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Gamine
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants Burgers French, Burgers [Edit]
2223 Union St(between Fillmore St & Steiner St)
San Francisco, CA 94123
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
(415) 771-7771
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Thu 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 10:30 pm
Sun 11:30 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
571 reviews for Gamine
Review Highlights
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"Chez Maman was worth every penny." In 68 reviews -
"Food - The French Onion soup was perfect." In 68 reviews -
"I highly reccomend the baked Cambozola to start." In 25 reviews
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571 reviews in English
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Review from Cicie W.
5/21/2012
I called to make a reservation for a party of 6. The only available time on a saturday night was 5:45, a bit early, but it's not surprising in San Francisco as restaurants are usually packed on the weekend. As it turned out I had to work on saturday and got to the restaurant at 6:00, the rest of my parties were late, too. very late! Only one person showed up on time, I felt bad. but they seated us anyways and rushed our order through as the last person showed up at 7:30. We stuck around until 8:45ish and they needed the table back, which I can understand.
the food was amazing! I had the burger and we shared 4 dessert, which all came in large sizes. the fries was served with aioli, totally French style. but you can get ketchup if you want. everything was good in the restaurant. my friend had the pork chop which was huge! definitely a good place on a budget, with great food. I've been to the sister restaurant chez papa, which was very good, too. it's not a high end French restaurant, but definitely a good place for girls night, sitting around to chat and a good time. -
Review from A C.
San Francisco, CA
What a great brunch place! Small, cute, but only waited 5 minutes on Sunday at 12:30. They have a couple of tables outside, perfect for a nice day. Food is delicious, high quality, and their brunch menu is cheap (main dishes between $6-$12)! Their dinner menu reminded me of Left Bank at Santana Row.
MUST TRY the poached egg cocotte ($6-$7)! Friend had salmon & goat cheese cocotte and I got the prosciutto cocotte. Mine was salty from the prosciutto but we both agreed it was one of the best egg dishes we've ever had.
I've had better french onion soup, mine needed a little more salt, but the gruyere was good. I'm not sure it's worth $7.50 though.
Would def come back for brunch and to try the mussels! -
Review from Karen T.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012
It's a cute place with a cozy atmosphere. The service was great, and they were very patient with us as we had a large group and sometimes it can take a while to figure out what you want to order.
Unfortunately, the food was decent, but not all that memorable. I had the mussels and they tasted like mussels I've eaten before, with the exception that they were tiny. The french onion soup was also good, but again, fairly standard and nothing out of the ordinary compared to other french onion soups I've had. Friends had the steak and the lamb stew. I sampled it and again, they're all good, but fairly standard.
If I were in the area and needed a place to eat, I might come back here but would not make a special trip. -
Review from Nicole P.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
This place is great. A small little bistro serving oh-so delicious cuisine. The owner is there most of the time, and he is super friendly (and French). He has been known to buy me and my bf a beer or a delicious chocolaty dessert on a slow afternoon. Merci!
I come here for the mussels with harrissa sauce. The portions look HUGE, but I soooomehow manage to eat all my mollusks. Always. Without fail. Soaking up the sauce with bread is my favorite fat-girl thing to do.
They also make a mean burger. My recommendation: Medium rare and add goat cheese and bacon.
Always order french fries and maybe a Kronnenburg or two. -
Review from Joyce M.
I DEFINITELY recommend this restaurant. Good thing I had my handy Yelp app to guide me to this delicious gem.
*If you have a large party, make sure to make a reservation because the restaurant is quite small, seats roughly 25*
You should definitely go before dinner time (around 6PM) to avoid the long wait. The servers are extremely nice and they seat you as if they were playing tetris (fitting parties into efficient areas rather than per request). The restaurant also has outdoor patio seating which overlooks Union St. (Good thing Union St. isn't SUPER busy).
French Onion Soup = http://bomb.com. It's a bit pricey at $7.5 but definitely delicious. They bake a layer of puff pastry over the soup so that you can drench the carbs with onion deliciousness. The cheese in the soup was a bit overwhelming and became annoyingly chewy over time. Overall the soup was good but not worth the price.
I had been wanting the Grilled Pork Chop [apple-cider mustard sauce & steamed brussel sprouts] ($17.5) ever since I saw the picture on Yelp. Little did I know, they serve it medium rare! It's seared like Ahi Tuna and cooked to perfection. The sauce was delightful and flavored the meat well. I just thought it was a bit heavy and I definitely needed something else on my palette to even the taste buds out.
