- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Foreign Cinema
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Mediterranean Breakfast & Brunch, American (New), Mediterranean [Edit]
2534 Mission St(between 21st St & 22nd St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 648-7600
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 6 pm - 10 pm
Fri 6 pm - 11 pm
Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
2431 reviews for Foreign Cinema
Review Highlights
"Delicious menu and loved the Chocolate Pot de Creme."
(in 70 reviews)
"The pop-tart was also really fresh and yummy."
(in 80 reviews)
"baguette french toast with bananas - - yum yum."
(in 33 reviews)
Loading...
2430 reviews in English
-
Review from Quynh-An P.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
I've been here twice since last week for brunch since we had out-of-towners visiting. It's a perfect place to take your guests, since it's fun, the courtyard was beautiful, and the food is delectable.
To be honest, I haven't been super impressed with a lot of the restaurants I've been to in SF. I think that a lot of them try to hard and that they're trying too much to "push the envelope" and people accept the odd for delicious. Well, Foreign Cinema knows what they're doing. They've perfected the right balance in their dishes that it's interesting and still fantastic. I haven't had anything there that I haven't enjoyed and loved. The boyfriend always laughs because I just get real quiet and I start smiling when I"m eating there. That's it, just me sitting there, smiling as I eat my brunch.
I had a really rough weekend and the boyfriend and I met up with friends there for brunch on Sunday. It was the first time all weekend that I smiled and forgot about all the crap going on in my life and just enjoyed myself. The food did that to me! Seriously! It's magic and it made me feel amazingly better about life. I've since told the boyfriend we may need to make this a weekly brunch date. -
Review from Alicia W.
2/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Love the food and the service here is excellent.
I came here twice. One time sitting outside and another time sitting inside. I like sitting outside, the heat lamps keeps you very warm and you get to watch a film.
I tried the oysters and the prawns and they were both very fresh and delicious. For entrees I had the Sesame Fried Chicken the first time, and the Moroccan Mix the second time. The portion of the Sesame Fried Chicken was huge, I was only able to finish half of it. It was very crispy and very flavorful. The Moroccan Mix was also very good, it was a dish with lamb, hummus, and quail (or squab.)
But i think out of everything, my favorite was the risotto that my mother ordered. I had one bite and wanted to steal the whole plate from her. The risotto was very creamy and it was cooked perfectly. I am definitely going to order risotto next time I eat here. -
Review from Kazu O.
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent brunch with some of the most unique flavors I've ever had in a brunch meal!
Brunch seems to be a "thing" in SF. It's just something you HAVE to do to maintain a social life in SF. With this brunch culture comes infinite choices of where to go get your food on weekend mornings, and Foreign Cinema seems to be at the pinnacle of this list.
Their Caesar bloody mary was really good. I mean oh-shit-I-just-drank-the-whole-thing-in-a-minute-s o-I-need-another-one good. The oysters were uber-fresh. And the entrees? Different from your standard eggs and/or pancake breakfasts AND delicious. I had a persian flat omelette, which reminded me of a Japanese okonomiyaki, with interesting persian spices. The balsamic eggs were good, along with all of the other dishes that I got to sample.
Definitely need to come back here more often. Is this my favorite brunch in all of SF? Yes, probably. It's a toss-up between here and Plow.. but I think this might've just edged out the win!
Bonus- bacon cooked in brown sugar. It's like crack, only more addicting. -
Review from Rachel R.
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Ohhh hooray! I'm a fan as they say on Yelp.
Stopped in with no reservation on an early Saturday afternoon.
Did you know you can eat at the bar essentially right away instead of waiting the hour it might take to seat 2 in the dining room? Unless there is a movie showing, why bother to wait?! Point for you Foreign Cinema...
Huckleberry poptarts, are a nice "appetizer" in brunch land.
Egg dishes were quite tasty, overall good food experience.
Prices tend to run a bit higher for brunch then some SF spots but still worth checking out for sure.
I'd like to come back here when they're showing movies. I'll most likely plan ahead and make a reservation ;) -
Review from jasmin t.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
3 2/3 stars.
Its definitely one of the better places in town. There are too many places in sf that can't live up to its hype.
