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Category: French
Neighborhood: Inner RichmondWe will be open from 5PM - 10PM and we will offer our regular menu (available every day : App, Entree and desert for $38)
Announced 1 week agoMon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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5 stars. I can't think of one thing I don't like about this place, it's a romantic and charming atmosphere, excellent service, delicious food, and reasonable price.
AMBIANCE: Cute, charming, and warm- light colored walls, soft lighting but not dark, classic decor, upscale but not stuffy.
FOOD: Everything was perfect!
-- Appetizer: Trio of Salmon- House smoked salmon sliced thin, wrapped around a mound of salmon tartar, surrounded by a sprinkling of hard boiled egg (but light and fluffy) and some yummy crunchy things that tasted like peppered fried capers. The salmon was fresh and flavorful, the dish reminded me of a yummy sushi dish.
--Appetizer- Foie Gras/Apple/Brioche--A generous portion of foie gras sliced thin, seared till nice and brown on the outside. I only had a bite but it was really good.
-- Appetizer- Sweetbreads- simple, delicious.
--Entree- Scallops with Pesto Risotto- 3 HUGE scallops, seared perfectly and tender inside, sitting atop a creamy vibrant green pesto risotto, surrounded by a little lobster broth. So good, perfectly seasoned, portion was large so I took leftovers home.
--Entree- Filet Mignon, foie gras, wild mushrooms - I had a bite of this and I'll definitely order this next time. Filet was perfectly medium rare to rare, seasoned well. Mushrooms were sauteed and delicious, and I think there was truffle oil on this dish wish smelled and tasted amazing.
--Dessert- Trio of Sorbets- House made fresh sorbet in raspberry, mango and lime? Served with a mild apple chutney in a hazelnut "basket". The sorbets were yummy and fresh. Chutney was ok, I don't think it really added to the dessert but it didn't hurt it.
-- Dessert- French Toast- This dish is a must order, it is to die for and is the best french toast ever. A thin slice of french toast, buttery and soaking up the sauce surrounding it, and topped with melting hazelnut ice cream.
Portions are pretty large compared to similar restaurants. I usually can finish my plate at finer restaurants like this one but here I had to take leftovers home in a doggy bag.
SERVICE: Super friendly, they make you feel special and appreciated, and even give you a hug when you leave.
Altogether a perfect place for any occasion, excellent service and food, and great value.
I am new to San Francisco and I have been to Chapeau! twice already. Once on a dinner date with my boyfriend and the second time his father, brother and a friend came along. It was our recommendation for dinner. We chose the 4 course meal both times. For the appetizer I ordered Oyster on the Half Shell and I loved it soo much! I Love the Trou Normand palate cleanser. For my main I had the Cassoulet de Toulouse. Which was way too much for a girl like me to eat so my boyfriend had the amazing left overs for lunch the next day. And of course I had room for dessert, the Warm Chocolate Cake Mmmm! .. I can never turn down chocolate. Over all the dining experience was lovely, the staff is so helpful, warm and inviting. The head chef really tops it off, every single person who leaves gets a personal goodbye from him which I think adds so much to the dining experience. The first time my boyfriend and I went he practically sprinted to us before we left to say goodbye..
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!!!
Came here on a Valentine's date. Although my date made a reservation, but we had to wait for an extra 30 minutes. The place is pretty small but feel very homey.
I got the lamb shack which was good for two people. He got the striped bass with mash potatoes and mushroom. The portion of every dish were adequate...not pequeno at all for French. We had 3 appetizers. they were amazingly delicious. The trio tiger prawns was on the house...the tomato sauce was gooooood. Dungeness crab & alvacado napolean too tasty to describe. Mussels and frites were decent.
On top of that, we got 3 dessert plates...two of which were also on the house. Espresso pudding, creme brulee and warm chocolate cake. Everything came out warm. Every bite was heavenly good.
Our meal was so worth it...so many dishes so little price with quality service and food.
The food and wine were too good, i forgot to give my date a hug....haha. he nagged about it even till this day!
The onion soup was delicious. I like more cheese, but I know that's not how it's typically done.
On a lark, I ordered the Vegetarian Napolean - and it was excellent. I'm quite carnivorous, but was totally satisfied.
We shared profiteroles for desert, and I was a tad disappointed. Could have been better. The pastry wasn't quite to my liking - but I seem to have different taste in pastry dough than most.
Went to Chapeau! on Thanksgiving evening with BF. It was packed. We arrived about an hour earlier from our reservation but the hostess told us that she will try to seat us as soon as possible. We waited at the bar for less than 15 minutes and we're seated.
Atmosphere: tables packed in tightly along the wall and in the middle; clean, casual and cozy; fresh single rose at each table
Food/Beverage:
-Dirty martini with vodka: a bit stiff with alcohol (but not complaining), not enough olive juice, tiny olives
-Fresh apple martini with vodka: made with freshly mashed apples, just enough of apple flavor--yum!
