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Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Fisherman's WharfMon-Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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one word: WOW
I was blown away by their awesome service and equally awesome food and overall awesomeness. Usually, four dollar sign restaurants leave me unsatisfied, unsatiated, and just much to be desired all around... but at GARY DANKO's, i have absolutely zero complaints..
FOOD:
The DUNGENESS CRAB SALAD was excellently refreshing, with a hint of lime... crab and avocado are one of my favorite food pairings, and here, it was done very, very, very well... the grapefruit gives it a unique kick... the crab was definitely very fresh.. and i LOVE it when my crab is shelled for me, it always makes me a little happier =) The ROAST MAINE LOBSTER was mmmm-mmmm magnificent... again, i love the half shell presentation that allows for easy access... the mushrooms and potato puree were good complements and could also be found with the BRAISED VEAL BREASTS, which was a very hearty and savory option... i particularly liked the crusted sweetbread, which had a very interesting and tender texture. The QUAIL STUFFED W/ FOIE GRAS was quite nice, deboned and meaty!! Although the dish wasn't exceptionally unique, there was nothing wrong with it. The CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE W/ TWO SAUCES was soooooooooo tasty! fluffy and light yet flavorful and ohhh soooo moist in the inside but light and crisp on the edges... it was simply stellar. The LOUISIANA BUTTER CAKE was veryyyyy goooood.... it was crusty and crunchy on the outside and very thick and moist on the inside. It was heavier and sweeter than the souffle. and the huckleberry sauce added a lovely tang to the entire thing!
SERVICE:
one of the valets fed my meter for me, using his own money. need i say more??? nope... but i will anyways!! allll the waiters and hosts were extremely friendly and attentive. one of them walked me to the bathroom. i also realllllyyyy like how they let us eat at our own pace... i think we were there for almost 3 hrs talking, and they did not constantly come around asking whether we were doing ok (a pet peeve of mine.) and at the end of our meal, they gave us a complimentary little platter of dessert nibblers and sent us home with more dessert.
hands down, the best dining experience i've ever had, period
Took P here for his big 2-5.
The experience wasn't perfect but still, I must say, the dinner at Gary Danko was one of the best dining experience I've ever had.
I want to remember what we ate so here's our list (apologies in advance):
2007 Ken Wright Pinot Noir from Guadalupe Vineyard
P - 5 course
Foie Gras
Roast Maine lobster
Roasted Pork Belly and Loin with Corn, Peppers and Tamarind Glaze
Herb Crusted Loin of Lamb with Tian of Vegetables and Polenta
Cheese Cart
J - 4 course
Lobster Risotto
Stuffed Quail
Lemon Pepper Duck Breast
Chocolate Souffle with two sauces
Several reasons why my rating isn't 5 stars: our amuse bouche arrive just a few minutes after we sat down and we still haven't had time to look at the menu yet. Then, several servers came by in, what seemed like, 3 minute intervals to ask if we had any questions and if we were ready to order. Perhaps it was because we were 20 minutes late to our 6pm dinner reservations and they had a schedule to adhere to, but I just didn't like the feeling of being bombarded when I haven't even had the chance to look at the menu yet nor have I had the chance to try the amuse bouche. I finally was able to try it after I reviewed the menu and placed my dining orders. By then the amuse bouche was cold. =/
One server was courteous and humorous, but her manner felt sarcastic and semi-demeaning. Perhaps she didn't mean it or she was having a rough night, so I would give her the benefit of the doubt.
Some highlights and recommendations:
I don't recommend getting 5 courses -- by the third course, both P and I were STUFFED. A server came by and saw our hardly touched plates and knew that we wouldn't be able to eat them. One thing I would commend Gary Danko's staff on is how observant they were (those mind readers!) on picking up on diners' facial expression/cues. If you do get 5 or 4 courses, just know that you will most likely be taking a course or two home as leftovers. Don't try to eat everything! You would want to save room for dessert or the cheese cart! Trust me!
I HIGHLY recommend the cheese cart. I did my yelp research beforehand and I knew a server was going to roll out a cart full of cheeses and explain to you all the different types. I just didn't realize how GOOD the server was at his job! He was very knowledgeable and picked out the best cheeses for us to try!
If you want to dine at Gary Danko on a certain date, you NEED to book 2 months in advance. My reservations was on a Saturday night and I booked exactly 2 months in advance for the date and time I wanted.
All in all, Gary Danko was indeed an amazing experience! You should try it at least once. : )
Really, I would rate GD 4.5 stars:
1) Service 5 stars - obviously following your moves on camera works and the wait staff is there to PLEASE you
2) Overall experience 4.5 stars
3) Food 4 stars - lobster risotto = taste explosion, seared ahi tuna = refreshing and light + perfectly seared, stuffed quail = please, eliminate this from the menu, Louisiana Butter Cake = good but a bit cloying and left a film in my mouth, souffle = super overplayed and never that amazing, cheese selection = super, petit fours = super, buckwheat blini with caviar = yummy but blini overwhelms caviar which didn't burst like it should, amuse-bouche = yummy and seasonal
I finally did it! I've wanted to go to Gary Danko for a long time and just did it. The desired reservation for a Friday night was made almost two months in advance. After that much anticipation how could it possibly live up to the hype/price? WOW!
The moment I walked in the door the staff welcomed me despite it being very busy. The host asked me where I was from and when I mentioned I was local he said he knew I'd hold him to a high standard and they would do everything possible to deliver - They did.