Just to be clear, the food is good, not great or super memorable, n a few dishes could stand to be cheaper. But I would say their carpaccio, steak, n trio is a must. Everthing else is good, is a solid food places but could use a lesson in a prompt service. Our waiter disappear half the night...and our plates are cleared before everyone in the table has finish...:( nevertheless this is a place you can bring your visiting friends to. -
Review from Rebekah T.
San Francisco, CA
Over the years I have tried many restaurants, but always say that Foreign Cinema is my favorite. I've had parties here, been brunching, dined with friends and special visits with out of town'ers. So for my second pick of our Dine about Town adventures, we went to my favorite, Foreign Cinema.
To start, we tried s couple types of oysters. Our favorites being the ones from Tomales. http://www.yelp.com/bi... Paired up with the Lost Abbey Red Farm Ale in the 750ml bottle. It was a perfect starter. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
So we could make the most of it, we ordered different items off of the Dine About Town Menu. That way you can try more. We ordered the:
*Black Chantarelle and Lentil Soup (AMAZING): http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*Brandade~ Cod and Whipped Potatoes; http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*Curry Fried Chicken (AMAZING): http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*Cinema Bouillabaise: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Great with the Pino; http://www.yelp.com/bi...
and for dessert
*Cappuchino: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*Chocolate Mousse: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*Port: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
*Granita (got this at DAT '09 too): http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I say it's amazing, but the pictures say it all. Such an amazing menu of dinner items and our selections were perfect. I was very impressed by the flavors of the dishes and would like to use that inspiration in my own kitchen. That to me, is the BEST meal you can have.Listed in: Oysters!, Sweet treats, Dine About Town
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
6/3/2009
I went to Foreign Cinema with a friend of mine for the Dine about Town yesterday, thinking back to… Read more »
-
-
Review from Ziyan C.
Our "foreign" movie was The New World. Sorry, but even though it's a Terrence Malick film, I just can't respect anything starring Colin Farrell after Phone Booth happened. I guess the movie did a decent job of filling those few awkward silences at dinner with even more awkwardness.
The food made up for everything though =). We got a mix of both the Dine About Town and regular menus.
MUST-HAVES: Strozzapretti pasta, Chocolate pot de creme, Apple cheesecake
~~STARTERS~~
* Free bread basket - 3 stars
Cleary Tartine Bakery bread, which was nice. Nothing fancy though, just sourdough and maybe wheat. Good if you're starving.
* Brandade - 3 stars
(cod whipped with potatoes, garlic olive oil, cream, green chilis; panini toasts)
The cod was a little too homogeneous, too much potato, though the bread crumbs were nice. The panini was a little dry and over toasted. I still ate it and enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't order this again.
* Soup: vegetarian harira - 3.5 stars
(tomato, lentils, chick peas, lime scented creme fraiche)
Tried a bite of my friend's & really liked it. Good hearty & savory flavor.
* Martin's arugula - 4 stars
(pink lady apples, cider dressing, candied pecans, goat cheese)
So simple, yet such a wonderful & well balanced salad. The dressing was the cherry on top, giving it a perfectly tart extra bit of flavor.
~~MAINS~~
* Seafood Fideus - 3.5 stars
(true cod, mussels, clams, saffron broth, black chanterelles, spinach, rouille)
The seafood was fresh and the soup tasty. But it was just a little lacking in that it was a really thin broth with a sampling of seafoods. There was this weird thin, short, inflexible pasta that was difficult to pick up with your utensil and was just hard to really enjoy.
* Strozzapretti pasta - 4 stars
(brussel sprouts, wild mushrooms, garlic, hot pepper, zest, Piave)
This was really nice. The pasta was really unique, nothing I'd seen before (though I'm not any sort of past connoisseur) and had the right balance of being soft yet chewy. It had just the right amount of a buttery yet light sauce, and the little pieces of brussels sprouts and mushrooms were just right.
* Grilled harissa spiced pork chop - 4 stars
(butternut squash polenta, artichokes, agro di mosto)
The pork chop was really nice and tender and had a great seasoning. But to me the real star was the polenta - I LOVE butternut squash! The artichokes didn't add much, but I never really like artichokes anyway.
