantastic!

My girlfriends and I had a lovely time and will be back again to try some more of the delicious wines on the long wine list!

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Photo of Tatiana J.

Elite '09

30

96

Tatiana J.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/5/2009

If I could give this place four and a half stars, I would.

This is possibly one of the best wine bars I have ever been to. What makes it one of the best? Simple. The selection. We literally had to study the menu to figure out what we wanted to order. Usually I just scan the menu for their pinot noir list... but this time, I had to try something different.

Because we were there during happy hour, we were able to try a flight of 3 wines for $10. Excellent deal. I tried a bordeaux, a red from Greece and a Syrah from South Africa. All were fantastic.

In addition to the excellent wine, their cheese plate was equally fabulous and moderately priced. For $15 we got a plate of 3 decently sized helpings of cheese, with an assortment of jams, breads and apple slices. Unlike other cheese plates, we were satisfied and did not have to grab a slice of pizza afterward.

The only place Amelie falls short is with the vintage movie theater seats the have in front. They are super cute, don't get me wrong, but they are pretty uncomfortable. No problem though, we can sit elsewhere next time.

Overall I loved this place and highly recommend it. The staff were friendly and incredibly helpful, and the music selection that night was amazing.

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Photo of Natalie G.

Elite '09

52

108

Natalie G.

San Diego, CA

3 star rating
11/3/2009

sweet name for a sweet place.

popped in here on late sunday night with friends, and the overall atmosphere was sweet... the chairs are a bit wierd, since some of them were like movie theater chairs [the old school ones that swing up] so easy flow of dialogue can be a problem, but  the wine menu was extensive. it wasn't too crowded, but nice little crowd for a late relaxed sunday night.

did i say menu? i think i meant binder.  there was something for everyone.. i went with a tempranillo, but if i were to go back, go for a flight.. my friend went that direction and she seemed like a much more happier camper...

staff was attentive, but not overbearing. music was decent. chill stuff. nice relaxed vibe. good way to wine down the weekend.

overall.. nice sunday evening with good vino, great friends, and a fabulous city. what more can a girl ask for?

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Photo of Marissa B.

 

4

11

Marissa B.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/1/2009

If you like snooty French boys (which I do, thankyouverymuch)...

I've noticed some reviews calling out the servers for being brats and that would turn me off too.  Luckily, that hasn't been the case for my trips to Amelie.  The ones I've dealt with have been nice and quite helpful when I try to navigate their massive selection.  I also enjoy listening to them speak French to each other and pretending I know that they're saying despite my intermediate understanding of the language.

As for the wine, they have a wide selection which is somewhat daunting.  However, their menu is organized well.  Everything is separated by either country or varietal.  It's not all French or California either.  They have stuff from all over Europe, Africa, Australia and South America.  I tried Greek wine for the first time here.

Their cheese plate is also really good.  You have a lot of options and they're not stingy with the bread.  I haven't tried any other food but they offer a lot of stuff (sweet and savory) that pairs well with wine.

The place gets a little too crowded with yuppies on Friday and Saturday nights but my favorite time to go is after work for Happy Hour (L'Heure Heureuse?).  You can get a flight of 3 wines for $10...and you can pick ANY wines they sell by the glass.  That means I can try that $16 cab I'm too cheap to get on its own.  The pours are generous too.  The $10 is more than worth it.

I moved away from Russian Hill recently but will still come by for this.

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Photo of LiLy D.

Elite '09

175

412

LiLy D.

San Bruno, CA

3 star rating
8/23/2009

It was a Thursday night and we got there about 9ish. (Our 3rd hit, oops! I meant 4th!) It was PACKED! It is super small inside and we barely had room to walk through. There was definitely no room to stand! I felt like I was waiting in line for the department stores to open on a Black Friday!

3 stars for now... because 3 reasons why I want to love this place!
I LOVE Wine!
I LOVE Happy Hour! (tho we missed)
I LOVE French men! (shaking head) ...I meant food, French FOOD!
One day, I'm going to come back for all three!!!
Time to stumble home...

