Arlequin To Go
Categories: Coffee & Tea, Delis [Edit]
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley384 Hayes St
(between Franklin St & Gough St)
San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 626-1211
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
Sat 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Sun 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- 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
- Wi-Fi: Free
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
222 reviews
Neighborhood: Cole Valley
"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…" read more »
132 Reviews for Arlequin To Go
Date & Time: Saturday July 19, 2008 @ 12:30pm
Company: Michael
Crowd: Local Foodies
Vibe: Charming
Decor: Cozy & Rustic
Service: Young Cute Male Server w/ Winsome Personality
Imbibe: Mochas in Bowls
Devour: Meatloaf & Po Boy Sammich(afternoon menu)
Total: $29.84
People thought this was:
Useful (6)
Funny (4)
Cool (6)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/21/2008
Date & Time: Saturday June 21, 2008 @ 11:30am
Company: Michael
Crowd: Foodies
Atmosphere: R&R
Decor:… Read more »
This place is right across the street from where I work, so I'm here almost every day. The staff is the most friendliest and service is wonderful. The garden is such a nice mini-getaway and love its hideaway privacy. Only thing I may not be crazy about are the prices. If I didn't work right across the street, not a place to frequent often (because it's kind of overpriced for what they have, coffee & pastry wise). Oh, and I adore that they have free wi-fi, another strong reason I've become a fixture. Just shows to many cafes out there in the city, it's worth making it free to your loyal customers.
OMG. Have you seen the freakin' bottled beer selection?
so good you have to sneek up on caps like BAM! THAT'S GOOD!
Maredsous for lunch? No problemo! Only my favorite high octane brew IN THE WORLD.
Now that I'm over that.
I decided to go with the meatloaf...can you believe it? I can't....My last run in with meatloaf was an unpleasant sweaty confrontation that left me nauseous and writhing on the floor....pain...blood pouring out of my ears.....wait.....that was the last time I HEARD Meatloaf.....nm.
So this loaf of meat and it was yums. Adjectives: soft, fluffy (yes...that's right ), just a tinge of bbq on top with a mushroom sauce that compliments just right. I might add that I asked for green beans instead of mashed potatoes...and didn't get any shit from the chef herself....very cool. She even added that the regular green beans with hazelnuts wouldn't go well with this loaf and she would do it slightly different for me. So sweet!
So I walked onto the patio with my brew in hand basking in the glory of my precious beer , delicious loaf and special green beans and woofed that shit down like I was Meatloaf himself.
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This place used to be great until they started rising their prices. You could get the best breakfast in town, eggs, bacon, and side of home fries for a great deal. That's all changed.... The place got bigger, the staff got meaner (ok, not mean, but certainly not very welcoming), and I don't know if I am just seeing things but I feel like the food portions got smaller as well.
Their food is good but I certainly think twice now before going there. The outdoor seating in back is really nice and they do make some scrumptious blueberry scones.
I work close by and tend to stop by for lunch. The sandwiches seem to be getting smaller but the prices are on the rise. I picked up tuna sammy in their conveninent fridge area but had to look at the label a few times since it felt so light. After retunring to the office to enjoy my lunch, I found there was more filler stuff like lettuce and grilled onion then tuna. Too bad. I really want to keep coming back to this place but for the price I will continue to eat at the westfield mall where $11 gets me a whole lot more than some lettuce and onions.
The sandwiches and beverage selections are great, but the staff is slow and sometimes rude.
The $10+ greasy sandwiches are all delicious, as are their $7 soups, in fact, I'm eating a leftover grilled cheese from them right now. Mmmm raclette. It took about 20 minutes for them to prepare two grilled cheese sandwiches for us. When I went in to see if our order was just sitting on the counter waiting to be served (which has happened before), one of the girls working there gave me the dirtiest side glance ever. It was pretty hilarious, but come on. And fine, don't give us napkins when you bring us our plates, even The Crepevine does that and is faster.
Wow, that descended into a rant pretty quickly. I also just found what seems to be part of a skewer in my sandwich just now... Anyway, the patio area is rather large and often sunny in the summer. But watch out for the stray pigeon and swarming flies.