I opted for the 5 course meal with wine pairings. I'm an eater so one of my main concerns was to spend $175/person and leave hungry. After the "bonus course" spanikopita I knew they were going to over-deliver. We had seven courses total. To put the portions in perspective there was probably two full tablespoons of caviar on the oysters in my first official course. Incredibly decadent. The third course of beef tenderloin was about 5 ounces which was impressive. I was absolutely stuffed when I left Gary Danko.
After each course the ornate plating, chargers, glasses and silver were changed out seamlessly. Behind the scenes must be a spectacular production.
Our server was incredibly intelligent and able to completely articulate the history behind the plating, food/ingredients/wine/style. The level of detail was well beyond the next best restaurant I've ever been to. She took my wine snob preferences and recommended wines that I haven't tried before and she substituted a couple wines that I never would have ordered on my own. Why wouldn't you have rare Hungarian desert wine with nutmeg ice cream? Absolutely incredible.
The meal was 3 hours of bliss. We came a 1/2 hours early and were seated quickly. We ate and drank nonstop from 9:30-12:30. Really the only slight negative was the close quarters to other patrons. I felt like we were eavesdropping on the neighboring tables.
You can probably tell from some of my other reviews that I like good food and service, but am a bit frugal. This place provides a solid value which was pleasantly surprising. I would absolutely recommend this dining experience for your next special occasion.
Color me impressed!
Gary Danko put SF on the map, not the Golden Gate bridge. He woos you with his army of staff who will cater to your every need. They anticipate it even before you could think it. From the hostess, who immediately offers to take your coat, to servers who constantly refill your bread plate, replace your silverware, fold your napkins when you leave the table, open bathroom doors for you and our waiter who even offered to call a cab if we needed one at the end of our meal. All that pampering made me feel like a princess, I just needed a personal slave to feed me grapes off my cheese plate!
Actually, let me rephrase that. I wouldn't mind being Danko's slave.
Like Britney Spears said, I'm a slave for you.
I will scrub your pots and pans until the bottom shone, in exchange for your seared foie gras with caramelized apples. It was so indulgent, so sinfully rich on the tongue.
I will hand wash and iron your finest table linens, in exchange for your succulent, sweet, perfectly roasted Maine lobster with chanterelle mushrooms, edamame and creamy mashed potatoes.
I will spit polish your silverware with painstaking patience, in exchange for your creamy lobster risotto with butternut squash, corn and tomatoes.
I will mop your floors with organic cleaners, in exchange for your thoughtfully chosen cheese plate, which not only has my fave Brillat savarin triple creme, but also has excellent Humboldt Fog goat cheese and a pleasant Roaring 40's blue cheese.
I will sort out your recyclables and compact your trash for you, in exchange for your wonderful chocolate souffle with its sweet creme anglaise and chocolate sauce.
However, unlike Britney, I won't shave my head for you.
Err.....maybe?
If you give me all of your secret recipes.
This is the type of place which makes you question the five star system.
A place which aspires to such high standards of food and service deserves an equally meticulous scrutiny.
So you see, what do you do when you have to wait over fifteen minutes for the cheese cart to arrive, when you have to pour your own wine into your own wine glass several times, when your duck breast knife isn't sharp enough or when you believe there are slightly too many grains of salt in your quail dish? Does that lead you to knock off a star?
So no. Because, all in all, it's a five star restaurant. No question. Gary Danko is a five star restaurant. Definitely. Still, the wine is much too highly priced, the house specialty of souffle did not even make my top ten souffle list and there are all those service creases which I have already pointed to.
To sum up, I expected more of the illustrious Gary Danko, know what I mean?
I don't know why there's so much fuss about this place. First off, they're not efficient. I had dinner reservations for 9pm, got there at 8:55pm, and didn't get seated til 9:30pm. Second off, the food is good but not as exceptional as everyone makes it out to be. For example, the pork belly. I don't know if people acknowledge that there's something called being too crunchy, but let me tell you, there is. When I bit into the skin of the pork belly, I thought my molars were going to come off. Can it be anymore hard? Then it has this buttery consistency in the layer of fat underneath which reminds me of pure lard [well, cuz it is]. Maybe I'm just not a fan of pork belly. Yuck.
But Gary and his people do have redeeming points. I did like the fact that the bartender was very knowledgeable and nice enough to pour me some sparkling cider since I'm not a drinker, the banana bread is off the hook, and the dessert tray is always a nice tidbit at the end of the meal. All in all, it's ok but not great.
There are not enough stars to give to this restaurant. I've been fortunate to dine there on three occasions and each of them have been amazing experiences.
Starting with the service...impeccable. My head was spinning at the attention I was given. And the fact that you never seemed to have the same waiter was amazing. Each one of them had an incredible amount of knowledge regarding the courses.
Courses...I've had many and the one that always comes to mind is the cheese course. Do not pass up this opportunity.
I could go on and on about Gary Danko but from looking at the other reviews there is nothing I would say that hasn't already been said.
I can't wait for the new location to open just down the street at Ghiradelli Square.
Let me tell you first hand if you are about to make a reservation to this restaurant. Make sure you called exactly 2 months in advance, otherwise, if you call on a fly, dinner may be around 9:30pm (IF you're lucky!)
