On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Steakhouses, American (New) [Edit]
369 EmbarcaderoHoly Cow! Happy Hour Monday to Friday from 3pm to 6:30pm. The 3 B's Burger - Beer - Brownie $20
always available in the Quiver Bar!!
Mon-Thu. 3:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Loading...
Epic is a great place to take that special person you want to impress.
I made reservations for Epic thru Opentable and noted that my wife and I were celebrating our anniversary and wanted a table with a view.
We got there 10 mins early and they seated us right away. We got a great table with views of the bay and Bay Bridge. I scored brownie point #1 with the wifey with the views.
The service was great. We got water and an assortment of breads as we waited for our drink orders to come. Our server was very informative and had great recommendations for what to order.
For appetizers, we ordered a ceviche and tuna tartare. The fish was very fresh and flavorful. I also ordered the Butterbean soup with smokey pork. The soup comes out with just some cream in the middle of the bowl. The server than scoops out the beans and pieces of pork from this kettle looking thing he's carrying. Once all the pieces are out, he then pours the broth into the bowl. Brownie point #2 as my wifey enjoyed watching this presentation.
I ordered the Steak and Cake for my main course. The steak was perfectly seasoned and the crab cake wasn't too battered. Plus you could actually taste crab pieces in the crab cake.
My wife ordered the Prime rib. Normally not a red meat eater, she was enjoying every bite of her prime rib. It actually got her to stop talking to me.
Our two side dishes were the mac & cheese and the broccolini. The broccolini was sauteed with pepper flakes and it was overcooked. Who knew veggies could taste so good.
All the portions were very generous and the wifey was happy to have left overs for the next day. Brownie point #3.
Then came the desert. We ordered the Strawberry Shortcake and Creamsicle Soda. The creamsicle soda is a must. Light and yet you can taste all the fruits and cream. It was perfect. Epic was also thoughtful enough to write Happy Anniversary on the rim of the plate of the Strawberry Shortcake.
Overall you can't go wrong with Epic. Only the best for my wife!
This review is for the bar. OK food, ridiculously slow service.
We went to the bar at happy hour, which was only half-full and well-staffed. We were in a group of 10, and ordered a round of drinks. 20 minutes later, we were still waiting to be served; one of our party cancelled her drink because she wouldn't have enough time to drink it. Even when I ordered a single beer 15 minutes later, it took another 20 minutes to arrive.
We also ordered a few appetizers. I'd give the food a solid 3 stars. The misto fritto was not bad, but not great--a bit on the oily side. The french fries were also not bad. Our server recommended the flatbread, which was good. The artichoke dip looked great, but was bland, and there wasn't enough bread to dip in it.
If the food were great, I'd give it another try. But it wasn't, and I'd hate to see what the wait is like when they're actually busy.
My friend met me here for a drink on Sunday. He knew the bartender upstairs, so we had an absolutely fabulous time hanging out in the beautiful bar room, overlooking the crystal blue sky and the dark blue waters of the bay on that lovely day, for the better part of the afternoon, I should add.
Dana, the lovely bartender, mixed us up some beautiful cocktails with expertise and style. She served me up one of the better Bloody Mary's I've had in a looong time, and didn't bat an eyelash when I smoothly moved on to champagne later.
I enjoyed the ambiance, the service, and the company very much.
Delicious beef tartare, too :)
Beer, Burger, Brownie, BARGAIN!
For $20 my belly was busted and the best part of my experience was the service. Even though I was sitting in the bar area, the service I received was just as good as when I ate at a table. Erin, my server, was quite a doll!
A+ experience at an A+ price
Overall: 5
My new favorite brunch spot when I have the desire to splurge.
Food: 5
Epic portions! The…
Read more »
We came here for my best friend's 30th bday. It was a perfect setting for a night of good food and girl bonding. We got a table right next to the candlelit fireplace with the beautiful Bay Bridge lights in the background. Started it off with three dirty martinis and followed with a delicious tuna tartare and beef tartare. I have to say that was the first time I had beef tartare. It was definitely different, something I couldn't find myself getting used to. I guess something about raw meat wasn't goin down well. (pun intended) The tuna tartare however was quite tasty..served up in a martini glass.
We each had a sizeable piece of tender mouth-watering meat for our entrees. It wasn't the best I've had...I think Bobo's is better. However, their sides were great. We had the grilled brocollini, asaparagus with a hollandaise sauce, and soft buttery mashed potatoes with truffle oil. Wow, those three were a hit. Probably the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. Everything was wonderful and the service was on point. It cost us a pretty penny at the end but well worth it.
I came here to celebrate my girlfriend's mother's b-day and I LOVED it.
The atmosphere is nice, cozy and illuminated by candle-light. I ordered the Black Pepper Corn New York Strip with mashed potatoes and had a cocktail (Manhattan). First off, the mashed potatoes were creamy and fluffy that it literally melted in my mouth! It was like heaven!! Best. mashed. taters. everrr. Now if only I could get my hands on their recipe..hrmm....