* Chocolate pot de creme, chantilly - 4.5 stars
Wow. Extra dark, extra delicious. Super intense. Only for the truly chocolate-savvy out there.
* Pink Lady apple cheesecake
(cranberry preserves, almond crumble) - 4.5 stars
Another wow. And a PERFECT compliment to the chocolate, as this was slightly lighter and more tart. The extra big of texture from the crumble on top was great too.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/8/2011
OMG amazing brunch!!
* Baguette French toast, Sebastapol strawberries, maple cardamom butter $10.5
-… Read more »
-
-
Review from Christine Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
DAT drew me in, but my friend and I decided to order things off that menu.
Goat cheese starter, stuffed quail, pork chop, and pasta with nojito and huckleberry soda to drink and of course the pot de creme.
Pasta was eh, but the rest were delicious! It was a bit much to have quail and pork chop, but we shared and both were delicious.
Service was awesome. Our server (Dolli?) kept coming back to refill our water, ask if I wanted more coffee, and check on how we were doing. I wanted to sit outside and it was getting chilly so I asked if the heaters could be turned up. She said it was on/off switch but she moved our table closer to a heat lamp. Atmosphere was lovely, so romantic, fitting for first date or dinner with friends. It is pricey but will totally be back. =) -
Review from Jordan P.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
I have only been here once before for my office xmas party, but they were playing Spirited Away so I instantly became a fan. Their food was very good, but not amazing. The decor and atmosphere are stellar. The service was top notch, and although their valet is ten bucks it was a nice touch, although next time I'll just take BART.
I reserved a table in February for a split birthday/valentine's dinner and I look forward to some oysters and a nice bottle of wine (or two).
Stay classy. -
Review from Rose A.
Unfortunately, I was left rather disappointed with my first experience at Foreign Cinema. Although the restaurant was beautiful with it's high ceiling and pretty flowers, the food wasn't as I expected. I had the Sesame Fried Chicken, probably the crispiest chicken I've ever had, but it was way too salty. The broccoli rabe was even more so.
On the other hand, my husband did enjoy his mahi mahi. He'd like to try their bunch so I'm willing to give it one more shot. Hopefully next time they'll seat us so that we can actually see the movie playing. -
Review from Anjali V.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
*GET THE POT DU CREME!
Dinner for Deux:
- 1 Carafe Schiava (easy smooth red)
- 1 Glass of Zin (i got greedy & it was super yummy and tannic)
- 1 Brandade (i'm skiddish of seafood/fishy smells & i absolutely loved this)
- 1 Fried Chicken (yummy, but a little too heavy on the batter for me)
- 1 Lemon Tart (yum at the time, but forgotten since)
- 1 Pot de Creme (i will forever dream about this & believe in unicorns)
= $93.21 - without tip-
** yay for my friend who had a groupon/living social to use which helped divvy up this meal
*GET THE POT DU CREME!
Sidenote: Bathrooms are clean, beautiful & appreciate the music!
I'd love to go back, but need to brace myself for the higher tab, which is justifiable because it's a beautiful space, the servers are attentive (we had Jenna who was super patient and helpful), the food is amazing, the wine is amazing & you'll have a memorable soiree for sure.
Oh, and in case my subliminal messages haven't been working:
*GET THE POT DU CREME! -
Review from Jessica B.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
Sexy, sexy, sexy.
Screw the brunch scene! Make a reservation for 9 or later on a Saturday night and grab a date. Wear something a little spicy; your skinnies are fine for Four Barrel but you wanna make this special.
If the weather's decent, get a table "outside" (really a partially covered, heated area that still offers full views of the sky above). True to the restaurant's name, a foreign film will be playing silently on a giant screen in the corner, but the images mostly will just give you something to do when your date heads to the (modern, great-smelling) bathroom.
Do this meal right- get a cocktail to start. The Pomegranate Margarita, for example, sounds frivolous but is flavorful, not overly sweet. You can get a bottle of wine with dinner, since the choices are of excellent quality.
I don't think you can really go wrong with food; I even had fried chicken here that was impossibly moist and somehow gourmet. However, I can specifically highly recommend the calamari for an appetizer to share; it was delightful and surprisingly complex.