I've heard about this restaurant many a times before, so finally getting to eat here was pretty exciting. I am still giving this restaurant 4 stars because of their service and their food, but, lemme tell ya...there are just some patrons that piss me off enough to go up to them and punch em in the face!
We were seated facing a table with 2 couples seated in a round table. Not only were they not dressed appropriately, (They were dressed in t-shirts and jeans and the girls were blond and trashy like they were escorts), they were loud, drunk, obnoxious, and groping one another at the table. I'm sure everyone in the restaurant seating around them (they were in the middle of the room) were appalled by their behavior, but i give props to the wait-staff. They didn't act annoyed, were totally professionally, but were gracious enough to hurry their meals to them so that they could save us all.
I gotta hand it to them though. I know why they're one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. Their staff is knowledgeable about every single course, alcoholic beverage, and ingredient used there. Food was quite good and the price was reasonable for a 5 course meal. You can either pick the prix fixed, or can pick and chose your own 5 meals. I usually don't like cheese at all, but seeing their table of cheeses made me want to be brave and try it. I wasn't disappointed either. Hopefully I'll be able to come again soon to try their other food choices.
Everyone should try Gary Danko at least once in their lifetime. Just make sure you go when your palate is mature enough and do try to pick things on the menu that are sound winners.
Here are the sound winners in my book:
Crispy Farm Egg with White Polenta, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Frisee and Pancetta (my favorite appetizer)
Glazed Oysters with Osetra Caviar, Salsify and Lettuce Cream
Seared Sea Scallops with Butternut Squash PurÈe, Roasted Apples, Shallots and Red Pepper
Roast Maine Lobster with Potato PurÈe, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Corn and Tarragon (my favorite overall dish.. I might even suggest getting two of these)
Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras, Mushrooms and Quinoa, Fregola and Black Olive-Pine Nut Gremolata
Warm Louisiana Butter Cake with Caramelized Apples, Huckleberry Compote and Vanilla Ice Cream (amazing.. crispy chewy on the outside, soft on the inside)
What can I say that hasn't already been said 1,600 times? Nothing. It's amazing.
The Food (and The Wine)
we had oysters/caviar, seared ahi, lobster risotto, seared scallops, and the bison. We finished with cheese and chocolate mousse cake. The food is fantastic, but I feel like it's overhyped. Or maybe my standards are too high. The portions are generous. You will not leave hungry. The wine list is truly impressive. Calling it a list doesn't do it justice; it's a collection. There are enough reasonably-priced bottles, but be prepared to spend if you want the better stuff. And don't even bother trying to bring nice bottles with you, unless you have some obscure large format bottles. They've got all the heavy hitters here covering many vintages (Bryant, Harlan, Grace, Colgin, Marcassin, Ridge, Lafite, Latour, Mouton, etc etc etc).
The Place
Decor is looking dated. Inside it's not very loud, but it's not a whisper and keep your voice down atmosphere either. The bathrooms are awesome. Check out the Fromagair (cheese refrigerator) on the way.
The Scene
You get the sense this isn't the place to see and be seen. First of all, it's too dark. But looking around, you see a lot of the older, "power lunch" crowd. These are people who appreciate substance AND style, who have high standards for food and service. Not a lot of women, save for those on dates or "special occasion" outings. I went with two girls (let's just say each of us are between the ages of 23 and 30) and we were by far the youngest in the room. Which is not to say I felt out of place; I'm used to being around people older than me. You could probably wear whatever you wanted and would still get amazing service, but guys: you would feel underdressed without shirtsleeves and a jacket.
The Service
You get the sense that they hired the staff based on their personality (warm, polite, personable, poised, patient, humble, things that can't be taught) rather than experience or skill (which anyone can learn). In a word, the best ever. I'm writing this review 5 months on, and I still remember everything that happened. That's how incredible it was.
The Verdict
Everything, top to bottom, is perfectly executed here. But that's almost a problem for me, because it's devoid of character. Gary Danko is like a Lexus: it's luxurious and refined but, in the end, not that exciting or flashy. There's a reason why there are no Lexus enthusiast clubs - they don't inspire passion or excitement. That's what I felt here. At no point does GD reach down your pants, grab you by the balls and give a good tug. But maybe that's not why GD exists. Maybe they exist to gently massage your balls with an amazing culinary experience.
Perfection on all fronts. Truly deserves a consistent #1 status!
I've been meaning to write a review for Gary Danko now for a while, but seeing the plethora of other reviews, I felt I had to wait until I had something worth contributing.
Here are my tips. If you want a proper romantic evening, make a reservation. But, if it's the last minute and you're suave and spontaneous and don't have time for reservations, but have the suit and the date, then Gary Danko's is your place. Grab a last minute seat at the bar which boasts open seating, a full menu ,and hilarious bar-tenders who deserve your company.
What I will say for the food is this. It's impeccable, within striking distance of the French Laundry, and just shy of Dollie Marie's down in San Mateo (you read it here first).
I can't wait to try the latest offering from Gary Danko and highly recommend the joint. It's in my old 'hood over the hill from Lombard street.
Dinner here was an amazing and memorable experience. Sometimes a dining experience at a restaurant of this caliber can be intimidating, and made more so by the aura of stuffy waitstaff: Not so at Gary Danko! The staff was warm, friendly, jovial, and attentive to the perfect degree. They immediately offered to decant the wine we brought, served up the most delectable courses, and arranged a town car to anywhere in the city for us as we prepared to leave. I am looking forward to future dining experiences here!