Oh, and feel free not to bus your own table. When we brought our dishes to the dish/trash area, the girl-who-gave-me-a-dirty-look was also putting things away. Instead of saying a polite thank you (like a normal person) or even acknowledging her customers, she was busy grunting and growling in disgust at the dishes she was taking care of. You know, in an obviously rude way.
I say this every time I'm there, "I'm totally never coming back there again." ...but no one else makes good sandwiches in Hayes Valley.
Food was good, ambiance is great. I think I'd have enjoyed it more if the staff wasn't so rude... and slow.
I have to admit, I was a little suspicious of this place... Not sure why, but I think I must have been doing a mental mashup with the "La Boulange" sandwich chain, which I find handy but charmless.
Stopped into Arlequin today for a quick bite and had an *excellent* and very tasty Cobb salad with fresh romaine, ham, avacado, chicken, an egg, and chunky blue cheese dressing. We could have done without the chicken, but that was one damn good salad. We also had a delicious "Indian-style" lamb burger that had some lovely colors and flavors -- and they have ginger beer too!
My suspicions have been allayed - now I know there's a place that's just as handy and MUCH better than the sort-of french sandwich place on the corner of Hayes & Octavia.
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My favorite cafe I just discovered. Sat outside in the backyard with a flight of wine, a bowl of mussels and a chicken avocado panini.
A place to either have coffee or grab a bottle of wine from adjoining store and sit outside.
Arlequin To Go is a good place to grab lunch in Hayes Valley. There is more than meets the eye here. They have a cute backyard garden/patio that is great for dining in on a nice sunny afternoon...which is exactly what we did. Dining al fresco is always lovely (provided the right weather in SF!) Note that Arlequin is not a formal dining experience, and by that, I mean that you order in line and then they bring the food to your table. Their name is also a bit deceptive, because though it is called "Arlequin To Go", they actually have very adequate seating inside.
The Portobello sandwich, grilled, with Gruyere, Sage, & Prosciutto (optional, but makes such a difference...get the prosciutto!) Delicious! But I think they should just have the sandwich come with the prosciutto, rather than adding a charge for it. There's already not much in the sandwich to begin with. My friend ordered the bacon sandwich, which came with a side of salad.. They should just give a bit of salad with all the sandwiches because her plate made my plate look barren! Their chai comes in a giant bowl...as if you were drinking soup!
Good food, nice back patio, but line service could have been faster. If you're a wine lover, check out all their wines in their connecting space (Arlequin Wine Merchant). Arlequin is worth a try.
I spend way too much time in this neighborhood and Arlequin was always a good choice for a quick lentil salad- if they had any left. Now, with the remodel and new entire take-out area, this is the place to grab and go. And there are no more 1/2 hour lines! All of the pre-made salads are delish. Haven't tried the sandwiches b/c the prices are still up there.
Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing but my Cuban sandwich was just so-so. And this was after waiting almost an hour for it to come out! I always take how busy a place is into consideration but there were perhaps five other customers in the place, including the patio out back.
Next time I'm just taking my butt to Miette and eating macarons for lunch. Sure, said butt will be even more gargantuan than it already is but it'll be worth it! I'd do anything for those macarons...
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stopped in here for a lunch date in Hayes Valley and had a pretty good salad for $9. typical greens, goat cheese, almonds and dates. nothing special but they were generous with their ingredients. i am pretty sure the chai i ordered was made from Oregon Chai concentrate (because it tasted exactly the same as from the box).
on a sunny day lunch out in the back patio would probably be lovely, but it was one of those normal SF-foggy-summer-days so we ate inside. it was crowded at 12:30 (good sign!) and the only seats for two inside were at the counter/bar in front.
i'm not going to go out of my way to go back but i'll return in the future when in the neighborhood --- hold the chai.
They serve a "dirty chai" beverage which is chai with a shot of espresso. Oh, WOW! My favorite food is the lentil quinoa salad, with the portobello mushroom sandwich coming in at a close second. For breakfast, the generous helping of polenta is a yummy way to start the day.
The back patio is a lovely spot to enjoy your food and/or drink, but I'm glad they expanded the indoor area for the times I wanna sit inside, i.e. when it's not warm and sunny.
If the chairs were a bit more comfy, I'd probably sit in here all day long!