I ordered Menu 1 (3 courses) and BF ordered Menu 2 (4 courses) but we both were served Menu 2 (charged for two Menu 2s), wasn't happy about that...
-Red wine: 2006 Gigondas, Y. & D. Cheron, Domaine du Grand Montmirail, Les deux Juliette,
Sélection des Vieilles Vignes
-Amuse bouche: mushroom soup made with crab broth (if I remember correctly)...excellent
-Appetizer 1 "Trio of Salmon: Gravlax, Tartar & Caviar/Egg Mimosa, Fried Capers & Crème Fraîche/Micro Herbs with Lemon Dressing"; excellent combination of salmon, fried capers and the lemon dressing made this dish pop!
-Appetizer 2 "Deep Fried Black Tiger Prawns with Shredded Phylo Dough Tomato & Onion Marmelade/ Petits Legumes/Herbed Aioli"; liked the crunchiness, a good flavor mixture with soft marmelade
-Tasting fish: scallop on risotto(?) and some kind of cream sauce; good flavor of scallop, wasn't crazy about the soft texture combination with the risotto
-Entree 1 "Filet Mignon Pommes de Terre Landaise/King Trumpet & Oyster Mushrooms/Sauce à la Périgourdine"; not the best steak as we've had at Peter Luger in NY but pretty good filet mignon, cooked nicely to med rare
-Entree 2 Roasted Rack of Lamb. Eggplant Moussaka/Artichoke Barigoule/Fried Panisse/Thyme Lamb Jus; lamb was good but a bit flavorless; at this point I was too stuffed to enjoy fully
-Dessert 1: cheese plate with toast, BF liked
-Dessert 2: french toast, the highlight! I loved! (guess I wasn't too full to enjoy the dessert)
Service: great, the chef was out on the floor and greeted guests; waiter was attentive but not over-bearing
Overall: not extraordinary to "wow" about but a good meal
Très bien--exec chef is a sweetheart and the restaurant is wonderfully staffed and managed. Oh ya, food ain't too bad either ;)
This is less of a review and more of an apology to the chef.
Back in 2005, as a high school senior, my prom crew decided to be classy and come here for dinner before the big dance (where I eventually dry humped my date to the beats of Lil Jon and Usher). Shoving the first bite of salad into my greedy mouth, the clusterfuck of flavors in the dressing became too intense for my inexperienced palate, causing me to involuntarily spit out my food. In front of the chef. My sincerest apologies. I would also like to apologize to the waiter for the following reasons:
1. Having to replace my napkin cloth every two seconds because I ate like a baby.
and
2. Having to replace my entree fork prematurely after I used it to eat my appetizer. (Why would I use the little fork when I can shove more food in my mouth with the big fork?)
I had Salmon and peas for the entree and enjoyed the moist flavor of the fish. I'll come back here one day to try something else, and not completely embarrass myself in the process.
I am a big fan of clement street and hope that it will transform into a great restaurant row ( now there are a lot of filthy hole in the wall junk places).
Chapeau starts clement on the right direction, it is a wonderful neighborhood restaurant. The owners are amazing..they go out of their way to be friendly, helpful, and inviting. Their pre fixe menu is perhaps one of the best deals in San Francisco: you get great food, great service, and great ambiance all for a very reasonable price...heck Garibaldi will charge you the same price for an entree compared with Chapeau's three course meal.
The food is very good, although somethings are better than others. I really liked the cassolet, it is really good, however the dessert of french toast and ice cream left me unimpressed compared to the rest of the dinner. This place is always busy so don't forget to make reservations.
Nice French place. Bustling. Owner and staff very friendly. Not in my usual dining area.
My husband and I have been eating at Chapeau for a long time. To this day, we truly enjoy the food and the people who graciously welcome us into their restaurant. Philippe and Ellen Gardelle have always succeeded in making our dining experiences truly memorable.
Chapeau is excellent at preparing wonderful food and maintaining the highest quality and excellence. The restaurant has managed to offer a menu that is consistently delicious. Even though a good number of Bay Area restaurants will promote menus that change frequently, I have always been happy with Chapeau's menu. And when they do offer special items, they are fantastic. (NOTE: When they offer the coute de boeuf (prime rib) special, order it, period!) And finally, it is in the final stages of renovation, and the ambiance is just as wonderful as the previous location.
Looking forward to many more fantastic dining experiences...
I don't really care how many people reviewed this place before me. The experience I had was definately worth throwing in my 2 cents.
Chapeau was my first fancy french resteraunt experience. I've been to france, and I've had plenty of French food.. but the romantic expensive and la-dee-da experience always alluded me (be it price or company).
6 months into it with my lady, and we decided this was the perfect place to mark the occasion. We got there around 5:30 , and the ambiance of the place struck me immediately. Dim lights, a full bar, and a flurry of french accents attack you as you walk in. The chef comes out and personally shakes the hand of every person who walks in (a very nice touch I must say).