I ordered my strip medium-rare but when I cut into it, it felt like it was cooked to medium. Then when I popped a cube in my mouth it was luke warm. I brought it to the attention of our waiter and they made a new one for me. This time it came back nice and hot but it was on the rare side. I overlooked it because I'd rather have my strip tender than rock solid. Regardless, the strip tickled my fancies and I ate it super slow to savor every moment of it (I usually eat fast).
Regarding service, our waiter was great and everyone was extremely friendly. So friendly, in fact, that they came to apologize to me about a bajillion times for the botched strip and asked me if the new one was good. Even the general manager came out to apologize....I felt like a king! lol.
Definitely coming back in the future......after I sew back the hole they burned in my pocket!!!
==========
*5 Stars out of 5*
BOOM! I was floored by the NY strip steak! Now, I gotta say that I haven't tried enough steak houses to give it the official BEST steak in the city, but so far, it's been the best steak I ever had. Normally, I'm killin' my steak like a Tyrannosaurus Rex! But this time, I felt like I had to stop and meditate after each bite! I even had to hold the conversation me and my "friend" were having (who is my official girlfriend now by the way) so I can savor and think deep thoughts... The steak was prepared w/ a peppercorn and coffee rub, which gave it a "kick" on each bite (just the right tanginess), and that's the way I like it, and w/ that steak, I loved it!
My GF had the Steak and Cake, which was a fillet (no, not a fish-filet, but Mignon!) and a crab cake (Texas portions baby). Both were VERY delish! The steaks came w/ a reduction sauce, which complimented the items beautifully!
The cab we had w/ it, matched it perfectly. We also had a couple of cocktails, which were put together real nicely. Then we had desert, which were FRESHLY made biniets, they were sprinkled w/ powdered sugar (I say, DAMN... in a good way). They were accompanied by a small cup that had a sweet creme mixed w/ hot pressed coffee, which was used as a dipping condiment, and it was HELLA good!
Our severs were excellent, always had water and bread / cornbread. We were always attended to, and she also provided informative and wonderful suggestions regarding our meal and wine pairing. Very happy customer I be, yes indeedy! The decor was cool, rustic western vibe to it.
Cons: noisy. Big groups were scattered about, and the table near has had this drunk lady all over her friend, probably and affair situation, cuz they were w/ all his buddies... pretty funny actually.
Oh ya, heads up, its F@#$ing expensive! I'm definitely down to go again, but gotta have some pocket room for it, that's fo' sho!
Thank you, that is all.
How do you ruin a location like Epic enjoys? Answer: terrible service.
We live close and the view on the patio is amazing, so we've tried twice but alas.... 15 minutes to get a menu the first time (and the patio was empty) ... and the last time, 20 minutes to get a glass of champagne ... and some of our food never arrived. Simply never arrived. And how about the that we ordered olives and cheese as an app and the cheese came AFTER the dinner.
i REALLY hope they read these and fix it because we would love to have that restaurant on our list, if only for the outside seating.
I'm frankly confused by the positive reviews.
This is one of the best new additions to the waterfront. Great drinks, oven roasted fish and meats with a 21st century flair, and a Bay view to die for.
The restaurant downstairs is comfortable, warm, and elegant without being overly pretentious. But for my money the upstairs bar and lounge is the place to be. Big comfortable leather chairs, and a bar menu that contains everything a good bar menu should have. And the view from the upstairs lounge, looking out over the bay is one of the best in all of SF.
This is the spot... it's really one of my favorite spots in SF for sure. Best view of the bridge anywhere (outside of my office at one market). But... i have to tell you, the food; although good has some inconsistencies in the menu. The Fish and meats are to die for (the Halibut is off the hook good). I like having some wine or a beer with the olives. And the maître D is the best in town. And the $25 burger with all the sides is awesome.
Where they lose stars for their Charcuterie platter. I'm happy to pay for a great dish, but this is hands down the skimpiest and marginal platter anywhere in the city. 6-8 very, very small slices of meats, with a few pickled items on the platter plus some crostini do not make for a $25/35 platter. For $16 i can get the best loaded platter at Perbacco. It just doesn't make sense. $5 beers are always good especially with the view, but honestly, I'm still very confused about why i paid for that dish. It just didn't make sense.
I will continue to revisit for a beer after work and some olives, salad, burger, fish... but i want management to go to Perbacco and see what the actual difference is (believe me, I called the manager over and showed him a pic of the other 3 or 4 I have tried about town). Its about a pound of difference for the same or better quality.
Beautifully prepared deserts....
Now, as this place has been open a while, it was the first time I stepped into the place and I was more then impressed. The host and hostess greeted me in the right fassion. I went up to the bar to grab a martini and it was exceptional. Just perfect. The bartenters and the staff create great scenery along with the view of the bridge from almost everywhere in the place, I must say.
My guest arrived and we were seated at an excellent table and the server was terrific, giving us plenty of time, room and was always there at the right time. We ordered the appitizer small meat platter and I do agree with the rest of Yelp, that it was too small. So be it. Both my guest and I order the NY Strip and it really truly was good.