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Photo of gwynnie p.

Elite '09

465

448

gwynnie p.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
7/31/2009

Yeppers that Happy Hour deal they got goin on down there at the Amelie is a good one, 5:30pm-7pm you essentially get to try 3 different wines for a total of $10. They are generous pours too, and they have some super good deals on nibbly bits as well, including a mushroom flatbread pizza thingy for $5.

The servers on duty tonight should probably consider a career outside of.....service....but whatevs. It really does kind of feel like you're in Paris because NOBODY is in a hurry for anything....they may not be fawning all over you, nor do they care if you sit in one spot for hours without shelling out showbiz dollars, so it all evens out and I'd say: yay, I'm a fan, worth a detour, I'll be back.

P.S. I am very glad this place is better than that movie of the same name which I found UNWATCHABLE.

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Photo of Sue L.

Elite '09

238

224

Sue L.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
7/21/2009

This year, in honor of turning 21...ugh...for the 9th time and realizing I haven't traveled enough in my 20's...I decided that I am going to France while I'm still "young" and "single". So to kick off my decision, I held my masquerade birthday bash at Amelie Wine Bar.

They reserved the entire back space for me on a Saturday without charging a fee or minimum. Je t'adore!

The bartenders are all handsome men with beautiful French accents (although, I speculate one wasn't really French). Je t'adore!

They have a very nice selection of reds and also carry the Barbara (from Italy). Je t'adore!

The music on their website rocks http://ameliesf.com/ Je t'adore!

Amelie...Je t'adore!

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Photo of Jessica L.

Elite '09

386

607

Jessica L.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
7/26/2009

Great ambiance. We scored the front large corner table and managed to kill 2 bottles of wine on girls night.

The cheese plate is a great size for $15 - 3 types you choose with jams and bread.

I would love to come back and try the food.
Knocking a star for the one horrifically rude/inappropriate comment the waiter made.

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Photo of Genevieve Y.

Elite '09

1150

705

Genevieve Y.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
Updated - 7/14/2009 5 photos

Date & Time:  Tuesday July 14, 2009 @ 8:30pm
Event:  Bastille Day Celebration
Company:  Stacy & Michael
Crowd:  Groups of Attractive 20-40 Something Singles w/ The Ladies in Little Dresses or Silky Sleeveless Tops w/ Hudson Jeans & Gents in Paul Smith Shirts
Vibe:  Energetic
Music:  DJ Kname
Decor:  Cool & Modern.  Red Mirrored Walls  Lounge Seating for Groups as You Enter.  Red Bar Opposite Cocktail Tables for Deux.  Tightly-Packed Banquettes & Booths in The Back
Service:  Eye-Candy in Fitted Tees for The Ladies
Imbibe:  Provence, Fraise Champagne, 2004 Merlot
Devour:  Fromage
Total:  $57.16
Note:  Happy Bastille Day Everybody!!!

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    10/18/2008

    Date & Time:  Saturday October 18, 2008 @ 9pm
    Company:  Gorgeous Theresa M on our 1st Wine Bar of The… Read more »

Photo of kristin e.

Elite '09

260

564

kristin e.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
7/17/2009

I think I'm a fan?

Too bad the only thing I can remember was speaking French to an Italian guy and getting a text from him the next morning.

Oh wait, I think there was wine involved too.

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Photo of Brandon U.

 

2

3

Brandon U.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/26/2009

"If God forbade drinking, would He have made wine so good?"
  -Cardinal Richeleu

And so good it is! But even better then the wine are the people in this swanky yet non-pretentious venue. Plenty of friendly interesting people that seem to enjoy meeting new people as much as converse with their own party. The French and Spanish bartenders seem to develop good relationships with those customers that frequent the place. This is one of my favorite drinking venues in the Bay Area. My only complaint is it can get uncomfortably crowded if you get there late and don't get a seat. Other than that its a great place to start the night off or pass the entire night with a bottle or two of reasonably priced wine.