Prepare yourself for thick accents. Luckily I speak french, so I didn't have to worry much. I could see other people having trouble understanding the waiters though. Yes, I did order in French, and no it didn't really get me any bonus points.
I started with the Fois Gras on a toasted Brioche, while the lady had a muscot salad. Both were good, but the Fois Gras was seriously out of this world (well done yelpers!). For the meal, I went with the ever so popular filet mignon topped with mushrooms and potatoes, while she had a flounder ontop of mashed potatoes.
As I told the waiter... the filet was just TOO GOOD. Seriously. I'm concerned that I won't be able to eat another steak without the texture aroma and deliciousness of this memory coming back to haunt me. Medium rare and perfect beyond belief. The Flounder was good, but not crazy, blow your mind good. The flavors were alot more bland, and next time neither of us would order it.
Dessert was even better. GET THE FRENCH TOAST. Enough said... I don't know what they do to it, but it was the best dessert I've ever had, and I never eat dessert! Some dessert wine to wash it down, and we were on our way.
5 stars Chapeau! Thanks for the best meal I've had in my inexperienced little life!!!
Bill including wine, food, dessert wine, and pre-drinks: $185....
Ok.. so i've been consistenty underwhelmed with SF cuisine until now. WOW! or should i say Chapeau! THIS PLACE IS EXCELLENT. Get the menu 2 prix fixe because it's definitely worth your money. I had the prime rib and i've never had it like this before... SOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!
Just got back from here and I'm having major garlic burps... BLLLLLLLEEEEECCCHHHH.. mmmmmm :)
The executive chef here is also soo friendly and so nice... he also looks a little like Gerard depardeau
Me and my GF aren't very adventurous when it comes to food, usually sticking to what we know and like. But when it came time to celebrate a special occasion, I wanted something nicer than our usual fare and with the high Yelp ratings, we went to Chapeau.
I must say the ratings are well deserved. I was a little eh on French cuisine before but if it's like this then I'm converting! Everything was melt-in-your-mouth-I've-died-and-gone-to-heaven good. After the first few timid bites, we no longer were asking ourselves what we were eating, we just ate it because it was that good.
We both ordered from the pre fixe menu and while the portions seemed small at first glance, at the end of the meal we were full and satisfied.
The tables are a little closer to each other than what I would prefer, but not so close where I feel that I am a part of the conversation at the next table over even though I don't want to be.
The head chef even came out to greet and talk with all the tables, which was a nice touch.
I went here a second time and while my expectations were higher (since I knew what to expect this time), the food was still very good. I just wasn't blown away by it as in my first visit.
Tuesday was a day of firsts.
It was the first time I've ever received flowers from a boy. (Pathetic to be receiving my first roses at the ripe old age of 24? Possibly, but worth it to have such a lovely man handing them to me.)
It was the first time I've ever eaten foie gras. (So sorry little duckies, but your livers are delicious!)
It was also the first time where I've worn a slightly inappropriate dress to a fancy dinner. (I spent the majority of the meal checking myself out in the mirror and making sure a boob didn't pop out.)
Chapeau! has been a bookmarked restaurant of mine since way back in July of 2007. Talk about exceeding expectations: Chapeau! was perfect.
The complimentary bread was warm and crackly, and it reminded me of the scene in Ratatouille where the Sous Chef says that you can tell a good bread by its sound. The leisurely (never slow) service allowed us to enjoy a couple loaves in between courses.
Appetizers included the foie gras (foie gras, potato, and apple) and the corn puree (corn puree, dungeness crab). Both plates were hearty, and we wound up passing bites back and forth. This was an indication of what was to come: indeed, much of our dinner dialogue was "Oh my god, you have to try this! It's amazing!"
He had the filet mignon, served with mushrooms and potatoes, while I had the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, served with braised swiss chard and parsnip puree. Both entrees were cooked to our request and complimented well by their sides (I may have even engaged in a couple of furtive glances to the left and right before wiping the plate with my finger).
By the time dessert rolled around, we were both full, but shared the creme brulee and the warm chocolate cake, a particularly memorable version served with banana ice cream and flambeed bananas. The cap on the perfect meal was the complimentary panna cotta with strawberry garnish, an apology of sorts for the long wait for a table despite our reservation.
By the time we wheeled ourselves out of the restaurant, we had agreed that our first time at Chapeau! was fantastic, and that it would certainly not be our last. And with that, my wine-drunk, boob-falling-out, dirty-mouthed, unethical-animal-eating self passed out in the back of a cab.
Ah, you never forget your first.
My husband and I came here for dinner the night he proposed. It was fun for us to come back again for our anniversary.
The food was magnificent. The Salad Landaise was superb. Rack of lamb was delicious. Service was attentive and polite. I love everything about this restaurant, even down to the small dining space. The tables are set up to encourage socializing with your neighbors. It's high quality food in a non stuffy environment.
I would eat this everyday if I could. Thank you Chapeau for a dining experience every time.