While living i the Bay Area, I know the food in the region is truly terrific.. People take great pride in what they prepare and server. Yet, there is one item and type of restaurant that the Bay Area has no clue about. They no zippo about a steakhouse and what type of dining that entails. People in the Bay Area also do not know how to shop for meat. Go into a butcher shop and the meat is paper thin, that is no way how to cut a cow. A person from the Bay Area, care more about the educational value and the sustainability of a ranch then the quality of beef it produces. Sustainability is important to our planet but when I go to a Steakhouse I make an exception, I want a great cut of beef, prepared the right way and it should be think, juicy and flavorful. Epic Roasthouse delivers the goods. My steak was terrific!! Now you asky, that do you know. Weil, growing up in NYC, going to Lugars at 10 for the 5th time, and having my face on the walls at the old Palm Restaurants over the decades gives be some Steakhouse cred. I have been to about all the top places for meat in the US so I speak from years of experience.
Along with my meat we had excellent vegggie sides. FInished up with a huge espresso, that I am still dealing with, up at 4am, writing this entry.
So, this place is really good. Any complains? Yes, the bus staff came by 5 times to clear my plate with plenty of food left to eat. I should have talked to the manager about that. It is wrong. They hover and think they are doing you a favor to clear your plates. I say, hey, I got $25 worth of meat on that plate. Get away and come back later. Again on the positive staff notes. Bartenteding, servers and the front staff are excellent. I may also say, that the manger was all over the place and missed nothing. From the bar, to the tables. She roamed all night and kepy everything just right.
If you want meat in the Bay Area. You have Harris, Coles, House of Prime RIb and Epic. The rest don't realy get it and now so sure how sustainable their busineeses are anyway.
On an uncharacteristically warm night in the City, a bunch of us went out and celebrated our friend's bday at Epic Roasthouse.
First the good...I'll give this place two stars for the following reasons. The view of the bay bridge at night was spectacular! We ate outside and everyone was having good time enjoying the weather and scenery. The atmosphere at the restaurant was bustling. I ordered the NY strip and it was very good, but not that exciting. The glass of cab that I had to go with the steak was perfect.
Now the bad...We waited upstairs in the bar area while our friends arrived. The bar basically ran out of a lot of their alcohol. They had a huge selection on their menu, but they only actually had about a third of the menu available! In addition, the drinks we ordered were extremely weak and watered down. Back at dinner, we seemed rushed because we were the last party to be served before closing. This translated to the bad service. Our waitress missed our side dish that I ordered and claimed she didn't hear me order it. The corn side dish we were able to order was a joke. I could've made a better dish at home by opening a can of sweet corn and microwaving it in a bowl with butter.
Overall, we all had a good time, but the the food and service in the restaurant defintiely did not justify the high prices, even in San Francisco. The food was ok, but you could get much better in the city. Don't think I will be coming back.
Our best friends had their wedding reception at this amazing restaurant located in an amazing spot right under the Bay Bridge.
The food was incredible, from the appetizers to the mac and cheese to banana chocolate cake, don't even get me started on that cake! Really, all around me were sounds like ""mmmmm" , "ohhhh mmmy goodddd this is goooood" and '''delicious!"
The upstairs banquet room was perfect, with our own outdoor patio overlooking the water, god this place is incredible! The service was impeccable.
I'd like to come back and try a regular dinner at this place, since we didn't even see a regular menu. Really fab!
Todd warned me I'd need my stomach pumped after Epic Roasthouse. But even after thinking we took it easy, I practically needed to be wheeled outta there.
The name of the place does not lie, the dishes here are epic in both flavor and portion. Situated grandly along the Embarcadero waterfront, this vast 6,000 sq. foot complex of sorts is a marvel at doing high-volume fine dining with impecabble service.
I ordered the "Wood Oven Roasted Pork Porterhouse with Summer Stone Fruit and Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi" and it was just outstanding, a fantastic cut of meat. Todd ordered the "The Ultimate 34 Pound Roasthouse Burger with the Trimmings and the Accoutrements" and for $25, we were expecting a lot and man, did it deliver. I can't wait to get back there to get my own because, well, Todd isn't a good sharer.. Actually, he is; I just want my own 12 oz. of burger.
A steakhouse without the stodginess. Ocean views without the tourists (at least without the ilk that wears fanny packs and has chubby kids). Fancy cocktails without the low IQ bouncer from Oakland at the door. Epic does a great job of offering traditional steakhouse fare in addition to innovative non-steak dishes. With the luxury of being a neighborhood haunt for me, I have been able to come here often so to appreciate non-steak dishes such as the amazing $20 Burger, Beer and Brownie deal at the bar.
Burger: Possibly my favorite burger in San Francisco! This is no ordinary chuck, the meat is a mix of trimmings from all the headlining steaks like rib eye. Place on a brioche bun for a very soft bread texture, allowing the ground meat patty to shine. Loads of do-it-yourself toppings: homemade ketchup, grainy mustard, aioli, mushrooms, bacon chunks, corn relish, lettuce, roasted red onions, tomato and sweet pickles. Of the toppings, the ketchup was the highlight with it's somewhat sweet and tangy flavor and runny texture. The bacon was ok but a little cold, definitely not fresh off the griddle. I was not a fan of the pickles since I prefer sour/dill and really dislike the bread & butter sweet kind... no right to be on a burger!