I've been here at least a dozen times...and I've never had a less than perfect experience here. They are the top restaurant on yelp and it is so easy to see why from the minute you enter the restaurant...the service from beginning to end is impeccable. They treat you like you are the most important customer every time..my glass is always filled, my table is always free of any crumbs, my napkin is always folded when I come back from the bathroom...they are on it down to the tiniest details.
Their wine list is pretty good but I recommend you bring your own wine so you don't have to pay the crazy markup...but if you go there enough..they will sometimes waive the $35 corkage fee as I learned about on yelp and it actually worked for me the next time I went......If I do get my wine there..I always pair the wine with the cheese cart. They give you a free soup sampler that is YUM x2...and I've been here on several birthday occasions and they never fail give a free dessert that is generously portioned to easily share with the table.
Must Haves:
1) Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions and Rhubarb
2) Glazed Oysters with Caviar
3) Risotto with Lobster
4) Mushroom Dusted Sea Scallops with English Pea Purée, Shimeji Mushrooms and Meyer Lemon
5) Seared Ahi Tuna with Avocado, Enoki Mushrooms and Lemon Soy Dressing
Parking around the restaurant can be quite a challenge...I say just fork out the wallet for valet...don't be a cheap ass if you plan to dine at a top notch restaurant! Reservation are a must a month to two in advance.
If I have a birthday to celebrate or a friend from out of town that I want to impress...there is no place else in the city quite as amazing as this place. Gary Danko is a super friendly guy if you ever get to meet him in person too and he truly is passionate in making sure each of his guests leave feeling like they had the best dining experience of their lives. My favorite restaurant in all of SF...hands down 5 stars across all boards!
I've tried my share of amazing restaurants here in San Francisco, and I have to say, Gary Danko is amongst the top of my list.
First of all, I love how intimate this restaurant is. It doesn't seat more than 60 people with a private dining room of 10 and only 10. I like the whole ambiance and the feel of this chic and romantic restaurant.
These were our selections of the night:
Sweet Corn Soup with Dungeness Crab, Red Pepper, Creme Fraiche and Ham Biscuit. It doesn't get better than this on a cold night in the city.
Lobster Salad with Avocado, Roasted Tomatoes, Haricot Verts and Mustard-Tarragon Vinaigrette. The vinaigrette topped it all off.
Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree
Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Puree, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Corn and Tarragon
Seared Filet of Bef
Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras
Chocolate Souffle
Creme Brulee
Everything was a winner in its own way, every time I finish a dish I silently said to myself, "I wish I had one more bite of that!"
Yup, it's that good. Do try it. It doesn't get ridiculously expensive like French Laundry and you get what you pay for.
So we finally came here! Here's a fair, objective, unbiased review:
Ambiance - Nice. Although it does get a bit loud, especially on the bar side of the restaurant. Decor is very nice, and the restroom was super 'zen' like. Not that you'd come to yelp to read about how great restaurant restrooms are or anything.. so let's move on.
Service - Excellent. Let's just say, 5++++ here. Wait staff is extremely attentive and knowledgeable. They know they menu very well. One thing my wife and I noticed is that ALL of their waitstaff will tend to you, not just your specific waiter/waitress. They bring out a clean plate and a new set of silverware with every dish they serve, and make sure your napkin is always folded. The service here is really second to none.
Food - now the important part. We both ordered from the tasting menu, and each picked out 5 items.
I liked: foie gras - buttery smooth, very tasty, not over bearing. Scallops - perfectly seared, excellent flavor. Frog legs - Delicious. Best frog legs I've ever had. Not that I eat frog legs every day, but seriously, give this one a shot. You'll like it. Crab salad - Good.
I did not care for: Lobster bisque - just didn't do it for me. The lobster was fine, but the bisque itself was too salty and heavy. Lamb - Tender, but a bit too gamey. Filet mignon - decent, but not worth getting. Pork belly - Probably our worst pick of the night. The loin parts were tough to chew through, and fatty parts were just ok for us.
For dessert we had the creme brule trio, which is worth getting and we enjoyed it.
Overall, the food itself surprisingly did not blow me away. Was it good? Yes. Was it amazing? No. If you notice the items I reviewed though, I would recommend sticking with more of their seafood rather than red meat. It just came out better for my preference. Overall, the food was a bit on the salty side - esp. the red meat.
Will I be back again? Yes.. and probably ordering more seafood off of the menu next time around. Recommended to try at least once. It's worth it!
Is it possible to pay $300 for a meal and be OK with it?
If you would have asked me before Gary Danko, I would have told you know.
Everything about this place screamed class as the service was top notch.
I wish I would have known you could mix your courses, I don't like cheese very much and would have gladly swapped the cart out for another lobster.
Bravo to Gary for not sitting back on their laurels, this place has been top notch for years and we all know it's not easy to stay on top in SF.
There is nothing that matches a meal at Danko's - you need to fast for a day before going, and make sure you have nothing to do right before or after your reservation, because going here is an event in itself.
Everything is beyond anything imaginable in terms of intuitive service and most importantly.... the food. Which should have another name because it puts anything else you've ever put in your mouth to shame.
They are booked 1-2 months in advance, so make sure you make your reservation accordingly!
After years of waiting and dying to dine here I can now check it off my list.