Came here for my boyfriends birthday the other night and had the best dinner I have had in a while. The service was super friendly and accommodating to our night. We were greeted by everyone who walked past us as we made our way to the table and of course birthday wishes!
We had an early reservation so we opted for the early bird menu.
I ordered the soup, it was a squash soup with duck fat crouton. Very warm and spiced to perfection. That soup was absolutely amazing!
For our second course we split the foie gras. I always love foie gras so it was no surprise that I loved it! It was served seared on top of toasted brioche and served with sliced apples and mache.
My entree was the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin on top of a bed of swiss chard and a parsnip puree. The bacon was so perfectly wrapped around the pork that i almost forgot it was there until i tasted bacon! Usually when an item is bacon wrapped it looks messy and thus looses its visual appeal, but they definitely succeeded! The parsnip puree had such an amazing creamy texture! This whole dish was a success!!
Dessert i choose the vanilla bean creme brule!! This creme brule brought tears to my eyes. It was so creamy and sweet and perfect!!
My boyfriend had ordered the french toast and that as well was very very good! Melt in your mouth texture with the warm bread and the melting ice cream!!
I cannot wait to return to Chapeau! in the near future!! Their food is truly amazing!!
Me and the lady had dinner at Chapeau for my 26th birthday, wow I'm 26. Originally wanted to get reservations for Danko, but it was too late. Settled on Chapeau and did not regret it one bit.
We were the first there with our early reservations, Wicked was at 8, so we had the restaurant to ourself. Compact, like most in Frisco, but enough room to be comfortable. Soft lighting, quaint, and not too loud, great for a nice dinner. Chef greeted us personally, a nice little touch restaurants often overlook.
Okay, on with the food. Appetizer was foie gras was delicious, served with microgreens, apple crisps, and cider glaze. Fatty but melt in your mouth delicious. We cleaned the plate. The warm bread is lightly toasted before reaching the table, and you can appreciate good bread.
Although a small menu, the quality over quantity. Do 7 things and do the damn well an old man once said. I had the filet mignon, and I NEVER order steaks unless at a steakhouse, but the lady swayed me into it. HANDS DOWN, BEST piece of steak I've had in my life. Medium rare, cooked to perfection, all the juices locked in. Served with diced potatoes, perfectly seasoned with a nice bite but not mush in the middle. Its the little details that enhance the meal so much more. Dont ever overlook the potatoes. The accompanying oyster mushrooms and au jous were also perfect. PERFECT!!! The steak deserves a page, but i'll stop there.
My girlfriend ordered Wild Caught Skate Wing in a brown Butter, Fingerling Potato Sauce Grenobloise/ Mache. Its like fish in a lemon, caper, butter sauce but a great change for the taste buds. She loved her fish as did I. It was a great contrast to the steak, and we like to share our food, so it was nice mix. The skate wing is tender and moist, much like striper meat. Again, the potatoes were delicious.
For dessert, we had warm chocolate cake with banana flambe and caramel sauce. Light and very gooey. Very good, nothing crazy, but good. I wouldn't mind trying the napoleon, that sounded good too!
Service, trust the yelpers, service is impeccable. I am a sucker for water, and my water was never empty. A big plus was we got a refill on bread without asking, that never happens. Owner is on site, so she makes sure service and food is always on par. Again, little details make a the dining experience so much better.
Okay, it gets better. The final damage, with two half glasses of wine, 2 entrees, appetizer, dessert, all under 100.00 dollars. Hell no. Thats not right. Food, service, ambiance, under a 100.00? I dare you to find better. CHAPEAU IS A MUST!!!
Now, that was much better!!!
I tried these items,
1. Fois Gras
2. Escargot de Bourgogne in Butter-Parsley & Garlic Sauce
3. Porcini Crusted Veal Sweetbreads with King Trumpet & Oyster Mushrooms/ Baby Carrots & Turnips/Truffle Sauce/ Fried Leeks/ White Truffle Oil
4. Bacon Wrapped Natural Pork Tenderloin with Parsnip Puree/ Braised Green Swiss Chard/Apple-Calvados Sauce
5. Cassoulet de Toulouse (Canellini Beans/ Shredded Braised Lamb Shoulder/Duck Leg Confit/ Garlic & Toulouse Sausage)
6. Warm Chocolate Cake (Banana Flambée/ Rum & Banana Ice Cream/Caramel Sauce)
Everything was good, much to my relieve, however, I expected more from the Cassoulet. I can't quite, figuratively , put my finger on it but I expected more out of the dish. I expected it to knock my proverbial socks off but to that end, I was slightly disappointed. That's life!
I like the new location and its decor. It is the equivalence of a breath of fresh air compare to the old location with its dark ambiance and black curtain that deposited you seemingly in the middle of dining area upon entering. Chef Phillippe greeted guests at their table was a nice touch and much appreciated.
=)
We came for St. Valentine's Day dinner. It was a madhouse.