Fries: More like huge sections of a potato. They make wedges look wimpy. Very crispy exterior for pieces that size. Some sort of green herb was deep fried with them adding great flavoring.
Brownie: Comes with the Burger, Beer, Brownie combo. Rich and dense chocolate. Would be tastier if warmed or (even better) fresh out of the oven.
Wood Oven Roast Rib Eye For Two: I was a little disappointed that this came in 4-to-5 pre-cut medallions. I always enjoy the primal task of cutting the pieces myself from the bone. They did include the bone attached to a small medallion though. Very tasty cut. I suppose the outer edges were soft and not seared because of the slow roast.
The EPIC Prime Rib: The meat itself was everything a prime rib should be: varying sections of doneness from fatty and overcooked outer rim to bloody and rare inside. I was a little upset that the au jus sauce was thicker than other brothy versions that have fewer additives to the beef drippings.
Beef Tartare: Freshly hand chopped from tenderloin with the traditional fixings: parsely, capers, red onions. It is mixed at your table which adds to the experience. Good effort and solid tartare, but not the top in town.
House-Cured Meat Platter: A little confusing since they list 14 items, but only a subset are available at any given time. Also there are small and large platter options, but it is not clear what that means. One would think small means smaller portions of the same selection. In reality, the smaller platter means fewer types of meat that you don't get to choose the subset of the subset. Despite all of this misinformation, the meat you get can be nice. The Duck Proscuitto sticks out as a superstar since it's gamier than any pork proscuitto I've had and so hard to find. The Bresaola was also nice and full of great spices. The pâté is average. The porchetta is subpar compared to the fresher, warmer and crispier versions available from Roli Roti.
Wood Oven Roast Chili Squid Salad: Not sure where the "salad" comes into play, but the well marinated squid and beans are quite tasty. Deep fried calamari dominates so many squid-based appetizers, it is refreshing to see the unbreaded option here.
Mac & Cheese: A definite must! Crusty cheese topping and creamy cheese sauce. Hard to say what cheeses are used, but it is both sharp and smooth.
Beignets with Bicerin Café au Lait: Very cool to find beignets in San Francisco. The inside isn't as cakey as I've had elsewhere and more like a zeppola. Including the coffee is brilliant idea to force you to soak it up for a yummy combination. Would have been better if there were a mix of sweet fillings inside the beignets.
Blood Orange Creamsicle Float: It's like a super fancy Orange Julius for yuppies! Love the alternating blood orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream. Definitely appreciate the uniqueness.
Meyer Lemon Mint Crème Brûlée: Great for crème brûlée with the right mix of creamy custard and crispy top. Felt the meyer lemon and mint were too subtle to command top billing in the title.
Terrible service...so so food. In a nutshell, that is how I would describe Epic Roasthouse. First off, we were instructed to head upstairs to the bar bc they restaurant was fully "committed" for dinner. If we only knew how horrendous the service was going to be, we would have just gone to Waterbar.
Service. Well took them about 15 mins to come over and hand us menus. Then after we asked for full dinner menus...another 15 mins elapsed WITHOUT the ONE drink (5 ppl dining) and 4 waters we ordered. The waitress finally came back and when we didn't promptly have our orders ready, she raised her hand and said, uh, i guess you need more time...REALLY?? Wow...great service for a higher end place.
Let see what other highlights...Oh, we asked the difference between the filet and prime rib and she describes them both in detail. My friends opted for the filet that she described as "so tender you could cut with your fork. Later after the entree came, it was drier than the sahara (ordered medium-rare_ and tasted like it came off a Weber Grill.
Ugh, just getting irriated thinking a $250 and 2.5 hour dinner wasn't great at all.
Don't go. Hop over to Palomino for distinguished service and appetizing food.
Won't be going back or recommending...even for HH to co-workers.
Epic is a good place to eat, not an epic place. I always wanted to eat here as I passed by sometimes on my way to back home from the clubs. I don't know how busy it gets but I managed to get a 9 o'clock reservation only an hour ahead of time. The setup is nice. Great ambiance amplified by the stunning view of the bay bridge and the waterfront. There are a lot of people here dressed up bringing out their lambos and porsches. Don't be fooled though. I asked what the attire was and they said it was casual. I tested it, coming straight from a concert with a tshirt, jeans and ratty nikes. Everyone was polite and courteous, no snubbing at all. I guess they want to cater to the tourists as well so don't mind.
Service is kinda slow, but its again its courteous and polite. I was always asked if I needed anything. The host even arranged our table so we could sit side by side instead of face to face.
The food was pretty good. I had the veal shank. It was tender, juicy and fell off the bone, however something was missing. I think it was the seasoning or something because it tasted like roast beef. The sides are typical ala carte steakhouse style. They are larger portions for sharing. The potatoes au gratin were ok, I little to hard for me, I like them more creamy. I love the wood oven flavor of the asparagus, unfortunately they were a little over cooked and weren't crisp.