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Photo of Eric T.

 

5

33

Eric T.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/10/2009

According to the girls in our group Amelie is cute. I'm not exactly sure how (or what?) qualifies a wine bar as "cute", but I'll play along just because I have too much fun with it.

Besides, this wine bar has a lot going on in its favor. Great service, food and wine selection is the perfect wine bar trifecta in my book and Amelie delivers on all counts. Cheers to that.

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Photo of david k.

 

0

14

david k.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
8/13/2009

Fantastic experience, all around.  
1.  Great wine flight happy hour deal (chose any 3 wines from their 60 wines- even the really good ones)
2. The Amelie Malbec
3. The service is the best in the city
4. The people all seem extremely handsome there; waiters and guests
5.  Food is really good!
6. Great place for groups!

mmmmmmmm

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Photo of Tee A.

 

1

13

Tee A.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/21/2009

First time there on Saturday night. My girlfriend and I thought the place was great. Large selection of wines, reasonably priced and even the cocktails were good. Don't miss the happy hour special of mushroom flatbread for $5 - worth every penny. Service was attentive and prompt. I liked the funny little seating areas against the wall too.

We went early and it wasn't busy or crowded so it might be different later at night, but I'll definitely be back there in the future.

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Photo of josh b.

 

2

101

josh b.

Sunnyvale, CA

2 star rating
8/1/2009

Great place if you are looking for a wine bar but I think Amelie is over-rated for the food, there is only a limited choice in the menu.

The cheese and charcuterie plates didn't impress me and the bread wasn't good and fresh at all.

The French service definitely suck, waiters arrogant and the service isn't good... they care more about hitting on the girls than bringing your food and wine. You really feel you are in France.

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Photo of Jonathan L.

 

19

98

Jonathan L.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
8/3/2009

Oh the memories I've had here.

Two words: Generous pours.

The bartender is awesome. Recommended some excellent wines and took pictures with us. Stayed here till like 2am on a Tuesday night. Was one of the best experiences I've had. If you need to eat, the pizza next door isn't bad.

You'll leave this place with a smile on your face. Check it out!!

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Photo of Cara J.

 

21

142

Cara J.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
7/20/2009

Let me explain my 3 instead of 4 star logic on this place.  Yes, the wine was fantastic, yes, the atmosphere was classy and fun.  Sadly, the wine list was nearly impossible for an amateur to read.  Really, not one description of the flavors or sweet or dry or even whether it's a red or white on anyone of the tons and tons of items on the list that looked liked it had just been printed from someone's computer (maybe it had?).  

The waiter was Spanish, friendly, tall, cute, and apparently had to many tables as he was doing flybys when I wanted to chat for a minute or two and just order.  I have a love/hate relationship with folks from Spain I've met in Egypt and the US.  I like honesty and bluntness.  I don't like lisps.  I do like knowing your wine.  I don't like short explanations of wines that don't make sense to me.  Talk to me like a 3 year old about wine if you have to, but don't come by and thumbs up me as if you were the reason I chose the wine.  I chose it because I just wanted a drink and was tired of trying to figure out a) what you were saying and b) what the menu was saying.  

Nice for a date though.

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Photo of Matt S.

Elite '09

17

80

Matt S.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/29/2009

We went to Amelie for the first time last night (a Friday) and it was packed. Fortunately, we were able to score a small round table attached to the wall adjacent to the bar. They had quite a few tables in the back though. The ambiance is great and the wait service very helpful and friendly. The waiters will give you a wine menu and tend to you.

They have HUGE wine glasses here; they are almost awkward to drink out of. There must have been a third of the bottle in there. After seeing the amount of wine you are served, you will realize just how great the prices are, which range from $8-$14/ glass.