Service was attentive and helpful but the…
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This was amazing. I haven't been so happy in a restaurant for a long time. Everything we had was a dream in your mouth. Salade Landaise with duck and fois gras to start, that was great. Prime rib was to die for; a touch drier than I might like but that's what happens when you braise to get that fantastic flavour. And it even came with the bone and marrow with a little spoon; very nice touch.
The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the tasting fish; the sauce was too rich and the butter and cream were obscuring the flavours of the scallop. But everything else, I couldn't believe how tasty it was. Even the bread and butter to start were top knotch. You know it's the real deal when they care enough to provide first rate butter at exactly the right firmness (temperature) along with fresh, tasty bread that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside and not too hard or dried out.
Service was also fantastic, very friendly and helpful wait staff but not pushy or in your face. Chef came out to talk to us a few times too, which was nice.
It's not cheap and you need to make a reservation a bit in advance, but for a special occasion, this is the place to go.
Oh my goodness. It's amazing. Go there now. 2nd and Clement. Turn off that repeat of "Man vs. Food" because they book up fast and it's already 6PM!
A) $38 three course meal all nights.
B) $23 three course between 5-6 most nights. If I was retired I would happily be spending my hard earned 401K money there!
Staff/chef are hilarious and so ridiculously friendly. They truly appreciate your business and make a great experience for you.
Food is perfection. First time I went I got the trio of salmon, duck and blueberry puff pastry. Last Thursday I went back and got the corn soup (TO DIE FOR!), flounder (Like Christmas and Thanksgiving wrapped together...AMAZING!) and the "french toast" (DELICIOUS!) for dessert.
Ugh, you're only complaint is your too full and happy now. Aren't you glad you went?
Fantastic Food. Just thinking about this meal makes my mouth water.
I love this place so much that I get a little defensive when I read others negative reviews. I just can't understand how anyone can dislike it! So to stand up for my favorite restaurant I want to address a couple issues that other reviewers brought up:
1.) The tables are close together. We went early so this wasn't an issue as the seating was spaced out and no one was seated next to us. If you have an issue with being close to others just go early.
2.) Yes, the food is very rich. Hello folks! Shocker, but it's French cuisine.
3.) Yes, almost all the waitstaff does speak with a French accent. I have no idea if the accents are real or not, but I honestly couldn't care one way or another as they communicate effectively and do their job damn well. Who even stops to wonder about this? And yes, the whole meal is on European time. Personally, I love this. However, if you're in a rush this may not be the restaurant for you.
And now for something completely different:
1.) We started out with the fois gras appetizer and the Onion Soup. the fois gras was one of the best I've had in my life. It literally melted in the mouth. The pairing of fruit was perfect with the fatty liver. Fantastic! The onion soup was very tasty.
2.) I had a single scallop on a small bed of risotto, for an amuse bouche, which was quite honestly extraordinary. I practically licked the plate clean.
3.) For the main course we had duck and halibut. The duck was stunning with a savory sauce that made your mouth water for more the minute you swallowed. The halibut was so light and delicate I just kept making pleasing guttural noises with every bite. The creamy sauce over a small amount of obviously very fresh pasta was rich while still being delicate and not overwhelming.
4.) Surprisingly, despite everyone raving about the chocolate cake this was in fact our least favorite aspect of the meal. It was a decent cake, but just wasn't up the high standard set by the rest of the meal. Next time I will get the Creme Brulee.
5.) We purchased the wine paring for the entire meal. Although this really upped the price of dinner I can not recommend this highly enough. The wine pairings were balanced beautiful to amplify and draw out the complex flavorings of the meal.
This is my favorite French restaurant in San Francisco, even better than Fleur de Lys.
Like a summer movie, I got too caught up in the hype. 4.5 stars on yelp with 740+ reviews.
I have to admit the food is excellent and the portions are plentiful. I highly recommend the lamb shanks and splitting it with a friend. Cause they make extra portions of the potato gratin and ratatouille. Its well worth the extra charge for sharing an entree.
The plating for the escargo leaves a lot to be desired. It fricking looks like a sewer lid. (i'll uploaded the pic for you).
Coconut shrimp was solid, nothing to write home about though. And we got a free spoon serving of potato salad. lol.. free is free.
So why am I giving the restaurant 3 stars? Cause the decor and layout of the restaurant leaves much to be desired. I had dinner on a Thursday night at 9pm, and the place was packed. Which is great, cause that means people love this place. But at the same time, could the management possible squeeze anymore tables onto the dinning room floor.
I know floor space is expensive in San Francisco, but give me a break. If I was to stretch my arms, I would have smacked my neighbor across the head.
And what up with lining the restaurant with mirrors at eye level. You know how people get hate being watched while they eat? I found an even more annoying situation. Watching yourself in the mirror as you eat. Pumping iron, putting on makeup, popping a zit.. ok I can understand the use of a mirror but not when I'm eating or having converstation with my date.