It goes without saying that this is not really an appropriate first date scenario. You aren't going to want to stay in the "polite zone" and listen about his tech startup or her undergraduate career at Brown when every damn thing about this restaurant is telling you "MATE! MATE! MATE!"
So, go to Foreign Cinema. Why? You're young and you're in San Francisco . . . why not? -
Review from Alissa A.
1/17/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Let's get this straight:
you aren't going to the Cinema
you aren't watching any films and
it's not Foreign.
But it is a big "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am!" - *sigh* I heart. *swoon*
Back to the 'Cinema':
It's silent and there are far more interesting things to be looking at here -
and let's hope your company is solid because FC is not a place to go with someone you only half care about. (Take them to the Roxie afterwards if you want indy films)
FC epitomizes:
California cuisine and the perfect spot for that, say, second or third date. A little much for date numero uno. Then again, also the perfect place to take your out-of-town parents when visiting.
The food is the star. The service is not far behind.
Random tidbits:
Grab a cocktail. Or three.
Share. One of everything.
Fireplace inside. Space heaters outside.
Chilled seafood platters. Well worth the cash.
Do dinner.
and brunch.
and return.Listed in: Your Special Someone, Second (or third, fourth,…
-
Review from Erin M.
San Jose, CA
1/29/2012
I love Foreign Cinema! It is one of my favorite places for brunch -- some highlights:
- "Pride cocktail" -- sparkling wine, lavender syrup -- amazing!
- summer truffle omelets -- light, fluffy, full of flavor
- Croque Madame -- creamy, smokey, cheesey -- wonderful take on a classic
- Poptart -- delicious, buttery, with the sweet incredible fruit flavors.
- Brown sugar bacon - regardless of whether or not it goes with your dish, if you are there for brunch, you have to order a side of this incredible bacon.
- fantastic staff, beautiful decor, and a terrific patio.
I've been back many times and am never disappointed. It's worth the drive from San Jose and I look forward to bringing new people with me so they can experience all that Foreign Cinema has to offer! -
Review from Kristina L.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012 Seated via OpenTable
This place has the ambiance for a perfect date... however, it does get a little cold in the outdoor section with the big screen. I'd say bring a jacket if you're going on a cold day because even though they have heating lamps, some seats are still friggin cold. we didn't realize until the end of the meal that there are little speakers that we can increase the volume on if you're really interested in watching the movie.
But on to the food. We had some oysters (Hog Sweet), they were good, but of the 3 pieces that I had, 2 of them were full of... shell... ugh... I totally understand that is expected but nothing is worse to me than having bits of crunchy shell whirling around in my mouth. gag.
The house curd sardines with hummus, yum. I'd give that a 4.5 it had a nice mix of salty, creamy, and crunchy... definitely worth getting again.
We also had the fried chicken - that was tasty... I had the duck breast... and the duck was good, but the sides they gave had a distinct flavor that just turned me off.. BUT, again, someone else may have thought it was wonderful... so with that said, I am willing to give this place a second chance and I'll just make the assumption that I had ordered the wrong thing. :)
Oh! and we had dessert. The Pot De Creme... it was really rich. I liked it a lot but with the richness and the size, I think I could have done with something smaller so I'd say definitely share. We also ordered cheese... I forgot which one we got but i was HIGHLY disappointed. They ended up giving us basically just the rind?!?! O_o wth. I was pretty pissed off about that considering this is supposed to be a pretty reputable establishment for amazing food. With that said, I've given this place 3 stars. -
Review from corey G.
1/1/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
It was Halloween. My friend and I were invading San Francisco. Vials of "True Blood" were poured before us. Super heroes, sexy nurses, Nacho Libres, and hipsters surrounded us (the latter being the scariest costume).
And Dracula was projected high above us for our ambiance.
Yes, this was my very first Foreign Cinema experience, and within 5 footsteps, I knew added a new spot to my list of Favorite Places of the Bay Area.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~
I had made a reservation on-line for this joint, but as luck would have it, we ended up being late for it. We parked in the parkade a block west of Mission and walked over. The people at the front desk were understanding, and said they'd be able to fit us and in and asked us to hang out at the bar and then we'd be seated. This was nice because we were able to get a better tour of the FC space. Our wait wasn't very long at all, and we were taken to another area.