The food is very good, though the most memorable thing that I can take away from my experience here is the excellent service -- very amiable disposition of the entire staff, attentive yet not too intrusive, and knowledgeable.
Set up of the tables and the atmosphere are conducive to intimate evening dining.
The Food --
Appetizers: glazed oysters with ostera caviar (bit on the salty side but good) / lobster risotto (mushy, overpowering basil flavor in oil, lobster was good, but overall a little disappointing)
Seafood: pan seared tuna (some of the best pan seared tuna I've tasted) / seared sea scallops (very good)
Meat: quail stuffed with foie gras (quite good, though I've had better quail at Chinese restaurants) / duck breast with duck hash (the duck hash was excellent)
Cheeses: a nice selection of artisanal cheeses (very bold flavors but a little over hyped in my cheese-lover's opinion, especially after hearing so many rave about it and seeing some guy have a very vocal food-gasm in front of me at the bar when we first walked in that was reminiscent of Meg Ryan's famous scene in When Harry Met Sally)
Dessert: baked chocolate soufflé (good) / warm Louisiana butter cake with caramelized peaches, huckleberry compote and peach ice cream (one of the most delectable desserts I've ever had in my life, highly recommended if it's on the menu, forego the popular chocolate soufflé and order this unforgettable dessert, I would not lead you astray)
Extras: assortment of mini baked and candied treats and the prepackaged banana bread to take home (delicious, very good)
I haven't been so full after a meal in a long time. Come hungry and excited.
The Holy Grail of restaurants in San Francisco. The anticipation had been building up since I moved here 2.5 years ago, and it finally came to a climax in September.
Everything they say is true about Gary Danko's (at least all the good stuff). The staff IS that nice, not snobby at all. The bathrooms ARE gorgeous and smell just lovely. The food-oh the food- IS glorious. I had the 4 course meal- the sweet corn crab chowder, the scallops, the filet, and gosh...something with lobster. Everything was perfecly cooked, everything tasted amazing. Yes, I used the word "amazing." We had some lovely sparkling wine to start the meal off, and then dove into some delcious pinot. Their wine list is mind boggling.
For dessert, they brought out a beautiful plate of mini-desserts (it was my Birthday). Every little bite was perfect. Yes, I used the word "perfect." At the end of the meal, they give ladies little cakes to take home. The cake they gave that night was a banana nut cake with cream cheese (for the next morning). I indeed ate it the next morning, and it was so moist and sweet.
I am a huge Gary Danko's fan. Even though it may be over hyped, I still love this place.
Ehhhh, kind of overrated if you ask me.
Came here for dinner with my mother. It was her last day before she went back home to Shanghai. We had reservations at 5:30 and we found parking right across the street at 5.
Mother: I'm going to move the car a little up so someone can park behind me if they want to
Me: Who cares about them? They will try to park and hit my car.
Sure enough, a man tries to park behind us and hits my car twice! Rough start to a nice dinner. Homph.
We both went with 3 courses.
Appetizer
Crab Salad: Best salad ever. It had huge chunks of crab instead of being mixed in and the dressing was very tasty.
Lobster Salad: Also huge chunks of lobster. I wasn't a fan of this salad and it almost seemed like it was the same dressing.
Entree
Coconut Thai Curry with Lemongrass, Calamari, Lobster, Scallions and Shitake Mushrooms: Instead of the mushrooms it came with oysters, shrimp, and giant scallops. Fair trade off if you ask me. Haha. I didn't like my entree so my mother and I traded.
Seared Sea Scallops w/ Sweet Potato: Amazinggggggg. Came with four giant scallops.
Dessert
Seasonal Sorbet Sampler with Cookies: Cookies were good but nothing special, same with sorbet.
Roasted Pears with Gingerbread and Nutmeg Ice Cream: Loved everything. Was weary of the ice cream but it tasted like plain old vanilla to me.
Everything was a little off. Service wasn't even close to being as good as Acquerello. Bread wasn't as good as Michael Mina or The Rotunda.
It seemed really rushed (or maybe we just ate really fast?). There was no wait time between each course and I am a fan of long drawn out dinners. There was almost, dare I say, TOO much food. We were bursting at the seams by dessert. I enjoyed the complimentary tray of desserts but only a few of them were good. Some were borderline gross. Asked for water w/ no ice and got a glass of water that was pretty much all ice and took forever to find a waiter to ask for a straw. The chef's surprise in the beginning was delicious except it was extremely oily.
Food seems to be a hit or miss.
The perfect word to describe Gary Danko is 'overrated'.
My boyfriend made a reservation with GD the day before my birthday and we were able to get a table for that very next day. We could very well have lucked out and got a cancellation but I'd say don't believe all the hype about having to reserve months in advance. (Albeit, reservations were a tad on the late side.) Dinner was set for 8:30pm and an excited food connoisseur-boyfriend made sure we were prompt. Hostess was nice and we were seated immediately.
We were seated in the corner, and the table for 2 was kinda cramped. But I didn't mind because it was pretty cozy and romantic. We were prepared for the menu and had decided that we each were going to have 5 courses because hey, my birthday only comes once a year ; ). Not really, but because how often are we really going to come back to GD? Anyways, our server was enthusiastic and he was quite committed to making our time enjoyable. He had a huge smile on his face and was ready and willing to help us through the menu, but also gave us enough space and time to choose. We also had questions about the wine, and he helped us choose something that we were both happy about.