This place is off the chain. Friendly staff, nice atmosphere and most important awesome food. Came here for early bird prix fixe because quite frankly it's the only thing my broke ass can afford right now. I ordered the escargot first, the butter garlic sauce was delicious and went well with the bread they kept coming out. Just be careful because they come out HOT. Next I had the flounder w/ braised leeks, roasted tomatoes and mashed potatoes, everything in this dish was cooked to perfection but I gotta say that I tasted my friends second course (the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin) and even though the flounder was good, the pork was great. For dessert I had the Basil Napoleon (a mixed fruit dish with pineapple, mango, kiwi, strawberries and banana topped with a light basil sauce) which also was a standout (I tried my friends creme brulee and was definitely more impressed by my dessert). I've never thought of basil being used in that light so it was a nice surprise to taste it in a fruit dish like that.
The staff checked up on us the whole time to make sure everything was going well and we were taken care of the whole time. Only word of advice is that you should be ready for a fairly noisy environment and to be able to eat in close quarters with other diners as the place gets pretty packed (with good reason).
Definitely recommend checkin this place out at least once.
The food was realllyyyyyy good. I had the filet mignon - super delicious. The Salad Landaise was also tasty - very unique. The atmosphere was comfortable, as well - perfect lighting for a restaurant like this. The noise level was a bit high, but still acceptable. The server was polite and checked up on us every so often.
The one star off is for the service at the end. We got the bill and it had a charge in it for an item we didn't order. The server went back to correct the bill, and came back for an even higher amount, because apparently something that we thought was free/on the house costed more than the mistaken charge. -_- You would think a high class restaurant like this wouldn't be so picky about these small mistakes.
**Update: I changed it to 5-stars because the owner sent me a really nice email apologizing and explaining the situation. I can see that the service is generally wonderful except that small issue.
I also remember that since we went late to our dinner that day, we still haven't moved onto dessert yet by the time Chapeau! actually closed. However, we did not feel rushed at all and fully enjoyed our meal until all the other customers left already. Nice touch on their part.
I never do reviews on Yelp, especially 5-star places...we're selfish and we want all the good, local places to ourselves. =) But we're moving out of the country and this was our last time at Chapeau! for some time, so whatever, time to spread the love.
Where else can you get a Zagat-rated 27, 3-course prix fixe meal for $28? 'Nuff said. Go for the early bird.
Food has already been reviewed plenty of times before (and it was sublime...such an amazing experience every time), but I have to give a plug for the French Toast dessert (a new one for us), which was incredible.
A few observations:
-Our first time in the new, bigger, space. The wait for food was a little longer than normal, but to be expected. Not a negative, more time to enjoy the wine.
-Waiter listened to our wine preferences, recommended a wine that was not on the menu ($44) but turns out they were out (no wonder it wasn't on the menu), then recommended another wine that was excellent. Turns out it was $30...even better.
-Philippe came out to say hi. We haven't seen him the last 2 times at the old Chapeau! location.
-Water constantly topped up, napkins folded when you leave the table (I like that kind of attention to detail)
-It also happened to be our 1 year wedding anniversary and they brought a dessert on the house. Nice touch.
This is one of our favorite places for a nice celebratory meal. Food is always amazing. New space is nice. I also saw someone order the filet mignon (I think) where they slice it tableside...it looked amazing.
I don't need to go into every detail of why this place gets five stars. Even if everything else was horrible (which it most certainly was not) the french toast dessert makes up for it.
A lovely slice of soft french toast drizzled with caramel, topped with hazelnut ice cream surrounded by a heavenly vanilla scented creme anglaise.
I wish I had room to eat two.
My bacon wrapped pork was pretty tasty too!
I shook hands with the Chef three times. That was amusing. Either he had too much to drink or I did.
Chef greeted us all personally. Great fois gras. Totally reasonble price, especially for how good food was.
This was a restaurant experience unlike any other I'd had in San Francisco. Case in point, my boyfriend exclaims "I don't know that I'd be comfortable at work if my boss walked around all the time." when he saw friendly Chef happily greeting customers at the table, and later sharing a laugh and a joke with our server at the table next to us. But this isn't your typical workplace, nor your typical restaurant.
But onto the food... like everyone else says, amazing food for the price you pay. Both my bf and I ordered off the Menu 1 (one appetizer, entree, and dessert for $38... quite the deal). I ordered the Pork Tenderloin, and I have to admit I was a little bit skeptical when our server told me they typically serve it medium rare. I took my first bite and WOW! (Chapeau! haha) - very unexpected but very pleasantly surprising. That's what sums up their food here. It's outstanding. Though the walls were bare and the and decor, minimal to almost nonexistent... it's the food that takes center stage.
Oh and I failed to mention, when I ate their French Toast dessert, I nearly died and gone to heaven.