We were seated in a much bigger space, and it took a second or two, but we eventually figured out we were outside! Yeah, there was a cover high above the the weathered red brick walls, but we were outside.
It was a surreal. A black & white film of Dracula was playing silently on a wall. People in costumes were at many tables around us. Flashes of the beautiful night sky were always within our vision. And the swanky coolness of the restaurant made me feel like Don Draper for some reason. (I like it when a place can make me cooler than I am!).
We had an excellent server for the evening. As stated earlier, after menus were dropped she also slipped us complimentary Halloween-inspired shots. They were called True Blood (yeah, like the show). They were red, and they were stunningly snappy (my partner had another one to go with her vegetarian meal).
For my meal, I was called by the Pomegranate Porkchops (I had visions of my dietary wife Pomegranate Chicken from Seattle [http://www.yelp.com/bi...]). This meal, like the drinks, were classy, well & thoughtfully made, and heaven-to-mouth experiences.
When I think about it, this was just an all-around banner evening, and I have Foreign Cinema to thank for that. -
Review from Andrew K.
Mountain View, CA
1/8/2012 1 photo
A very fun place to go for dinner. Wonderful ambiance and there is plenty to do after dinner in the Mission district.
The food itself was very good, but not magnificent. I had a fried chicken dish and my girlfriend had some sort of a fish (tuna?) I remember enjoying the food, but it certainly is not memorable. For the price, there are better options out there in SF, but Foreign Cinema is probably a "cooler" place to go, especially with a group of friends.
Probably wouldn't go back on my own volition, but if it were suggested by a group of friends, I would easily oblige. -
Review from Brooke S.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
Best. Fried. Chicken. Ever. I am still dreaming about it...
-
Review from Jeff G.
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Foreign Cinema would easily be a 5 star restaurant in almost any other city. But in SF, the standard for me to give out a 5 star is pretty high. The ambience of this place rocks. It's the perfect spot for a birthday gathering. The food is high class and portion sizes are decent. You definitely know that the focus is more on quality vs quantity. When you order a dinner plate though, you get enough food that you don't leave the table hungry.
That said, it is not a cheap restaurant by any means. their menu is a little pricey and changes daily. $25 for a managers special of meat as a meal for me seems high. While the food itself was excellent, I don't think anyone at the table felt that we had located a restaurant that was so special that it was worth the premium attached to each plate. The higher amounts won't keep me from going back but I think that they could appeal to a larger audience with more price points for their food. -
Review from Sivan W.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
The decor/atmosphere is 5 stars but the food just doesn't cut it. I've been disappointed by dinner here before and recently went in for Sunday brunch thinking things would be better. They weren't. Everything was so greasy and made me feel like crap after we were done. The one stand out was the pop tart, which was delicious and not too sweet.
-
Review from Marina A.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012 Seated via OpenTable
My second time at Foreign Cinema, and I have to say, it does not disappoint.
Highlights:
-Beef Carpaccio - delicious, super tender, only complaint would've been the onions which were crispy to a fault- too much crunch
-Bouillabaisse (friend's dish)- delicious, per usual, I've had it before and I think it's a beautiful dish
-Trofie pasta with mushrooms was perfection- the mixture of pecorino, garlic, and mushroom was sinfully indulgent. -
Review from Carol L.
1/6/2012
Yummy! I only tasted 2 dishes, so I definitely need to come back again.
Ahi tartare: flavor explosion! Only comes with 4 tiny crackers with tuna on top. Still delicious though.
Mixed Grill (squab...and other meats): another flavor explosion...with a hint of spiciness. Delicious.
Service was friendly and quick. The only thing? Its kind of pricey!! -
Review from Eric H.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
(+) Fish here is excellent, (had the raw tuna dish) which was excellent
(+) There is always a different menu so coming back never gets old
(+) You must sit outside here at night (very romantic with the lighting and the heat lamps ensure you are not cold)
(-) Portions are very small, you almost have to get at least two courses in order to leave un-hungry
(-) No real point of watching the film if you aren't by one of the speakers outdoors -
Review from Tom D.