The food was good but did not live up to our expectations. We were expecting a little bit of heaven with every bite, but was definitely not served heaven on a platter. It sucks to come into a restaurant with high expectations and not have them exceeded or even met, in this case. We had 10 (TEN!) dishes total and I can't say any were out of this world, orgasm in your mouth memorable. : ( So, the best way to have the BEST experience at GD is to have no expectations at all. So, I won't tell you the food was amazing, and I won't tell you this would be the last meal I'd have if I could choose. That way, I'd save you some disappointment. However, I can't hate on Gary Danko because I very much enjoyed my birthday and the service was exceptional. Departing words: the take home breakfast banana cake was BOMB. Guys, it's too bad because they only offer these to the ladies.
We went there for our 10th Wedding Anniversary. It was hard to get the reservation as you all would know.
Food is excellent! deserves five star. Only thing I remember about this place is the food especially corn soup. I was also impressed with the choice of cheese, wine, dessert they have.
I am not sure if I liked the ambiance. Except the food there was not much of an experience.
Now when I think about it I feel we should have picked a different place as many of these places have good food but do not have the ambiance.
good food + ambiance = whole experience
After numerous accolades and recommendations from both avid yelpers and friends, I decided to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday at Gary Danko. What's up Phoi B.
We each chose the 5-course meal option. We dabbled in each category and the only dishes that are worth mentioning are the glazed oysters and the quail stuffed with foie gras. We also had the risotto, roast Maine lobster, lemon pepper duck breast, seared filet of beef, beet salad with goat cheese, and the trio of crème brulee. All of these dishes were mediocre at best, not really even worth writing about. The last dish we ordered was the chocolate soufflé, probably the the only bad dish we had. It was extremely dry and tasteless. One thing I can say is that the presentation of the food was excellent. Every plate that was served looked delicious upon first sight. The service was excellent, the ambiance was decent, but I wish the food was better. Luckily for me (or maybe for GD), my date was excellent as usual so I had a great time nonetheless.
Brian C. - Aside from your review, the word "heaven" is used 8 times in the first four pages of reviews to describe particular food dishes served at Gary Danko (out of the extensive 41 pages of reviews). In addition, people who have recommended this restaurant to me have described it as...a slice of heaven...heaven in every bite...the pearly gates...and countless other parallels to describe the food. So, I think it is appropriate to expect a heavenly meal which we unfortunately were not presented with. But, I guess you and only you have a palate worthy of tasting heaven, or, um, in your words, "legal crack". Oh, and I do feel guilty for dropping nearly $400 on a just-average meal.
I have to say these were the best meals I've ever had, hands down. From the minute we walked in, we were treated like old friends. The service was impeccable, the food to die for! I can still taste the caviar amuse-bouches!
Yes, it was expensive, but you are paying for the experience. Treat yourself. Aren't you worth it?
THE WONDERFUL:
Cadence of the meal is perfect. The portions, flavors, wine pairings, service, all balanced meticulously. Best I've ever experienced.
The service notes a second mention. Casual, yet intelligent. Enjoyable on every level.
My wife and I got the tasting menu, with wine pairings:
The veal sweetbreads, the salmon with Dill, the cheese course and the dessert (butter cake and a chocolate souffle) were out of this world. The wine pairings, except for the meat course, were spot on. Thought the pinot was a little thin for the dense veal.
THE EH:
Did not enjoy the oyster and caviar appetizer that came so highly recommended. The flavors seemed to compete with each other and not come together.
The decor is old and outdated, sort of looks like a fancy restaurant nestled inside an airport in Las Vegas.
The crowd is a bit uncomfortable. So many special occasion diners make for a bit of an awkward amateur night experience.
The price is OK. I've paid more and been less happy, and I've paid less and been more happy.
Overall, it's tough not to recommend this restaurant. It's top ten for sure. But I'm always looking to crack that top five. Just for some perspective (so you can completely ignore my review if you think I am a moron) my top five is:
Ortolan
Antico Arco
Il Lattini
Mathias Dahlgren
Piccolo
I got a gift certificate for my birthday and was excited to plan a nice dinner out with my boyfriend, and of course have a chance to dress up.
We arrived, and were greeted right away by the hostess, she took our wine and said the table would be ready in a minute. We headed to the bar and I ordered a martini, as soon as it was ready so was our table so a waiter put it on his tray and took us over. One thing that I found a bit off was that every time we got our food, someone else brought it, our waiter only talked to us twice, so it wasn't a personal experience where one waiter does all the work.
Corner booth was perfect, romantic and just what I would have picked as a seat, sitting next to each other we began our review of the menu.
I loved the idea that we could order any courses in the menus, I could have had three entees as my choice, this was the first restaurant that gave this option and I loved it.
The highlights were the scallops that literally melted in our mouths, the soufle, quail, crab salad and sashimi. Everything was beautiful and of course tasty, it was also very light in preparation, I didn't taste a lot of salt or butter. I did have some pork sausage that came with my entree that looked very peculiar, it was square and tasted like it was out of a package.
We had a great time, enjoyed our food and wine but I have to say that this place is overrated. The food was great but for the prices we have a lot of options in the city that can match this and not everything was amazing, it was good but not unique. I guess when you're a foodie the expectations sore and it's harder and harder to impress.
Our bill was only about $60 after the $150 gift certificate and we brought our own wine, so for the price I would not recommend this.