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One of my favorite cafes in the neighborhood. Arlequin is a great Hayes Valley secret. It has a community garden in the back that makes it the best place to hang out with a coffee or a glass of wine. They also do a great roasted chicken. Shh, don't tell too many people, I don't want the garden to become too crowded
I've only had the coffee, scones, and croissants here. While I've always wanted to try their margarita pizza and their various micro-brew bottles, I can only speak about the coffee, scones, and croissants.
They are all pretty average. The coffee is OK and the scones can be extra buttery and sugary. Also, I found the place a bit pricey.
Finally, they have nice shared garden area with tables. It looks like a nice place to have lunch on a sunny day.
In any case, I'm just rating it on what I've tried and the incredibly slow service at the counter.
Ordering does take forever, even for prepared foods. They must improve the workflow!
The cobb salad was nice and we'll return to try other interesting things on their menu such as the lamb burger, omg roasted chicken, smashed potatoes with chives and grana cheese, and so forth.
Ordering took close to 10 minutes and we were the only people in line! The staff/kid who took our order was WAY too stoned to be working- seriously. He examined our credit card like it was the coolest thing ever and when we asked him to open a bottle of wine we'd brought in he did the sam... anyways I won't waste my time.
The food was good but for prices the portions were way too small. The garden area is nice and it was a good alternative to all the places in Hayes Valley that fill up during the 2 hours before curtian @ the ballet.
Nice place, quaint, well prepared meals. Nice selection of belgian beers and a on a great day you can hang out back and eat in the sun. Would probably return.
Last night was one of the first warm nights here in San Francisco this year. My friends and I didn't want to go home just yet after having drinks at a bar down the street, so we stumbled upon this place-- we were drawn in by the beautiful outdoor garden and seating area they have here. My friends and I shared a yummy meatloaf, cheeseplate and portobello sandwich, while sipping on some red wine. The staff are nice and laid back-- no complaints here. Really, it doesn't get much better than this- nice weather in SF, good company, decent food and wine, and comfortable outdoor seating. I'd come again on a casual night out or even before or after a ballet, symphony, or opera.
When uncrowded and quiet, the backyard patio is a peaceful respite and perfect for dining with dogs. The cobb salad has large portions of chicken, avocado, and ham with tasty chunks of bacon in the greens - one of the best I've ever had. The expanded space inside is great when the elements or crowds render the patio inhospitable. Agree that ordering can be on the disorganized side.
I was delighted to be introduced to this cafe/restaurant because it's close enough to the civic center to walk, and yet in such a pretty neighborhood. I got an iced coffee and french fries - I blame myself for the combo later, but at the time it was everything I'd ever wanted on the same table.
It's clean, the backyard is pretty (even though there are some civic center kamakazi pigeons there), and there's the wine store attached to the cafe. Heaven, on a school day?
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Their pepper/sage mac & cheese is amazing. Try it with bacon! But beware! This dish takes over 10 minutes, which is far too long for a deli. I also cannot get enough of their chimayo spiced chips - and believe me, I am NOT a chips person.
If you're in a panini mood, try their cuban sandwich. It is sadly unauthentic, but satisfying. Another crave-worthy lunch option is their portabello sandwich. Skip the optional prosciutto, as theirs is too salty!
If it's not too chilly, opt to dine outside, and enjoy their lovely backyard.
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I had the Cuban sandwich in the backyard garden during lunch today. The sandwich was tasty, crispy on the outside and nicely melted inside. My friends' salad and club sandwiches looked really great too! They have lemony water in carafes which is a nice plus, and either it was addictive or my sandwich was saltier than I realized, because I had about 6 glasses. Plus, no problem getting a good spot at 12:30 on a workday. I'll be back, especially on a warmer day!
---
Okay, after downgrading them, I came back yet again -- the deal is that I go with my original 4-star review -- but only for eating on the patio on a nice day. Also, if you're thinking about the reuben, don't -- save that impulse for Max's -- get the lamb burger for a dollar more. It's small but a better value and more satisfying (and messy in a good way).
I work around the corner and while I think the food here is pretty delicious although pricey, I have been trying to tell myself to stop coming here and have decided to write a tepid yelp review and cut myself off completely.
It isn't that the staff is not helpful, I think that the manager is wonderful and friendly, it's just that the ordering process is a frustrating mess and when I am on my lunch break, I don't want to waste ten minutes of my time just so I can wait in line to pay for a premade sandwich that I grabbed from a refrigerator when the restaurant isn't even half full. Truth be told, I used to tip them every time I went there even though service sucked and slowly I stopped because I kept walking away from the place aggravated.