Washington, DC
1/3/2012
4 - 4.5 stars
This might have been the best all around dining experience from our trip to San Francisco. For starters, a selection of oysters, crab cakes and seared tuna. The seared tuna was outstanding. I had the mahi for my main and thought that was delicious as well. Plating was beautiful and food was all well prepared and delicious. Gretchen was our server -- she and her team all were well coordinated and service was outstanding. Ordered the poached pear dessert -- which was the only real miss of the evening. Overall, really love the ambience, service and the food. Would return. -
Review from Robin S.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012
I've heard great things about their Sunday brunch, but had a colleague coming into town mid-week and decided to try dinner.
The ambience is really quite special; I love the long hallway that you have to pass down to get to the Maitre D, and then the incredibly high ceilings, exposed concrete and warm lighting. My only complaint was that it was a little drafty from the door to the courtyard being open.
The wine, beer and cocktail lists were quite impressive, although for some reason the European imports were cheaper than the California wine. We opted for a bottle of Storybook 08 Zin. I've heard they do an $18 corkage, so that might be worth it in the future.
I started with the marinated sardine and artichoke plate, which had some very lovely, strong flavors. Others around the table had high praise for the calamari-garbanzo stew and the beef carpaccio. For dinner I had the Opah with almond jeweled rice and blood oranges, which was a great seasonal combination. I wish I had gotten the Moroccan mixer though, which didn't look half as heavy as I imagined it to be. For dessert we shared the grapefruit granita (delicious), the meyer lemon tart (yummy but the pastry was tough) and pot de creme (decent).
5 stars for atmosphere, 4 for the food, and 4 for the location. A great dinner! -
Review from Rahul M.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Awesome service and ambiance AND takes reservations! The selection of seafood dishes here are amazing. Oysters, Salmon with caviar, Seared Ahi Tuna, Dungenous Crab risotto and more! Try to get seating in the outdoor area with the heated lamps and good views of whatever movie is playing.
-
Review from Rachel P.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
I went here recently for Dine About Town, and it was excellent. I especially loved sitting in the courtyard. Even though it was a crisp night, the heaters are blasting, so it keeps you warm. The movie was the Malick film, The New World.
Here is what I ordered:
APPETIZER: cod with mashed potatoes and some toast (I don't remember the last name). It was good, not amazing. The cod/mashed potatoes were in a little pot, which was unexpected. I was anticipated actual mashed potatoes with cod mixed in. This was rather disappointing.
MAIN COURSE: Fried Chicken. Some of the best fried chicken I had. The batter was airy and had a nice orangy flavor to it. The Fried Chicken was served over a bed of squash (I think), which was a nice contrast with the crunchiness of the fried chicken. There was also some greens including. I think it was spinach. Overall, I recommend trying the fried chicken here.
DESSERT: Chocolate pot de creme. This is an excellent dessert that is very rich. It is dense and more of a dark chocolate. Definitely recommend, especially to chocolate lovers!
SERVICE: Overall, excellent service. The server nicely explained the wines, and offered suggestions for which wines went well with our dishes. -
Review from Tracey A.
San Anselmo, CA
12/13/2011
Selecting a brunch spot for my annual eat/drink/walk/shop day is a fine art. Good food is a must but so is the ability to hear one another speak and to refrain from being rushed from our table. This, after all, is the first time some of us may have been together in a year and lingering over coffee and catching up is what this is all about. Especially since some less hearty participants choose not to continue on past brunch.
A decade plus ago I wrote off Foreign Cinema for having a popular chef whose food failed to wow me and a menu that I categorized as "comfort food". For dinner I want food that I can't make myself which is why I don't go out for roast chicken and mashed potatoes.
Brunch though? That's a different ballgame entirely. And what a great brunch spot this is. The tunnel-like entryway gives no clue to the inviting dining areas which lay beyond. With it's big outdoor dining area and spacious interior there's enough space for everyone even when the place is busy.
Five of us kicked off brunch with slow-cooked brown-sugar smoked bacon and a caramel pecan sticky bun. We followed up with another sticky bun then a homemade huckleberry pop-tart, then brunch ranging from Croque Madame, to a Persian Open-faced Omelet, to Fried eggs with balsamic and garlic potato hash, to a Hamburger. Just for laughs, we followed all this up with Eggnog Cheesecake. Burp. Grand total, including generous, well-deserved tip: $33/pp.