I had such high expectations from Gary Danko. And the food was very good. But the service was so bad that it soured my experience. Also, it was terribly cold in there. Or maybe I was just seated under a draft.
One of us couldn't decide on a wine. The sommelier wasn't at all helpful, could not describe the wines adequately and, worst sin of all, didn't offer a taste. At a restaurant of this caliber, it's something I expect.
There were three of us. We had four courses: one of us ordered the crepes, one ordered the souffle and one ordered the cheese. At the appropriate time, the cheese cart arrived and (here's where we had good service) we got an education about the cheeses, including tastes. We made our selections and the cheese cart went away. One of us went to the restroom. While she was there, the cheese arrived, the crepes cart arrived and the souffle arrived. It was terrible timing. The souffle was more than half-eaten by the time the crepes were ready and the whole tableside show thing was not as much fun.
Sure, I'll go back to try it again. Sometime.
It's been over a year since I have last eaten at Gary Danko. I've been trying to find a restaurant that can compare to Gary Danko in Los Angeles, and there isn't any. I would move to SF just for this restaurant. That's how good Gary Danko is. Sure, it's super hard to get parking and it probably took us 2 hours to find parking, but it's all worth it. I dream about it every night.
The food is perfection. GO.
I'm sorry. I'd heard so many great things about this restaurant. And I really, really wanted to like it. But it just didn't impress.
We took my in-laws here for dinner when they were visiting a few months ago. They are hard-core foodies so my husband was very careful to select what he thought would be a no-fail restaurant. Let's face it...Gary Danko is an SF food legend on par with Chez Panisse and the French Laundry in terms of popularity. How could we go wrong?
Where to start...
The ambiance and decor felt like something from a 1980s movie...one in which a fancy, upscale restaurant is featured heavily. Black-lacquered vases and black Formica ledges? Check. An overabundance of mirrors? Check. Ginormous floral arrangements? Check. Plentiful angles? Check. It's all there folks. The only thing missing was a much younger Robert Downey Jr. or Tom Cruise.
But hey....we were there for the food. Yeah, ambiance is nice but it's certainly not everything.
Then the menu arrived. And boy what a menu it was. It appears Gary Danko is going for the Cheesecake Factory approach: cram as many items onto the menu as humanly possible in the hopes that customers will order lots and lots of stuff. Our party spent about 30 minutes reading through it and then figuring out the whole course ordering strategy. We were exhausted and not a little overwhelmed by the time the waiter showed up to take our orders.
The food....well, "meh" really does describe it for me. I was really expecting better. While I won't go so far as to say it was bad....I will say, considering the price, the restaurant's reputation, and how far in advance we had to book our reservation, it was totally underwhelming. The flavors /dishes were overly-familiar in that we'd been there, done that in numerous restaurants all over the Bay Area. Maybe this is because numerous restaurants are trying to imitate Gary Danko. But then I guess I'd expect the source of all these dishes to be the best ever. And that was simply not the case.
But I am sorry. Because I know there are legions of hard-core Gary Danko fans out there who likely think I'm high as a kite...or lying...or was completely drunk and therefore not at all a reliable witness. Maybe we need to go again. But considering the price and how frigging hard it is to get in, I doubt we will.
I took advice from fellow Yelpers and made my reservation 2 months in advance. We came on a Friday at 7p.m. for my boyfriend's birthday and were seated immediately.
The tables are definitely a little small and cramped for 2 people but since I read so many reviews I was expecting it. I requested a corner table when I made my reservation so there was only one table sitting directly next to us instead of people sitting on either side of us.
For the most part I'm vegetarian, but for special occasions I'll have seafood. My boyfriend is pescatarian so when I made my reservation I made sure to let the hostess know. They have an extensive seafood menu and a separate vegetarian menu upon request which was great. Before we received our menus we were given an amuse bouche of tuna tartar. It was a nice tasty little bite to start off the meal. I ordered a glass of the sauvignon blanc ($14) and my boyfriend had a glass of the malbec ($12). They had half-bottles starting at $40 and all full bottles were over $100.
We both decided to get the 5 course ($98/ a person).
Let me start by saying that the service was absolutely exceptional. Every server was right on point and very friendly. We always had everything we needed and they were very attentive, but didn't hover over us which I liked.
They served bread before the meal. The bread wasn't warm which I would think is standard in a restaurant of this caliber, but it was still good. If either of our bread plates were ever empty the server would promptly serve us more.
We ordered the following:
1st COURSE
Risotto with Lobster, Rock Shrimp, Corn, Peas and Roasted Tomatoes: (they offer a vegetarian version of this as well) The risotto was perfect, all the flavors worked so well together. It was served in a white wine cream sauce with a hint of garlic that was so buttery and delicious.
Seared Ahi Tuna with Avocado, Nori, Enoki Mushrooms and Lemon Soy Dressing: The quality of the tuna was excellent. My boyfriend said the dressing was flavorful and loved this dish.
2nd COURSE
Horseradish Crusted Salmon Medallion with Dilled Cucumbers and Mustard Sauce: I wasn't really a fan of this dish. I didn't like the mustard sauce and I thought it was just average.
Seared Sea Scallops with Zucchini-Basil Purée, Tomato Fondue and Sugar Snap Peas: My boyfriend ordered this dish and said it was good, but not the best scallops he's ever had.