There are 2 registers, but I have never seen both of them open at the same time even when there are lines trailing to the door and there are always at least 4 other people standing behind the counter chatting or preparing food slowly. I'm not saying this place should operate like a fast food joint, but for the amount of staff working on any given day, there is no reason for the long waits.
The last straw for me was yesterday. I wanted to order a smoothie like I usually do and saw a pineapple slushie on the main board where the smoothies were usually listed. I waited patiently in line for at least 15-20 minutes waiting to order either a smoothie or the slushie it only to be told that they were still working on the recipe for it. The guy at the register was apologetic and I appreciated it, but come on Arlequin, I just wasted a good amount of my lunch break waiting to get an item on your board that didn't even exist yet. I felt even worse for the girl in line behind me who was also on her lunch break who had to wait over 20 minutes to pay for a premade fruit salad and a yogurt.
Maybe this place is an ok joint to come to every so often, but it's a bloody waste of time to frequent as your usual lunch joint.
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It was so beautiful this weekend! I'm much more ambitious when the weather is nice - which is why, I think, I decided to bike to Sausalito when I woke up to the sun coming through the window. That - or I was mad with desperation from the last couple weeks of rain.
Well, it didn't take me very long to remember that I hate biking, probably hate Sausalito, and love getting breakfast out on the weekends.
So, I turned around, coasting down those god-awful hills of San Francisco that I had just laboriously biked up, and ended up in Hayes Valley.
Oh, Hayes Valley, it's always the most random circumstances that bring me to you.
Anyway, Arlequin. My stomach is pretty sure we waited at least 45 minutes in line before ordering. It was ok though - I'm happy because it's sunny, it's the weekend, and I can sit outside while I wait for my food to be made. 3 stars for a patio and for being located between the bridge and my apartment.
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In an attempt to try out as many different cafes in my neighborhood as possible, this Saturday's pit stop of choice was Arlequin To Go.
Cute space with lots of things happening on the walls. The beau had the daily brunch special of polenta with maple syrup, and I settled for a large coffee. I tend to enjoy my coffee without frills. Plus, the quality of the most basic brew allows me judge how good everything else will be. If they don't have the basics down, I couldn't possibly believe they'd be able to do anything too fancy either.
Polenta was delicious. I had more bites than I needed (especially since I had already grabbed a bite at home just a few minutes before). The coffee was average. Actually, I didn't even finish my cup. May not make it my first choice next time, but still, can't deny that the food was delicious.
Also made the mistake of visiting their bathroom. Not the cleanest..which makes me wonder about how clean everything else is. Not the most appetizing thing---a bit gag worthy actually. Just a bit.
I'd recommend coming here for the food and getting your coffee elsewhere. Oh, and make sure to use the bathroom before leaving home.
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I am hooked on this place - I go there almost every day - the food is awesome. The reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is that when it gets busy (which is mainly during the lunch rush?) the service is really SLOW, and I often turn around and go somewhere else. p.s. the cream beignets are highly addictive.
I don't want to ruin my city girl credibilty - you know, the "I can face the minor urban adversity of outdoor dining while fending off car exhaust, random pedestrians and a cold biting wind...in July" type - but I sometimes I miss civilized al fresco lunches. So the discovery of Arlequin to Go (right next to a favorite wine shop) was glorious.
Outdoor patio away from the street - check
Trees and flowers and charming paving stones - check
Sheltered location with plenty of seating - check
Delicious, well-prepared food - ch...hmmm...
That last one is kind of tough. Some of the stuff they do is very good - some of it is pre-prepared deli style salads and sandwiches that are not so thrilling. Stick with whatever they actually make onsite and you should be fine.
I have 'lollygagged' my way through many wonderful afternoons here, and can't wait to meander over again.
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This is a very friendly spot in Hayes Valley. A lovely surprise is their back garden. It has heat lamps in the evening and is just plain pleasant. We had been hoping to get into Citizen Cake but it was a ballet evening and those in their finery got there first.
The food is simple. We had the Croque Arlequin which was perfectly toasted and delicious. The chocolate bread pudding we scrumptious. Unpretentious and friendly staff, too.