N, who knows her sweets, couldn't stop raving about those caramel pecan sticky buns (or complaining about having overeaten those carmael pecan sticky buns).
Our waiter couldn't have been more professionally friendly. Water glasses and coffee cups were refilled and we were attended to excellently throughout. I could tell the place was busy but there were no overtures either subtle or overt to turn our table or move us along.
Foreign Cinema, I am now a huge fan and would return for brunch in a heartbeat. This is probably the first place I'd recommend if asked for an excellent brunch in the City. I look forward to returning for the excellence in food and service as well as the surprisingly beautiful space.Listed in: Yes, I'm Worth It
-
Review from Chloe L.
Irvine, CA
12/28/2011
Brunch on a Sat. Waitress was not very friendly and very inexperienced. We had an entree waiting for 20-30 mins before the rest of the entrees showed up. She was begrudgingly sorry but just so little effort on her part. Do not order the lavender lemonade drink. There was no lavender taste to it (waitress insisted there was) and it was so tart it made my eyes water. (waitress's solution was to get me to add more syrup) really what she should have done was just take it away, but boy was she staring down at me, so I just added syrup and forced it down my throat.
Duck leg confit was dry and had a hair in the sauce. Frittata was very meh. Manager reflected the attitude of the server, very inexperieced and offhandedly apologetic.
Place is beautiful and the small plates like salmon and steamed mussels were tasty. Just unfortunate that we had rather mediocre service and some really underwhelming plates. -
Review from Tiffany L.
Berkeley, CA
12/26/2011
I keep hearing so much about the brunch at this place. My boyfriend and I shared the beef carpaccio (tasted like meat butter), crab scrambled eggs (very nice), and brown sugar smoked bacon (MUST GET....we weren't sure if it was worth getting 4 slices for $6.50 but yes it was). Their bloody mimosa was so fresh and strong.
The reason why this place didn't get a 5 for me was the service was a bit meh (maybe I caught them on a bad day) and despite the great food, it didn't impress me greatly to come back again to pay that much for brunch. This place is like one of those movies where you enjoyed after watching, but not sure if you want to watch again. -
Review from Jen K.
12/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I heart, heart, heart, heart Foreign Cinema!
This is the best place for a date. The lighting, the flickering of the movie, the service and food all equal the perfect storm of a perfect night. Don't be afraid to come here, expecting it too be hoity toity and pretentious. Its a very warm environment.
The food is amazing. The menu is limited, but there is something on there for everyone. I had a seafood pasta dish was was amazing. So many mussels and chunks of crab, scallops... mmm mmm mmm. Rich but not overly so. The dessert was to die for, pear on a cream puff pastry.
Parking can be difficult (it is the Mission) so be sure to give yourself extra time to find parking. -
Review from j f.
Santa Clara, CA
1/28/2012
This is a great place for brunch and dinner. Food is always fresh and amazing and slightly different. Cocktails are also great. We had a small issue with our waiter and I emailed the owner after wards. He offered me a gift certificate to come back and regain the experience. I think it's great that a restaurant that is always so busy took the time to respond to me right away and correct the situation. Will definitely go back and bring others. Oysters were spot on! So were the eggs!
-
Review from Matthew T.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
I think Foreign Cinema just might be the best restaurant in San Francisco. I love the casual atmosphere (the waitstaff is not too hip for its own good nor aloof and icy). The food is unpretentious but exquisitely crafted. The surroundings are warm yet thoroughly modern.
Two weeks ago a friend and I dined there. The duck confit and breast entree was an absolute delight. A mashed cod appetizer was hearty and the perfect thing for a chilly and damp evening. A Moroccan lamb sampler plate was wonderful.
To finish, a delicious pot de creme. I've dined here numerous times, and I've always had a great experience. It goes toe-to-toe with Slanted Door for the best restaurant in the city. Though it may even edge Slanted Door because you can actually have a conversation in Foreign Cinema.
Looking for exquisite food without the pretentious hipster vibe of other city restaurants? Foreign Cinema is a must. -
Review from Cindy C.