I would have given this place 5 stars, but I had to knock a star off for their wine selection, surprisingly. They have a fairly large menu, but not that many good wines. They have a ton of South American wines and some French wines. They only have a FEW Italian wines. I really felt like a glass of Barolo last night but they had none. In addition, they had NO Central Coast wines. Okay, ONE wine from Monterey, but come on, that ain't Central Coast wine. I searched and searched for a Paso Robles Syrah and was shocked to see zero Central Coast wines.

But, that is how this place keeps prices low and the glasses full. When you go to Amelie, you're going more for the ambiance, music, style, culture, setting and a nice pour, not necessarily good vino.

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Photo of Ali R.

Elite '09

301

281

Ali R.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
7/2/2009

Thank you Susana L. for finally getting me to come here. Thank you Angelo F. for sending me the invite and thanks to the old school ex-yelper who shall remain nameless for driving me in his convertible.

I am definitely coming back very very soon. Great wines, great atmosphere, and VERY generous pours. There's not much else to say. Basically if you are considering coming here, you should.

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Photo of Sam T.

Elite '09

144

214

Sam T.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
6/24/2009

Welcome to the Good Life
~Amelie.
Welcome to the Goood Life
~the wait is over.
Welcome to the Good Liiife
~and after all the talk, all i gotta say is...

I give you a solid four stars.

The good life, it feel like Merlot
It feel like Syrah, it feel like Pinot Noir
It feel like Barbera, summertime and wine... ahhh
Now throw your hands up in the sky

The Charcuterie Plate was fine
A nice selection of cured meats
And an abundant amount of bread

Welcome to the Good Life
Where the crowd is fine
The wine is divine
The good life, so keep them comin' with them bottles
Until we all feel a little boozed, but that won't be the problem

And I love the fact that House of Prime Rib is up the block
Mmm steak and wine

And if you feelin' me now then put your hands up in the sky
And let me hear you say hey, hey, hey
Ohh, I'm good.

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Photo of Justin N.

 

4

37

Justin N.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
9/16/2009

Great food.  I have had many dishes and they have all been great.  The service is basic. The place gets packed during happy hour and can be quite the scene, but the happy hour is a good deal.  I can deal with the polk street scene for long enough to have a few beers and some really good snacks.

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Photo of Leah Y.

 

7

21

Leah Y.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/29/2009

LOVE IT. The well crafted wine list, tasty bites and sexy atmosphere (not at all hurt by the handsome European wait staff) make this my home away from home on weeknights. It gets crowded so show up early to snag a table in the back or seat at the bar.

The happy hour flights are a fab deal--especially with Amelie's healthy pours. The wine list boasts a solid range of Californian and European wines and the servers are happy to help you navigate. My personal faves are the Cab Franc and B.R. Cohn Cab. Yum.

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Photo of Amanda F.

Elite '09

45

130

Amanda F.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
8/20/2009

Love, love LOVE this Polk Street bar/dinner spot. Great wine selection, tasty-looking menu (though I've never ventured further than the homemade chocolate selection, which is both tasty and extremely reasonable), great atmosphere, chill-enough crowd. All in all a winner.

Beware of this bar if you're going on a work-night. I had two glasses of wine between 7 and 9 and had to sit up for a few hours longer than planned so I could sober up. I echo the generous pours.

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Photo of Stephanie B.

 

31

71

Stephanie B.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/24/2009

L'amour, c'est Amelie!!

Enchanting wine and champagne selection, interesting customers, gorgeous and friendly staff, just the right ambiance. Mais oui!

The only slight discomfort is that it's such a hot place that it actually gets hot inside when the masses are gathered! But who, I mean WHO, could blame them?

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Photo of Marcus C.

Elite '09

100

649

Marcus C.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/17/2009

Such a cute atmosphere!  I really enjoyed the happy hour flight of wines.  So much so that I was late for my dinner reservation!

Next time, I think I'll just plan to have dinner at Amelie, because the food in the back section smelled so good...

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