My date got the Steamed Mussels- Moules Catalane [ white wine, Merguez sausage, tomato, barissa] ($16) and it was DELICIOUS! The sauce was so good that I seriously drank it as soup. They overflow the pot with about 30 mussels (which is a super good deal) drenched in their delicious sauce. Definitely some of the best mussels that I've ever had.
This is more of a one-time try place and I wouldn't go back again. The food is good and I did feel like I was in France but it's a bit pricey and SF definitely has way too much good food to try for me to return. -
Review from Kristina M.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. I came here recently due to a recommendation from a friend. This is by far one of the most pleasant dining experiences I've had in the Marina, if not the city. If you're at all normal, you don't usually dig the obnoxious Marina crowd, but this restaurant makes me feel like I'm in a bistro in Paris, without the snooty French. ;)
I had the french onion soup, garden salad (with pear), the chicken, and banana / nutella crepe. The soup and chicken were great, and the garden salad was pretty typical and nothing out of the ordinary. The banana / nutella crepe was good as well, but I think I've probably had better. Even though the food didn't blow me away, that doesn't stop me from writing a 5 star review..... the best part of this restaurant was how pleasant the workers were. The owners were smiling, chatting, and joking around with us and several other guests. This seems to clearly be a family owned place and they made us feel like part of the family.
I'll definitely be returning to try some other dishes on the menu. :) -
Review from Jeanne Y.
3/23/2012
I've been twice now for the brunch. It's an adorable little place where the waiters are friendly, the food is good, and a sunny morning in Cow Hollow is unbeatable.
Had the vegetable galette (aka, a buckwheat, savory crepe), which was quite good. I can't resist brussels sprouts, so we got an order of that, as well. Yum! What I enjoyed most, however, were the Eggs Florentine. Oh, how can one ever dislike poached eggs covered in a bechamel sauce? Answer: one cannot, and therefore one should indulge and enjoy.
Which is exactly what I did. -
Review from Darya B.
San Francisco, CA
3/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been here several times. My favorite is the roasted chicken - I always get it. I've tried the steak before, it was great.
The owners are great, they provide excellent customer service.
I just love this place! -
Review from kelly c.
4/26/2012
Love this hidden gem! 4 stars for ambiance, food, decor. I only wish it was a bit brighter and the bathroom was a bit cleaner. Perfect for a gal date or a bro date or just a date. The food was above average and would back again. I had the burger and it was just right for medium rare. My friend had the porkchop and it was delicious. We topped if off with a glass of french red wine. Perfect week day dinner spot.
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Review from Kara H.
San Francisco, CA
3/22/2012
Arrived just as the film crew was finishing up. Gamine is going to be featured on Check Please! on PBS - a good sign since I love that show!
I wasn't disappointed. The French Onion Soup was delicious as were the mussels. The French waiters was charming. I felt like I was in Paris!
The only downside I might see is the place is so small it fills up quickly. Anyway, it's charming, a real find. -
Review from Nobu K.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/6/2012
The Fish Burger, $12, is a grilled salmon fillet.
It isn't salmon burger patty.
So, I think correct English name should be "grilled salmon sandwich".
But the salmon was nicely grilled.
The Basic Burger with cheese, $13.50, is not come with a hamburger-bun, it's a toasted french bread, so as the fish burger, so, the basic burger should be called like "Burger patty sandwich".
What a Perfect medium rare juicy burger patty!
Qu'est-ce que c'est?
it isn't sandwich, it's a burger.
et alors?
Both sandwiches, sorry, Burgers came with thin kind fries, 2 slice of fresh red tomato and grilled onion, were really good!
It's not the size, the flavor, nicely grilled a salmon fillet and a hamburger patty between a great toasted French bread, it satisfied me really really well.
Loved the great French bread here.
We came here around 2 pm and left around 3:30pm, there were 2 waiters, both very polite and friendly, it seemed to me that they didn't care how long we stay, I am sure they do but I didn't feel any pressure from the waiters at all.
We had one of crepe, but we wanted just butter and lemon, isn't in the menu, the waiter said, "OK, no problem.", That was nice.
You can see the kitchen, and the French speaking waiter was speaking Spanish to Latino lookin' chef, or cook. I don't know, I don't care who's in the kitchen.