Epic is a solid choice for a steakhouse. It tastes good and its a nice place to enjoy of a meal. One thing though, they charge a 4% healthcare tax, Now i'm all for providing healthcare for employess, but you would think a place that charges $50 for steaks could spring for it on their own.
I came in again for the first time in a while, and for a few different reasons, I feel like they've gone downhill.
1. The warm spinach salad with a poached duck egg was watery. Like, literally sitting in a pool of water (not dressing) at the bottom of the bowl.
2. They ran out of filets.
3. The scallop dish with peas and ravioli came swimming in this tomato sauce that was almost identical to canned Chef Boyardee tomato sauce. I know it sounds mean, but that's honestly how it tasted. Not to mention that the tomato sauce didn't go well with the rest of the dish-peas, scallops and greens. It was random in addition to tasting like Chef Boyardee.
4. The service was great, though.
The end.
I can't decide whether to give Epic a 4 or a 5. My first dining experience here was a five, but… Read more »
Epic DISAPPOINTMENT. Ambiance is great, view is first rate but that's where our positive experience ended. We are accustomed to spending $46 for a steak, but for it to come ridiculously undercooked? and accompanied by overcooked green beans ($9) and super overcooked baked potatoes (also $9). We barely saw our waiter; my leftover steak never returned for us to bring it home. Ditto for our credit card - but that might have been my husband's fault.
To sum it up - great spot for a drink but head to even one of the "chains" (Ruth's Chris, Morton's, Bobs) if you are looking for a great steak in SF.
Epic View...decent dining experience. This was my second trip to Epic - the first was for Brunch...so I waited to write a review post-dinner, but this is a combination of my 2 experiences.
For Brunch I had a wonderful assortment of dishes, but the yogurt parfait was probably the best thing that I had. My egg dish was on the spicy side and seemed to be touted as eggs with grits, not egg IN grits. But it was otherwise tasty.
For Dinner we had a huge assortment of dishes at our table. Everyone loved the Brown Butter and Corn soup with Shrimp, and the Mashed potatoes were also a big hit. The Spinach salad was too wilted for my taste and as another Yelper pointed out it was a bit soggy. The little Gems salad was much better. Our other shared sides were the Mac & Cheese (decent) and the asparagus, which was tasty, but slightly overcooked for my liking. For the main meal we had the Scallops with Ravioli, Petite Fillet and Lobster. I'll say everything from that standpoint was good...although the scallops outshines the ravioli by a long shot.
Dessert...needs help. Could have been fresher - I had strawberry shortcake, my companion had the bread pudding with caramelized peaches. Nothing made me drool though.
So I think Epic is good...but probably hasn't earned the name Epic in my little Yelping book of places in SF. Don't get me wrong - it was a good meal and a great night of friends. Oh, and we had great service.
A beautiful space in a great location. We had a group of six, and received very attentive service and excellent food. We were able to relax a bit in the bar , then were shown to a table with a killer view. NY Strip with pepper and coffee rub was top notch. The chocolate cake with caramel and sea salt ice cream was incredible. We ordered too much food but otherwise I can't say anything bad about this place.
Great place for outdoor brunch. I gave 4 star because of the atmosphere at brunch, not for the food. The food was average. I went there a few times for brunch and tried a few dishes there. The best dish was the chunky corn beef.
Second visit to Epic. Every time I've been invited to dinner here I keep thinking that they mean "The Texas Roadhouse". I keep fighting the urge to throw food on the floor. But I digress.
Tried to eat on the cheap (like how?) by choosing the the Epic Burger with a side of Mac. The Burger (with toppings) is huge and tasty (and the cheapest dinner there!! About 20 bucks!!).
Previous visit I had the NY Strip (it has a coffee bean rub) that was very good.
Both visits I had the Mac which I love.
Service is great.
They have a selection of salts. Yup. Salts.
The place also has pretty nightime views.
Like the place. Actual score is a 3.5
Wow. What a disappointment. Good thing we cancelled our dinner reservations and decided to go for brunch instead. I know eggs aren't the same as a full-blown steak dinner, but if the brunch is ANY indication of what an 'epic' dinner could bring, I am so happy that I saved a bunch of money.
The restaurant itself is gorgeous with an unbeatable view, and the service was impeccable. Then again, it was Sunday brunch and the place was about half-full. They started with the bread which included a corn bread madeleine, a cheese/herb gougere and regular bread. All cold. Butter. Cold. BOO
My husband ordered the burger which really should be GREAT at a high end steak house. He was so underwhelmed, I can't even begin to say how disppointed I was for him. It was overcooked. They gave these interesting 'accoutrements', like a cold corn salad. Interesting. And, instead of coming with fries, it came with chips. Weird. So we ordered the steak fries. They turned to be quartered potatoes and were mealy inside. Not impressed.
I had the "truffled" scrambled eggs w/truffle shavings. It sounds so decadent. My eggs were overcooked, unseasoned and not truffled. The shavings were there, but scant. Thank goodness for the salt trio on the table.
The good things...mac n cheese, bloody mary, and coffee.
Not going back.
I was looking forward to eat at Epic Roasthouse until I discovered that the word epic did not described my dining experience but rather their prices and our disappointment.