San Jose, CA
2/4/2012
Came here for brunch one time with a few girlfriends. The place was very cute and the food was great. We ordered a few dishes to share. The pop tart we ordered was great. Who doesn't like a homemade pop tart with real fruit filling? Definitely a place to go grab brunch while exploring the city. At night, I heard they play foreign films in the patio area.
-
Review from Harriete B.
San Mateo, CA
12/30/2011
We went to Foreign Cinema for a celebratory dinner with my family.
The food was fantastic!
Every appetizer or main course was amazing!
I would highly recommend this restaurant for the food.
Our mistake was sitting in the center of the restaurant which is actually "outside" covered with an clear plastic roof. I thought it would be a memorable San Francisco experience, but my mother was cold (despite the heating units in the immediate area.)
We ate in this "outside area" because a foreign film was projected on a white wall (hence the name of the restaurant.) While I loved the idea of the film projected on the wall nearby, the audio of the film was distracting and added to the noise factor. It made it very hard to hear the other people at the table.
I recommend Foreign Cinema slow down the film images so it is more like looking at a slowly changing movie poster. Then the people sitting at the table would not be distracted by the film. Also turn OFF the film volume. No one comes to fine dining to watch (or listen to sub par audio) of a movie.
To all restaurant goers, I recommend eating inside unless everyone in your party is very warm blooded, or you like eating in your coat. -
Review from Xin S.
Los Angeles, CA
OMG! I still dream about the baguette french toast.
Normally i order something sweet means i will eat my hubby's savory food. We would share. But the french toast was just so delicious i hogged the whole thing and ate every last bite. Also ate his croque madam! Delicious!!!
Friends had a burger. Took a bite of that savory juicy meat. Can't get enough. Fries are fresh cut and just the right amount of crunchy. Makes me want to move to SF!
Bloody mary was spicy! I had to ask for the less spicy version cause throat was burning! -
Review from Michael N.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I'm always impressed by very well-known restaurants that have managed to stay really good over very long periods of time. You hear a ton about this place year in and year out and that is because every time I go it always lives up to my expectations. Such a cool vibe despite being so big, food and service are both really good. I'd put it up there with Zuni, Delfina and Frascati as SF staples that you can always count on for a really good meal.
-
Review from Edward F.
Montclair, CA
12/30/2011
Excellence in food!
And nice dinning experience. -
Review from Becky K.
Riverside, CA
12/21/2011
Wow, I am in love!
My boyfriend has spoken of this place to me beforehand. That time, I chose another restaurant. Now, I wish I came here sooner!
The venue looks a lot nicer and elegant in person than in the pictures.
A friend of mine was visiting with her boyfriend from southern California for the weekend. We wanted to take them somewhere nice for a double date dinner.
I made reservations on the day of on a Friday night and had no problems giving us the time we wanted. Upon making your reservations, they will ask whether if you want indoor or outdoor seating. Outdoor seating if you do not mind sitting under a heat lamp or basking in a bit of cold. I think it would be worth it. You get great seats for the film that is playing outside. Unfortunately, if only I knew beforehand, I would have not have chosen to sit indoors. Nonetheless, it still has a great ambiance with wooden tables and a fireplace and the center of the room facing a table with a vase full of towering flowers.
I ordered the duck confit. Simply amazing! the duck is cooked medium-rare. Sounds a bit scary at first since I have never had my duck cooked anything thing less than well done. Here, the texture was very tender. It came with a apple-tasting puree that complimenting the duck quite well.
Whenever my boyfriend takes me out to other highly reviewed restaurants, he always asks me at the end of the dinner, "Which place do you like more? _____ or Foreign Cinema?" Foreign Cinema. -
Review from Bill P.
Beverly Hills, CA
12/15/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Let me be the 2,500th person on yelp to agree that this place is great. It's so good, in fact that it makes you confused at how other restaurants manage to screw it up. Just come in here with a notepad or a pen camera or a working brain and take some notes: 1) Give attention to your customers, 2) Serve delicious food 3) Take reservations 4) Make good drinks.
The only sticking point is price, which is a little steep, but the food is terrific. And brunch here is totally reasonable - and, they take RESERVATIONS for it, which makes bleary weekend mornings painless as possible.
Read more reviews for this business:
French (1)