My friends and I have been searching for the perfect study spot, and today it was Arlequin's turn. I'd been there before and I really like the back patio, but it can get pretty cold out there. All of my friend's had the sage and pepper mac and cheese which is awesome, though a tad small for the price. What can you do, it's San Francisco.
As far as studying, there was no internet signal but the tables are nice and big. We fit lunch plus four laptops on the table, very impressive. It's a nice place, but I think the search will continue.
This is a charming pick-up only place with a beautiful garden area in the back. I'd wager it'd be a great place to grab a quick bite or a cappuccino with a friend - in the Summer.It was rainy and cold the day I went, though, and with both front and rear doors barn-door wide open, there was no incentive to linger.
The food is good, although I wouldn't recommend going famished because for the price, the portions are small. My eight dollar goat cheese salad left me hungry enough that as soon as my friend left, I snuck across the street to Moishe's Pippic for another outrageously expensive snack, a hot dog for $6.25. They also appear to primarily cater to the office lunch crowd, because at 1PM they were out of my first two choices, the soup and stew of the day.
They do have public WiFi. Just bundle up if you're going in the winter.
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Wandered in here today before going to a performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Great vibe .. love places that do not feel so cramped yet still manage to feel welcoming. I kept it basic ... a hot chocolate. This was the best hot chocolate I've had EVER. So .. 5-stars for the best hot chocolate ever and a great environment.
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A certain gal (green bunny) took me here for a sweet lil' brunch of polenta porridge and turkey sandwiches. We walked into the garden patio in the back and I was charmed. HIDDEN GEM ALERT.
We had our meal and discussed topics that ranged from Yelp trolls to the shambles of our education system in America...and how it's all somehow the fault of Yelp trolls. The conversation was, in a word, scintillating! This place encourages lallygagging and rambling on...two things at which I excel.
But the best thing about Arlequin, (aside from being attached to a terrific little wine shop next door,) is the fact that the prices remain reasonable and the food delicious...a feat hard to achieve in Hayes Valley nowadays.
I'm free for brunch next weekend, if someone wants to sit and lallygag. CALL ME!
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I stumbled into Arlequin during a weekend walk through Hayes Valley. I don't know what made me grab a coffee here with all of the places popping up in this neighborhood, but I am glad I did. It just felt good to be in here - good ambiance, people in good conversations, fresh and simple brunch menu, good design and thought into how people will actually use and enjoy the space. 5 stars - I will be back for more.
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What a tragic waste of a lovely patio, and the wasted opportunities don't end there. The sandwiches and panini all sound delicious in theory (pear, prosciutto and provolone sounds good, no?) but all is lost in the poor quality of the ingredients and inept execution. Service is friendly but clearly clueless -- it's obvious that they're there to merely reheat what was prepared elsewhere, not do any actual cooking. Yes, the patio is a hidden gem and it would be a perfect place for at-home workers to set up shop on a beautiful afternoon -- if they're not hungry, that is.
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I like the scones, polenta, and the garden in the back. the coffee is good. can be a little expensive but it is hayes valley.
My best friend Zoey and I stumbled upon this place one sunny morning. Our experience was so pleasant that it inspired me to write this haiku:
brunch at arlequin
enjoying flaky croissants
in a quaint garden
4 stars! We will be returning soon.
This review may be a bit skewed as all the planets were aligned on my afternoon at Arlequin. I had my girls (da' candies!), a great bottle of wine and an adorable dog to enjoy this utopian garden with.
But, even without those things, Arlequin is a lovely space (the back garden is actually a public space and not part of the restaurant or wine shop, as I've been told). The food was wonderful (CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP was 2die4 and the hot sandwiches are good, too) and someone was even nice enough to come out and light a heat lamp for us. A great set up for a girls day or romantic afternoon with your person.
*One tip: it seems that dogs are allowed since this is a public space, but remember to enter with your dog on the Ivy Street entrance.
Don't know about the food, but I went there twice this past weekend. Once for coffee and the other time for a glass of wine.
Coffee (single mocha) was good, not too sweet. No whipped cream, but thankfully not an inch of steamed milk foam - which i despise. Def not as good as Cafe Madeleine, but who can beat chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate in their mocha?
Glass of wine on the back patio under the heat lamp. I had the cab. It was good. The place is def better in the evening when it's not jammed pack full o' people.
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