I came with a party of 8 to celebrate my brother's birthday. After being seated, I already noticed that the service was very slow or perhaps our waitress knew she was getting the 18% gratuity anyway so she was not attentive AT ALL. We waited awhile before we got our menus, waited some more before she came back to take our order and never once did ask us if we wanted our drinks refilled.
Our dinner selections included: filet of beef, prime rib, halibut, salmon, rack of lamb, whole fish, truffle whipped potatoes, potatoes au gratin, mushrooms, corn and mac and cheese. Everything was mediocre at best. The prime rib was underseasoned. The whole fish, although deboned by one of the waiters, had bones and even fish scales in some bites.
We had brought a cake to the restaurant since it was for a birthday. I understand that restaurants do charge a cake cutting fee. However, most restaurants notify their customers of this charge and how much it is going to cost beforehand. To everyone's surprise, we were charged $10 freaking dollars per person. For 8 people, that is $80 effing dollars for cutting a dam cake! I think that is complete bs when their dam sides costs $9 per dish. How can cutting a freaking cake costs more than 1/3 of their menu?!?! Needless to say, I'm never coming back to this establishment again.
*It was good but I've had better steak.
*The sides were alright
*It was quite expensive
*Good Ambiance, very shi shi
*Excellent View of the Bay Bridge
*Recommend:
Ribeye Steaks :)
We collectively agreed for the view, quality and above all the impeccable service, Epic was worth the extra dollar sign. I loved the brunch menu and deliberated a long time over what to order. I ended up with a salad and prosecco.
I sampled the bacon and eggs martini and wished I had ordered one myself.
I had been waiting to have an occasion to eat at Epic. Parents visiting? Perfect occasion!
Decor: love the masculine vibe with the big pipes and rustic wood with nautical themes as you view out towards the bay. We ordered a delicious bottle of Frank Family cabernet to compliment our steaks.
We all ordered filets and then a our combination of sides included: green beans, mac & cheese, potatoes au gratin.
First bite of everything, absolutely delicious!!! One slight complaint, after a lot of bites it appeared that the side dishes were made with a heavy hand of salt - not allowing us to try the exotic salts that were on the table. I go back and forth on whether this suggests one less star but really I didn't mind it that much.
For dessert I had the Warm Scharffenberger Chocolate Banana Cake with Caramel Sea Salt Ice Cream - the cake and bananas were great, the ice cream? a little odd with the salt. My dad had the strawberry shortcake - that was a hit!
Steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It had a delicious almost smokey flavor. the views were beautiful and the service was perfect. It is definitly pricey. For the three of us our total was about $350 but it's worth it for the special occasion.
Thinking about a nice Friday lunch spot, this place came to mind. Making a same day reservation for a 1 pm lunch was relatively easy. Finding parking (2 hour meters on Harrison) was not a problem and everything went smoothly. As we were seated in the main dining room, it was obvious that a lot of people think alike as all the tables were filled. By the time our entrees came, though, there were only four or five tables left, meaning most diners arrived here around noon. Forgetting about the Dine About Town promotion ($21.95), we were happy to see this option available. I ordered the following:
1) Corn and Shrimp Soup - A tasty cup of creamy, peppery corn soup with a medium sized, tail-on shrimp. It was tasty, warm, and fresh, though the niblets were few.
2) Halibut Tacos with Avocado Mousse - Served with three flour tortillas, this was a combination salad/seafood wrap that was pretty substantial and tasty. Interesting combination for a fish taco variation (Chef's Inspiration).
3) Cookies and Milk - Three different warm cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and chocolate biscotti) served with a half filled glass of vanilla flavored milk. We shared this, but still couldn't finish the cookies.
Shared side orders
a) Steak fries - Large plate of hot, crisp potatoes neatly stacked in a bowl. Great for dipping in ketchup.
b) Onion Rings with Anchovy ketchup - Crispy hot onion rings with a slightly tangy dipping sauce... no, I didn't taste the anchovy.
We were also given slice bread (cold) and cheesy popovers (warm). The bread was good for sopping the last drops of the soup. I also swapped one of my tacos for half portion of the Grilled Skirt Steak Sandwich - flavor was okay, but the meat was on the chewy side (not good for those with bad teeth); this was served with an arugula salad. Most of the surrounding diners were local workers on lunch break or casual tourists (probably, the remaining diners as we left). The service was very nice and relaxed. One reminder, they left our doggie bag at the reception desk to pick up as we left, so don't be alarmed if you don't have them when you leave the table. One diner wondered if this was our weekly lunch routine.... by no means, but this was definitely a nice change of pace.
Disclaimers:
-I'm a vegetarian (didn't eat steak at the steakhouse)
-I went for brunch, not dinner
-It was a gorgeous day so sitting outside was heavenly
The outdoor patio is one of the best places in the entire city to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. I imagine that it's nice at night as well when the heaters and twinkle lights are all in full force, but the ocean breeze and the hot sunshine just can't be beat in a location like this.
I ordered the pirx fixe "Epic Brunch" with their trademark spicy Bloody Mary (or two or three...), granola with yogurt and fresh fruit (unbelievable) and the cornmeal waffles (I almost licked the plate) - finished off with the beignettes for dessert.