Very tasty - Went with 10 people and got the three course meal. I had the Corn Soup with crab (Special), the Fillet with mushrooms and potatoes, and the Volcano Chocolate Cake - MMMMMM
All very tasty and reasonably priced, great staff, would love to visit again!
As your fifth grade teacher always said, punctuation does make a difference.
According to the menu, Chapeau simply means "hat", but Chapeau! means "wow." I had to find out if this restaurant deserves the punctuation it claims.
I enter the restaurant, starving and pretty drunk, as I had just come from drinks at Bourbon and Branch, a fine establishment that serves no food. I am enthusiastically greeted by a man with long curly, gray hair which I assume must be Phillipe the chef. My first thought is: "Wow, what a nice touch." My second thought is, "That is one crazy French mother f*cker."
I scan the menu, quickly determine that I'm going to have the filet mignon. As they don't have a cab in the wines-by-the-glass section, I ask the waitress which is the biggest wine there:
"The bordeaux" she says.
"But it's 75% merlot" I protest, but take her recommendation and order the bordeaux anyway.
Honestly the wine wasn't as big as I had hoped, but that aside the meal was amazing.
Is the exclamation point deserved? Absolutely.
I am doing a project in my French Class to go eat at a French restaurant and I could not have picked a better place for my first French Food Experience! This place was absolutely wonderful! I can't tell you enough how cozy this place was. The lighting was dim yet romantic. The Chef was ABSOLUTELY wonderful, he was very personable and made sure his guests were happy, (and happy I was).
I have been to many restaurants but not one where the Chef comes out to greet you and by the way gave me a kiss on each cheek, which is so French! I loved it! Not only did he greet at the enterance, he checked on our table a couple more times just to make sure we were pleased with his food.
His food was beautiful, the presentation was great. Oh and delicious, I picked from the Vegetable Menu, and everything including the desert was great, I am not sure what I ate, but it was ALL GOOD!
I highly recommend this place just even if it is for the ambiance! It is a little pricey though, but that did not matter.
Loved it as Clementine, and love it as Chapeau!
FOOD - 4 stars - SO YUMMY! My family and I try to come here every month when we're craving a nice-sit-down French restaurant. The rack of lamb is amazing! The side dishes are so yummy! The escargo (bathed in garlic and butter) is wonderful! The 3-course meal is always enough to fill me completely. I haven't had a dessert there that I totally love, but the chef always presents them very well.
RESTAURANT - 3 stars - VERY clean and they have multiple servers to clean your table and give you new silverware. The noise can be almost unbearable if you go during a busy night. People and wine tend to do that though.
PRICE - 3.5 stars - A bit on the pricey side, but you're getting very good quality food and very good quality service. The chef comes around to meet and greet all the tables.
This little French bistro in the Richmond district is almost hidden from the street. I've been here twice and each time with different people and the feedback from my guests was consistent - good price for a 3-course pre-fixed dinner for moderate French cuisine, but the add costs on certain items on the menu and side order of foie gras were not worth it.
I thought the French cuisine at Chapeau was not spectacular. Do they use good quality meat, seafood and vegetables? Yes, they do. Do they service with a smile and make the diners feel welcome and comfortable, they sure did. In fact, the executive chef himself was on the floor roaming from table to table checking on his patrons and occasionally chatting up a few conversations and when we were leaving the restaurant, he bid us farewell at the door and saw us off. On my second visit, we left without the knowledge of the chef, he even ran out of the restaurant to say goodbye to us on the street. Service was great! 5 stars for that.
I'm afraid I couldn't say the same about the food. I could only appoint Chapeau 3 stars. No doubt the ingredients were good, but the execution was nothing to brag about. The $38 pre-fixed 3-course menu consists of an appetizer, entrée and dessert that you pick from their regular menu. Depending on which entrée you pick, there might be additional costs to it.
On my first visit, I had the duck leg confit casserole with white beans, my guest has the rack of lamb cooked to medium rare. There was nothing impressive or particular outstanding about the 2 entrees that deserve to write home about. My casserole was very heavy and the flavor was a little bland. It was a dish meant for sharing because after a few bite, your taste buds are bored with the same taste and one texture dish - mushy beans and duck meat that was too overcooked that the meat was too soft. My guest's rack of lamb was fine, although slightly better than my dish. The portion was enough to satisfy our hunger.
I gave Chapeau a second chance and returned the second time to try other things on the menu. On my second visit, I had the appetizer of duck breast with frisée salad and surprisingly it was much better than the duck casserole entrée. They should have just put that on the entrée menu. My guest had the Trio of Salmon appetizer and the filet mignon and she thought both dishes were fine. Foie gras was on the menu, but with additional charge. We ordered one to share. The serving was small and a little undercooked for my taste. The foie gras has a little gelatinous texture to it and it wasn't seared well on the outside.
Desserts were the typical tarts, crème brulee, and sorbet. Boring, boring, boring.