The place is small, cozy, clean, kids safe, great service.
I was loving it.
I have to say, one of the best brunch place in SF.
I want to come back here for dinner sometime soon.Listed in: Burger Nazi
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/5/2010
Wasn't the place used be called Chez Maman?
I thought that the Chez Moi is the new name.
Typical Old… Read more »
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Review from Denise C.
Pacifica, CA
3/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
In my opinion, this place wasn't that great. Came here for a friend's birthday party on a Saturday night and it was packed. It wasn't our original choice for dinner, but the other place was booked out. We had about 10-12 people, which was okay in the restaurant, but a tad bit cramped. It's also super dark on the inside (very dim lighting; just enough to see the food).
The entrees are okay. They have your typical French food of course, such as escargot, but other than that, this place isn't anything special. I ordered the lamb stew provençale and my boyfriend ordered the grilled flat iron steak. I can without a doubt say the steak was a much better choice. The portions are so so for the dishes, and the lamb left me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth... coupled with the wine... just did not do it for me. The steak was actually quite good though.
We also ordered some of their sides (the sauteed spinach) which also... wasn't that great... for $5... it could've been better spent. This is definitely an expensive place. I didn't particularly care for the wine either. Didn't get too much service either...
The bathroom is also weirdly outside, in the way back (people seemed to be taking forever too... too much wine maybe). Doesn't come off particularly as a romantic place either... the atmosphere is kinda meh (really loud). I'd actually give this place probably closer to two and a half stars... but Yelp doesn't let you do that. At least the waiter was nice...
Oh... and don't forget... parking is super crappy in that area... so go early to find spots... or have amazing parking karma (think typical San Francisco... probably doing to have to circle a lot) :/ -
Review from Denise L.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012 6 photos
I consider Gamine a restaurant that caters to my spoiled taste buds that is also very romantic and intimate.
My boyfriend is a very kind gentleman who treated me and my family here for our holiday dinner (so thank you so very much if you ever read this)!
The lamb dish my dad ordered was a bit small in size and I didn't sample it but it looked and smelled really nice. My mom ordered the grilled pork chop and that was DELICIOUS! The sauce for that dish itself is enough to make your stomach grumble. I ordered the moules catalane and let me tell you: $15 and you get at least 30++++ mussels. Is that a deal or what? And it is really flavored and enough for you to eat as an entree (or un plat principal as the French would say) with some extra to share with your company. ;) My love ordered a burger which is THE BEST BURGER I'VE HAD A BITE OF IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!
Anyway, I will definitely come back! Je vais manger beaucoup à la restaurant Gamine!
Maybe next time my conversational French will be good enough to talk to the waiters in French.
BTW- Bonus star because my bf found out about this restaurant through Yelp! (I converted him) teehee! -
Review from Vithiet L.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
We really enjoyed the burger/fries and lamb stew. I do not eat snails ("escargots", whatever, it may sound more elegant in French but they're still slugs eww) but the wife said they were good.
Table next to us had mussels that looked particularly appetizing and I believe I will soon go back to try that.
They also have a decent wine selection; I only had a kir though, but it was very well done.
I found the prices to be decent for the Marina, and the decor, while pretty basic, was nice.
Also a lot of people seem to have had issues with the service, but our servers were nice and professional, no problem there. -
Review from Holly Rose F.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2012
WOW. What a disappointment. I was looking forward to a lovely dinner at Gamine for a special celebration. Prior to going, I called and asked if they accepted reservations for a party of two. They said that they only accepted reservations for parties of six or more.
When I arrived there last night, the person who greeted us was not very friendly and we seemed to be more of an inconvenience to him than a customer. The table he had "available" yet there were others open was the table right next to the door where people stand and hover while they wait for their table. No on wants to sit where people are going to be staring at you and their food.
When he offered us the crappy table I said, "May we please just sit at the bar instead?" I didn't think this would be an issue since 4 out of 5 place settings were open. His response, "I'm sorry, but two of those seats are reserved." (Please keep in mind that the other seats were set up as so: open bar stool - man sitting by himself - open bar stool - then the two reserved seats). I was so surprised by this because according to the restaurant, they didn't take reservations for a party of two.
Long story short...I didn't even end up going to eat there. I do not want to give my money to a business that clearly doesn't value their customers equally. Enough said. -
Review from Jordan C.