My only minor qualm is that I wish I could have substituted the beignettes with another item on the dessert menu, as they are all listed as the same price. The server did bring us the dessert menu after all, which seems strange if you can't actually use it with the prix fixe menu.
This review is for the bar.
I came here on a date, before dinner at Waterbar. I had been here before, but never went up to the bar. The bartender was fast and made delicious drinks. I ordered my default drink...a vodka gimlet over, and he made one of the best I've had in awhile. The drinks aren't cheap, but it's worth it for the ambiance and the comfy bar stools.
Yeah the food is great. Yeah the view is awesome. Yeah Yeah yeah ... we know it's classy, etc. So why bother writing a review??? I mean they have so many! Maybe to keep my elite status, to show I have eaten here? because I try to review everyplace my sexy ass has been? Even bart bathrooms?
Well I guess I just needed to write my little 4 star review :) One notch down because it's HECKA expensive! Good lord, get a date to take you here because if you ain't making $100K on your own, go buy a steak at the store & make it yourself.
Epic is one of the finest steak houses on the west coast. I'd rate them pretty close to Daniel's broiler in Seattle. Their Roasted Lamb Rack was fresh, crispy and tasteful. Presentation was extremely well and the service was personalized. Great for business meets with clients in the local area. The drinks served around the table were good, especially the simplicity of the standard dirty martini. A must see if you have time and the money to enjoy fine dining!
3.5 stars
A girlfriend and I headed over to Epic yesterday afternoon to soak up some rays and sip on a couple happy hour cocktails. Happy Hour is available Monday through Friday in the Quiver Bar
from 4:00pm until 7:00pm (Water Bar next door only offers Happy Hour until 6:00pm).
They've got a great set up on The Embarcadero and a perfect spot for outdoor seating while looking out over the bay. We were enjoying ourselves so much that we decided to splurge and order an entree to continue the evening. We went with the Sea Bass which came over a bed of Dandelion Salad, roasted almonds, sauteed shrimp, artichoke hearts and Meyer Lemon Parsley Brown Butter.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We split this beautifully prepared fish and enjoyed every last bite (the Meyer lemon parsley brown butter was just divine and perfect for dipping your bread in). The roasted almonds were an interesting addition to this dish and made for a very diverse compilation of texture.
My martini, which I ordered from the happy hour menu, was $7 and served with standard Russian vodka. Not the best deal in town but the ambiance and scenery made up for it.
I'd come back on a sunny day for some sliders and a frosty beverage...during happy hour only.
Background:
Ahh.... cool waitress with the Bronx accent. What happened to you? .... We were having a great time with you, chucking it up ... and then you went completely 180 degrees on us? ..... After we felt a little comfy with you, we shared some oddities about the service we saw today. .... But you came back with a different vibe ... and 'threw' our checkbook to us? ..... What happened to you??? [we wanted you to take this as helpful feedback, to share with your owner or manager]
Ambiance/environment: 5 stars
Very beautiful restaurant. Both floors/levels are very cool looking. The patio is another bonus with awesome view of the bay...wow! ;)
Food: 3 stars
a. The veal was very good: 4 stars.
b. The salad was very soaked from the dressing. 2 stars.
Service: 1 star
a. The menu should have been on the table? We had to wave down someone to get a menu after 5 minutes.
b. The bread should should be served within 5-10 minutes? We had to wave down someone else to get the bread.
c. Waitress took about 20 minutes to get to our table.
d. After I shared to the waitress about a. and b., she left like she understand my concerns with a smile --- however, she came back totally 180 degrees -- a little mad and almost 'threw' the check on our table. I was offended and my friend was laughing... I walked away from the restaurant saying ..... wtf???????
This was the first time I went to eat at the Epic Roasthouse, and I would say i would come back. It's right on embarcadero street, and has a great view of the bay bridge. The reason I like the place is the huge windows they have to see the view, for me I'm a huge fan of that. Customer service was great too, as I have never been asked if they could take my jacket.
So now to the food. Me and my date enjoyed the food. We had a appetizer that they had that was not on the menu, and forgot the name, but you can see in the picture I will post. For our entrees, I had filet mignon and a crab cake, while my date had seared scallops. All of this was cooked right and was delicious with each bite. For sides, we had sauteed spinach and asparagus which both were very tasty.
My only complaint would be it was fairly loud in the place, i guess the palce could be more intimate for a date, but overall it was great experience.
The thing I regret the most about coming to this restaurant....
was NOT bringing my camera!!! =( The view is incredibly amazing especially on such a clear day! The restaurant is located right on the waterfront with a view of the Bay Bridge, and East Bay. The view is just WOW. It has the WOW factor. The restaurant itself has lots of huge glass windows that take advantage of the view. The inside is classy. Their private room is fairly large and can hold up to 50 guests. I came here for a dinner sponsored by a pharmaceutical company, so the group had about 45 guests or so. The service was very good. The servers were very professional, kind, and very prompt.