If you ask me will I go to Chapeau again, I can tell you without hesitant that most likely not. I know I seemed harsh on my review, but I had better French food and the city offers many French restaurants that have better French food, why go all the way out in the Richmond just for that? Your gas expenses and the time spent looking for parking on the busy Clement Street doesn't justify that.
Again, I have to tell all my Yelp-y buds I am back from a lull. And I'm back officially in a French food phase. Hahaha, well actually, since I dined here at Chapeau! 3 weeks ago, I haven't really had French food since then. I'm afraid it will be bad or disappointing or both! God forbid....
But I have to say, I am thrilled that there are many gems tucked away in my hood that I am finally getting to experience or "put on". After The Richmond, Aziza, and B-Star, I am over the moon that Chapeau! exists so close to my home.
Chris ordered a few oysters for an app. I got the lamb and he got the filet mignon with foie gras and truffles. The lamb dish was bigger than I imagined and cooked and seasoned perfectly, and the side of ratatouille was as good as what I imagined the Pixar movie ratatouille tasted like. The potato gratin was cheesy but needed a little more seasoning. But can I tell you? My man's filet was off the hinges. Holy moly, that beef melted in my mouth and with the little bit of foie and truffle added an extra dimension of flavor that I kind of never tasted together before.
And to top off the night of deliciousness, we ordered the French toast dessert with cups of decaf espresso. Wow, oh wow! The dessert was rich and cool and creamy and sweet. It didn't taste like breakfast but a real dessert. Oh heaven helped us that night. And I can't wait to go back again.
My first impression when we walked in was really good, as service was excellent. We were seated and we enjoyed the atmoshere and were given wine least and main menue and ordered their special strawberry martini, which was really really good.
I ordered:
Escargo
Fillet Mignon
Corn soup with crab
French Toast on desert
My wife ordered:
Escargo
fish with mussles
and mixed fruits desert
Escargo wad made ok, but we had much better on Geary and 6th ave. Corn soup is nice but very little crab felt. Fellet mignon was nicely made, midrare and very tender with patoes and mushrooms, however it was MISSING the taste, marinade, or that special souce what should make it special. My wifes dish was also just OK nothign special but the cost is very very expensive. over all we paid $175 with tips, which felt like a wste becouse personally I did not enhoy the food just desert and that is all.
Overall I dont think I will be coming back there, for money I paid there I've had far much better food and service. If you want to spend your money wisely go to AZIZA, you will not regret.
Wow! Where do I start? This was one of the best meals I have ever had, if not THE best. Service and Food were amazing.
TRY THIS RESTAURANT.
This was the first time I had been to a fancy French restaurant. My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and we got there when it opened so we could order off the special menu.
The food had the most amazing flavors. Everything tasted freshly prepared and cooked using things like spices, butter, and cream to flavor instead of salt. We ordered a variety of things: duck, escargot, onion soup, lamb, warm brie, a berry ice cream, plus a few other side dishes. It was a lot of food, especially for the price.
For drinks we ordered kir. Kir is amazing and you should try it if you haven't before.
The waiter service was fantastic! They really know what they're talking about and are very willing to make sure you have everything you need or want.
Since it's a bit pricey I would say it's more of a rare occasion or a special occasion. Great date restaurant, too!
i'm sad to say that i'm leaving sf after 4 years shortly...so i'm on a mission to visit some new and some old spots round town.
as a rule, i always request for a table away from drafts and the door on opentable. it was unneccessary since the interior - formerly belonging to clementine was warm and inviting. from the host to the chef and the servers, they were all really gracious and friendly.
apps:
the special of the day included a white corn soup with crab. creamy and flavorful - it was perfect for a windy sf evening.
the seared foie gras was a good portion served with apple slices. a solid dish but i still say la folie's version on top of a caramelized peach rules.
entrees:
the cassoulet with lamb and duck confit was a no brainer so we both ordered it. smoky, homey, and utterly filling.
desserts:
the molten chocolate cake was worthy of it's 15 min wait. a scoop and the liquid chocolate just melts in your mouth.
the apple tart with chestnut mousse caught my attention and it was fantastic.
after a lovely meal, we went back into the wind with my boxed up leftover entree (always leave room for dessert) and some extra baguette.
hat's off to you chapeau!
Since my wife and I both like seafood we ordered the Skate Wing and Flounder for our 3 course entrees. The mussel soup first course was good but I've had better oysters on the half shell elsewhere. The vinegar based sauce on the skate wing was a bit too strong after awhile. Our wine bill was about 2x's what we thought is should be. After checking their website when we returned home we found that their menu had a price for 1/2 glass of wine and adjacent to it a price for a full class of wine. I guess we didn't read the menu carefully enough. Oh well...
Thinking about this on the drive back to SFO caused me to miss the turnoff to 101. I wound up at Ocean Beach in dark parking lot. After finding our way back to 101 a low tire air pressure light went on in the cheap Ford Focus rental car.
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: French
Neighborhood: Russian Hill
Category: French
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: French
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
Category: French
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: French
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