San Francisco, CA
3/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Just writing this review has my mouth watering. I frequent this place as often as I can and Gamine NEVER disappoints. Whether you are going for a romantic date, a casual dinner or brunch it is delicious!
Our last visit consisted of:
Baked Cambozola-cheesygooeydeliciousness
Steamed Mussels- i have tried all three versions throughout my visits and the white wine with Merguez sausage is my personal favorite.
and my boyfriend always gets the "Basic Burger" which isn't too basic after he adds gruyere, avocado, bacon, and an egg.
and if your going for brunch the Gamine omelet is a must! -
Review from Gloria H.
On our recent visit - we had:
a bottle of Beaucanon - $44 - not bad
escargots - $11 - great garlicky sauce, get some bread to dip into it - delicious
mussels in white wine, parsley & garlic - $15 - love their mussels and the sauce was so good, i drank them by the spoonful. it was very flavorful and light enough to be like soup. hubby loved it too and the table next door did exactly the same!
brussel sprout - $5 - not bad
apple tart w/ ice cream - quite good and not very sweetListed in: Tartare, French cuisine
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/19/2011
Finding a parking space across the street was the sign..if we didn't have such a perfect space, we… Read more »
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Review from Shivani S.
San Francisco, CA
2/29/2012
Best mussels I've ever had!!! Get the one with the spicy lamb sausage.
Other dishes I've enjoyed --- burger with egg and bacon and gruyere cheese, escargo, scallops.
They have some nice dessert wines too!
The service is really great (it should be if you befriend the waiter :) ) -
Review from ken w.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012
The food was excellent! We were in the neighborhood and wanted to give it a try and I am glad we did. GF had the Brie Burger and I had the Porkchop. Both were excellent and we both left very happy. Has a really homey vibe and the smell of the food cooked there makes your mouth water. Yum!
Service was fantastic here. I used to be a waiter myself, and it's very rare that you get polite and good service that is genuine. I find a lot of places the staff may say polite things and be courteous, but you can tell they are faking it for tips. This place is the real deal and you can tell they care about their customers having a good experience. Highly recommended! -
Review from Annalise F.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been hearing great things about Gamine since I moved to San Francisco over a year ago. Although I've tried to go a few times- there was always an insanely long wait. On Thursday night, my boyfriend surprised me and took me there for a lovely meal. (We got there right around 6:30p and were seated immediately.)
The place is small. Super small! 9 tables total (yes- I counted.) And although it's nothing fancy inside- the food is amazing!
The server (and there only seems to be 1) was friendly, attentive, and joked around with us alot. We liked him well enough.
We ordered:
Calamari (This may be my favorite calamari to date in the city. I'm not a huge fan- but my boyfriend devours it. I gave him a run for his money this time though!)
Salmon Burger (A filet of salmon with gruyere on a delectably soft and wonderful bun. It also came with a mini-side salad and a side of fries.)
Roasted Chicken (Oh MY GOD. So delicious! It was fall-off-the-bone tender. The au jus was amazing and the little roasted potatoes- heaven!)
Haricots Verts (I didn't really care for these. They were flavorful, but way oily greasy.)
I would absolutely come back to Gamine- but probably on a weeknight. The place is ridiculous on the weekends! -
Review from Paul L.
Burbank, CA
2/15/2012 3 photos
Absolutely LOVED IT! I was in town to try Swan's Oyster Depot, recommended by Mr. No Reservation, but the line was effn long, so a friend recommended that I try Gamine because her past experience was flawless. So we decided to walk ... for a good half hour. When we arrived at the place, I noticed the place was quite small. Can't imagine how long one would have to wait on a busy evening. We were seated immediately because it was way past lunch hours. The owner was very generous and he spoke French to other French speaking customers. That's a plus in my book when one can actually create a conversation to the type of restaurant they operate. Psychologically, I can imagine the food closer to home.
I ordered Grilled Pork Chop and it was ZEE BEST Pork Chop I have ever tried. Everything, from buttery sauce to the way the meat was prepared, was spectacular. It was so good that I asked for extra bread just so I can dip in the sauce and savor all the rich buttery taste in my mouth. It was so good that I wanted finish the meat that was stuck by the bone which was somewhat impossible with a fork and knife. Boohoo.