I wish I could say the food WOW'd me as much as the view did... but it didn't. We started off with a salad with walnut vinagrette, then had the choice between halibut and prime rib. Both entrees sounded enticing... but given Epic is a steakhouse, I had to try the prime rib. The prime rib was supposed to be cooked medium rare, but it was more on the rare side, so that kind of tired my mouth out! =P It was a little too peppery for my taste. The mashed potato sides were buttery and very creamy... yumm! I even took the rest of the mashed potatoes home (weird request I know... but it was good! The spinach side dish was a little too salty for me... my colleague loved it though. For dessert we had the lemon creme brulee or the chocolate banana cake with caramel ice cream. I was initially hesitant about the creme brulee, but the hint of lemon was very refreshing! It was VERY delicious! Cooked perfectly. The chocolate cake was also tasty, but the caramel ice cream was too salty...
Overall, very cute, romantic restaurant. I would come back here again!
Tip: Free parking 2 blocks away after 6pm past Gordon Biersch and Palomino's. Ample parking.
My mother actually introduced me to epic and as soon as I saw that view I was a fan. Yes, its expensive, yes it's a little snooty, but it is oh so worth it.
Now let me let all you yelpers in on my epic secret. Usually, you need reservations however, their bar upstairs has quite a few tables, and the view is 100x better than downstairs. During happy hour it can get a little packed up there and it might be hard to find a table but Saturday night it's virtually empty (or at least it has been when I've gone). There's this one particularly epic table in the corner that has the best view of the bay bridge. Now if my mother and I try to sit at our favorite table and see it has been overrun with fellow yelpers I will not be as inclined to share my epic secrets with you in the future, so just keep that in mind.
Now onto the food. Some of my favorite things have been removed from the menu which is quite disappointing but there are new favorites as well. The butternut squash soup with black truffle is my second favorite soup I have ever tried, try searching my other reviews for the soup that holds the favorite slot. It is creamy and hearty and truffly and DELICIOUS. However, last time I was here it was not on the menu... WHY do restaurants do this?!! Moving on, I also used to love the half roasted chicken with shallots and leaks: juicy and delicious. Again, removed from the menu.
When I ran into my two favorite menu items missing I tried new things which is very hard for me to do. This time I ordered some kind of chicken which was good but forgettable and truffle infused mashed potatoes which were excellent and I cringed when I saw my grandmother put salt and butter on them. I'm hoping she just didn't know what truffles are. And last but not least, a dessert I have dreamed about often...Chocolate banana cake with sea salt ice cream. Now this dessert is truly epic. If you are a yelper with slightly empty pockets living in sf I recommend you spend your last few bucks on this dessert. You'll thank me later. I know it sounds like a weird combination, but I take my desserts very seriously.
If epic would bring back my favorites I would change this 4 star rating to a 5, until then, 4 stars are almost as delicious.
The view is phenomenal. If you go, go after sunset because the Bay Bridge lights up so beautifully!
The food is very good. I had the oven roasted whole lobster. It was on the small side and ever-so-slightly over cooked but still good. My date had the New York strip. It was 20 ounces of beef and goodness. For dessert, we had the banana chocolate cake, which is to die for! My date didn't like it so much, but that's probably because he isn't a fan of bananas! The service, however, is definitely on the slow side. Even when the restaurant was less than half full, dinner service took forever.
But overall, I recommend this place if you want to spend some serious money and get pampered with a great view, good food, and good service.
So what IS the story?!?!?!?
I came here last Friday for happy hour with some fave co-workers. The sun was blazing, we all earned ourselves a cocktail, and just wanted to sit and gab outdoors with a bevvy and catch some rays.
After hearing people go on about Epic Roasthouse, I thought to give it a try.
I headed over early to make sure and snag us a nice spot outdoors. I walked in and asked the hostess whether I could just go out to the patio out back to get drinks and appetizers with my friends. I could see it just past the dining room behind her, and was hoping I'd still find three seats.
She said that the outdoors is for restaurant dining only, and that the bar is upstairs. I figured there must be outside seating upstairs also, so up I went.
In the upstairs bar I asked the bartender whether I could grab apps and bevvies outdoors up here, and he said I should go to the patio downstairs.
WTF?!?!?!?
I told him that I heard the exact opposite downstairs.
Believe it or not, I tried one more time at the hostess stand downstairs - just in case I misunderstood - and I got another conflicting answer, phrased in an even more confusing way.
Perhaps I'd gone through the looking glass or something, 'cause nothing seemed to smell like what I heard. At this point I figured I'd just follow the note that said "Drink Me", go up the rabbit hole to the upstairs bar and proceed with altering my reality in a way that I know best... with a decent cocktail.
But long story short, I think this place isn't what it's cracked up to be.
Complimentary Bottle of House…
Neighborhood: SOMA
$15 Dinner Special
Neighborhood: Castro
San Francisco, CA
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: Steakhouses
San Mateo, CA
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Steakhouses
Building my lunchtime greatest hits near my new…
I work hard so I enjoy finding a place to relax…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
I always love to have a great glass of wine with a…
desserts/sweets are my favorite part of any…
My favorite dining destinations in San…
everything on yelp is converging upon 3.5 or 4…
I've had some pretty stand out burgers at these…