In the end, I am SO GLAD that I did not wait 2+ hours to be seated at Swan's Oyster Depot. If Anthony Bourdain is reading this, YOU MISSED A VERY GOOD SPOT BUDDY. And please don't publicize it in your TV show, I would hate to wait 2+ hours next time I visit after thousands of viewers put it on their must-go list. -
Review from Robert W.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2012
We went there for a birthday party and had the back room all to ourselves. It was a great time. The food was excellent and the ambiance was fun and warm. We will defiantly be going back for dinner soon! Would recommend that back room for a party of 10 any time!
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Review from Mabel B.
12/13/2011 3 photos
Came here last Friday night with my boyfriend and the food was great. I ordered the chicken breast for my entree and the mixed green salad with pears for an appetizer for the both of us and honey ordered the flat iron steak in medium rare.
Chicken breast was very good, a little dry but still delicious. Honey's flat iron steak was awesome, I don't usually like medium rare meats, but this steak was cooked to perfection.
What wasn't great was the noise level from the table of annoying little pricks next to us. From what it looked like, they were doing secret santa or white elephant. Everytime a member of their group walked through the threshold, this is what happened...
/le walking thru threshold "(ENTER DOUCHEY NAME) IS HEREEEE!!!!!!1111111!!1111!"
Um wow, seriously? How unfortunate they didn't even know how obnoxious they sounded that night. I assume if we came any other Friday night, the noise level would not be 1,000+ decibels.
Food was good as well as service, I would go back, but not if there's a crowd of pricks there. -
Review from Rebecca T.
Los Altos, CA
4/12/2012
The dinner we had there was fantastic. Between the four of us there were no misses. The french onion soup was so good that my husband (who hates all soups) regularly orders it. It beats some I've had in Paris. The beets and green beans salad was unique and refreshing. The mussels were more flavorful than your typical steamed mussels. The salmon was cooked perfectly and paired very well with the leaks and vinaigrette. Even the bread was well above average.
The service was attentive and did not rush us one bit - quite the opposite, actually. They jokingly refused to clear our plates while we still had food left. And sure enough, we polished off some more while they checked on us periodically.
The ambiance is pleasant. It feels like a neighborhood restaurant and the owner clearly knows his regulars while still being warm to us newbies. He took the time to learn my 4 year old's name and joke with her.
They also have a private room that can ber reserved for 6 or more people. I'm guessing it could seat up to 12.
We will definitely be back. -
Review from Christine S.
San Jose, CA
This restaurant has by far the WORST customer service. ONE waiter for the restaurant who was not attentive to our table (for 2 persons). Not only was it NOT busy, this place is TINY which means it's not very hard to keep track of your responsibilities. The COOK in the BACK had to tell this guy to go attend to a person who just walked in because he wasn't aware of it.
We sat in the restaurant for a total of 1.5 hours because this waiter was SLOW and very inattentive (we only ordered 3 items on the menu by the way!!). The only reason why I gave 2 stars because the food was actually decent. However, we will NEVER come back. EVER! -
Review from Janelle C.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2012
Atmosphere is cozy without being cramped - difficult to achieve in the dense restaurant world of San Francisco. It can be quite loud when the restaurant is full, which makes it less than ideal if you want to have deep conversation... luckily we did not - just friends getting together to have a good meal and enjoy company. The wait staff was very attentive and we appreciated that.
The food was great starting with the warm bread served nice and crunchy on the outside, soft and light on the inside. My bf had the burger which he thoroughly enjoyed on the unique French bread bun while my friend and I split the Ratatouille, mussels, steak tartare and lamb sausage. We also had the calamari as a starter for the table. Probably the least interesting of all we ordered was the calamari because there wasn't anything particularly unique about it compared to fried calamari at other restaurants but I did notice that the breading was very seasoned which I personally l liked. The lamb sausage was spicy, steak tartare well seasoned, and the mussels plentiful and served with a delicious broth. We were too full to order dessert.
The wine list has a nice offering of mid-priced wines for the table.
Give this a try if you're in the neighbourhood. We were able to talk in and be seated right away on a Thursday night around 7p. -
Review from Paola M.
Manhattan, NY
3/29/2012 4 photos
We met here for a rehearsal dinner for a friends wedding. The place has a Morrocon feel, it's small but very cozy. Staff were awesome. White wine was good and the steak was juicy. Not a fan of the fries.
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Review from Hristensen V.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2012
Fast, inexpensive, tasty and unpretentious. Great service and excellent value. Tasty eggs, burgers, sandwiches and salads.Even if you don't like burgers (but you're a meat eater), you have to try Chez maman's burgers! the whole menu is decent. Great for lunch -- french-menu that won't disappoint for the price. I was there with my 2 gfs today and we sat at the one tiny table outside the restaurant...the road was slanted and we were about to topple over everytime we moved too much! Actually it wasn't so bad--and the french waiter guy--wow we were impressed by how only him was working tonight and he took care of every detail. This french guy brings a wonderful french flair, the baguettes and butter reminded me of my days in Nice, and I must say, the food here is outstanding! The veal was abit dry, but the PORK CHOP wowow was magnifique! The flat steak iron is most expensive on the menu and it's only $19.5. Good deal.
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Review from Yuko T.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012
I went here Friday night with my two friends, who have raved to me about this place. Now I know why. What a fantastic dining experience! The wines were delicious, the food and dessert were so amazing, and the owner and his staff were the sweetest, most genuine people. I can't wait to go back again!
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Review from Stephanie M.
San Francisco, CA
11/15/2011
If you ask for ketchup here, you are clearly a douche. I know I'm not ratatouille, but I have a highly developed sense of taste and smell every time I walk past or eat here. People think French cuisine is snooooty. But not so, it's truly phenomenal. You definitely want to be on the French owner's good side also, he told my roommate once if he didn't drink a beer, he was not a man, but I don't let that detract from my love of this bistro.
This little restaurant is cozy and romantic, good for a date or with friends. The best on their menu is the escargots with garlic butter, the bread with melted gorgonzola, and the burgers. Make sure you order it with goat cheese and avocado, half fries with aioli and half greens. J'en ai assez dit! (Nuff said). -
Review from Caitlin T.
Chicago, IL
3/28/2012
Great food, French waiters and relaxed ambiance all at a reasonable price. We waited about 15 minutes to get seated. The place fills up quickly and doesn't take reservations for smaller parties, so be prepared to wait since the restaurant is quite small.
The mussels were amazing (I had the traditional white wine and garlic preparation) and the serving size was more than enough. I would have drank the left over broth out of the bowl if I weren't in public! The brussel sprouts were very good and a nice light side to compliment the mussels, although the server recommended the french fries as a side. While I didn't have the onion soup, my friends did and raved about it. My friend had the sausage preparation of the mussels and loved them. My other friend had the scallops special and said there were delicious. The wine was great--I had a voigner by the glass.
Service is a bit on the slower side, but it is a French restaurant, so don't come here if you're on a tight schedule.
I can't wait to come back here and indulge in the onion soup! -
Review from Michelle P.
San Francisco, CA
3/21/2012
Amazing, delicious, an overall fantastic experience. From the food to the service to the ambiance - it doesn't get much better than this. I'm not much of a yelp reviewer, but I had to write one just for Gamine.
I went here a month ago with a good friend to celebrate my birthday. We initially were undecided on where to eat, but after we saw the good reviews on yelp, we decided to try out Gamine. And I'm so glad we did! The service here is exceptional. We were immediately greeted as we entered and was seated as soon as a table opened up. The owner (?) helped us decide on what to get, and the appropriate wine pairing. I got the steamed mussels with fries to dip in the sauce and my friend got the steak. Both portions were huge and incredibly delicious and each of our wine was a perfect match to our entree. We were stuffed (with both food and happiness) by the time we finished our food.
We had mentioned offhandedly that it was my birthday earlier in the dinner, so when it was time for dessert, they brought it out with candles and sang happy birthday (without any request to do so). So nice of them! As if the service wasn't already amazing thus far, what really did it for us was that they never once hurried us out or presented us the check until we were ready, even though it was way past closing time!
All in all, an extraordinary experience and I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Ian T.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2012
My favorite restaurant in the city optimized for comfort, personality, frequency and quality.
I'm no ridiculous gourmand, but I love great food, I like great presentation, and I think going to a restaurant should be more than "going to get food" - the crew here has it figured out.
WRT some of the negative comments here is my take on the place's personality: they really love their customers, but they don't cater to self important San Franciscan jacktastic douchebaggery. Don't forget.. it is a bistrot (look it up, they match the definition well!). It is neither a homey comfort food spot, nor some over the top "fawn over your customer" or wow them with using ridiculously recondite ingredients. Yup... I pulled out recondite.
Merci Gamine! -
Review from Janie J.
Los Angeles, CA
4/25/2012
Oh quit complaining, yes it's small, yes the lighting is dim and yes they do not take reservations for small parties BUT the food and the service are spectacular! The prices are very reasonable as well. I can't get enough of the flat iron steak and frites, must come here!
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Review from jeremy L.
Salt Lake City, UT
11/16/2011
Fifth star is for the service by wait staff and hostess/manager. Myself and girlfriend were in town for a long weekend staying in the marina. French was a nice option especially for a moderate price.
When we arrived their was a bit of wait so we sat out front at a table. The hostess came out repeatedly to check on us and update on our wait. Very nice and accommodating.
When seated the waiter was very nice and friendly to start.
We started with the mussels which were very good. Great spicy broth. During this the hostess came over and saw we could use more bread so offered it to us. Nice we didnt have to ask.
Second course was the onion soup. Excellent as well.
To follow we split a burger. A little light on the patty but nuce soft french bread and tasty fries. If your very hungry this alone is probably not enough food.
We were stuffed though from the mussels and soup so no room for dessert.
Overall we really enjoyed the experience so for anybody considering dining here give it a try. -
Review from Britt B.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
This is a good little joint that is easy to overlook because it's on the side of union that starts to turn residential. It's nice and chill in here. All the food was good and the service was very good-- of course, I'm sure it helped that I was in a big friendly group but anyway, I would pop in here again and try some other stuff. The escargot was especially delish-- or as they might say in france... La cuisine est bonne...BOOYAH.
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Review from Cat P.
11/10/2011
The french onion soup was the best I have ever had.
The Norwegian eggs benedict with smoked salmon was good, and the croque monsieur was just divine. We also had the escargot, which was delicious buttery goodness.
After our dining experience, my bf (who loves to cook) was inspired to replicate the french onion soup and croque monsieur at home, which was REALLY good, but it was definitely hard to match the quality and goodness of the food from the actual restaurant.
Can't wait to return here and try out some of their other French delectables =) -
Review from Gregory I.
Lafayette, CA
9/4/2011
A few words about the place:
This unassuming little restaurant looks like any other great weekday, after-work restaurant, but is really a gem of an addition to Union St. With great dinner ambiance, a classy clientele base, and quality food you can't really go wrong when you step in the door.
What I recommend:
I have to say, ordering a burger at a restaurant is one of the last things I do (unless the menu is meh), but the customizable fish (salmon) or beef burger are both delicious. I recommend the beef burger with brie ($14) that comes with crispy shoestring fries. Also the mussels mariniere ($15 in white wine, garlic, parsley broth make for a great appetizer and a melt in your mouth dip. Last but not least, this is a busy restaurant, so I recommend that you call ahead. Don't worry I went last night (Saturday) and grabbed a table for four in 20 minutes. If you can reserve the back room for a quieter more intimate meal for up to 8.
Bottom line:
With awesome service, friendly faces, and the atmosphere of a real neighborhood dining spot, you really can't go wrong. Above all else though, the attention to quality ingredients and freshness was really what made each dish tasty enough to question why doesn't everyone serve food with this same philosophy. -
Review from Monelle P.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
We stumbled onto Gamine after a failed brunch attempt to get into Umami Burger.
My bf had the Crepe Savoyarde with proscuitto, brie, bechamel sauce, tomato, mixed greens. While the filling was certainly tasty, we weren't a fan of the taste or texture of the buckwheat crepe, which was bland and lackluster.
I had the Gamine Omelette with merguez sausage, gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and harissa. This was a delightful entree and I really enjoyed it. The harissa sauce was a delicious blend of chili, spices, garlic, and tomatoes and was an excellent contrast to the creamy melted cheese and savory lamb sausage.
I may return to try the onion soup gratinee or burger, but I wouldn't go out of my way to brunch at Gamine unless I was in the area. -
Review from Janell H.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2011
Came into Gamine for dinner with 3 other people Thursday night. Gamine does not accept reservations for small parties but we had no trouble getting a table at 6:30pm.
Everything we all ordered was fantastic. The escargot was so tender, buttery and garlicky. A standout! Salads were also very good. I ordered the lamb stew and loved it. It was not a HUGE portion but that is perfect for me. The sauce was fantastic! Another stand out. The fries were also a winner. Thin and crispy.
The menu is limited in this cute small place. I will return hoping to find that they rotate it seasonably.