We weren't impressed with our 2nd course selections. Don't get me wrong, the food was still good....but no "wow" factor.
3rd COURSE
Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Purée, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Corn and Tarragon: AMAZING!!! My boyfriend and I both ordered this for our 3rd course and it was outstanding. The lobster was perfectly cooked, the potato puree was perfection and the mushrooms....oh the mushrooms.....they really brought the whole dish together.
Definitely my favorite of the first three courses.
4th COURSE
Cheese Cart: TRIPLE CREAM, TRIPLE CREAM, TRIPLE CREAM. I just about died when the triple cream hit my mouth. It was heaven and I'm in love. The cheese course comes with your choice of 4 cheese selections- I had the triple cream (if you didn't already figure that out), cheddar, goat cheese from France and a sheep's milk cheese. I wasn't fond of the goat cheese, the cheddar was good, the sheep's milk cheese was great, and the triple cream was nothing short of amazing. The cheese course is a must!!!
5th COURSE
Warm Louisiana Butter Cake with Caramelized Peaches, Huckleberry Compote and Peach Ice Cream: YUMMMMMMM. It's all in the title- warm, buttery cake served with warm caramelized peaches with a side of velvety peach ice cream. Absolutely perfect.
Lemon Soufflé Cake with Raspberries and Crème Frache Panna Cotta: I wasn't really impressed with this dessert. The cake was okay, but nothing great...the Louisiana Butter Cake definitely took the cake on this one =)
Since it was my boyfriend's birthday they also brought out a complimentary dessert with a candle. It was some kind of lemon mousse cake which didn't taste very good. They also brought out a small assortment of petit fours which was cute. They give a breakfast cake for the ladies to take home which I sadly forgot at the restaurant. The entire meal took 3 hours and the bill after tax and tip was $300 for 2 people.
Our whole experience was outstanding. The food had its high and not-so-high points, but overall it was a perfect evening at Gary Danko.
I would definitely love to come back again.
This place always has good food and service. We were here for my birthday 11-11-09. Reservation was for 9pm. Arrived at 8:57pm didn't get to sit at our table till 9:30pm. Terrible. We did 4 course meals each. All of my items were good. Only one item I didn't think was all that, was the stuffed quail with foie gras. Couldn't taste the foie gras at all. Other then that it was good.
Other thing that didn't quite like was this annoying guy from the front room kept coming back and taking peeps of my girlfriend's cleavage. When he didn't even work in the back room. He did it soo many times that it started to annoy me and it got really obvious. I didn't get his name, didn't want to say anything but come on man. It's annoying when you do it every 2 mins. It was on 11-11-09 and he worked in the front room. We sat right next to the corridor that connected to the front room. The guy kept standing there and turning his head 180 degrees to look. Gary maybe you should have a talk with your guy.
Other then that everything else was good.
I would gives this 3.5 stars, but sigh... only so many options available.
Service was impeccable. They have a literal army of people waiting on your to get you more bread, pour more water, answer questions, and to bring you your food. Our server was very polite and courteous. No gripes there.
They're famous for their wine cellar. And yes, here you can have access to some of the most coveted and exclusive bottles of wine in the world. Nearly all the First Growth Bordeauxs and Grand Cru Burgundies were represented as well as those nifty California culties Harlan Estate, Abreu, Screaming Eagle... blah blah blah... Kinda felt that half of the wines were on their list for the wow factor or to make some bucks rather than actually pairing with anything on their menu. But of course they were...
Food was... very good. Everything was well-executed, however originality was lacking. I kinda felt that almost everything could be recreated somewhere else without much of translation loss. Everything was relatively standard. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but I walked away without a sense of what Gary Danko is all about. It lacks it's own flair and sense of identity. It lacks soul.
Everyone raves about the cheese plate. We were left wondering why. I'd rather just go hang out at the Cheeseboard for an hour or something...
Chocolate souffle was yummy. But it always is right? =)
Conclusion: You can get 90% of the food for 40% of the cost at various other restaurants in the city. No real need to be at Gary Danko's.
I love this place! The food was great! I came here with my boyfriend for our third anniversary and the food was delish. We got a four course meal, and they messed up on our dessert so we got a free one!
What we had:
- Glazed oysters with caviar
- Seared foie gras on a bed of caramelized onions
- Roasted lobster
- Seared ahi tuna
- Stuffed quail
- Loin of lamb
- Chocolate soufflé
- Walnut chocolate tart
- Macaroons
All of our food was FABULOUS!
So why only 4 stars? I felt the service could have been better. They got the food to us very fast, but I did not feel a connection with our server. The bread man was warmer than he was. Don't get me wrong our server was not horrible, but I am a woman who loves places that have superb service. Even though the food was great, the service did not complete my dinning experience. Maybe the next time I come the service will be a bit more warm.
This is a beautiful special occasion restaurant. Everything from the service to the food is perfect. The cheese cart is divine.
Hands down, this is my favorite restaurant in San Francisco!
a break from my little adventures to take you into a...
degustation of desire.
4.5 stars.
To start, an amuse bouche of carrot ginger soup, a hint of creme fraiche, rich curry, and littered with perfect mushroom cubes. Garnished with parsley.
Next, pan seared sonoma valley foie gras, firm and plump sittting atop a compote of caramelized red onions, and rhubarb softened in... red onions...perhaps? Garnished with beautiful flowing greens.
Mushroom dusted sea scallops with english pea puree, shimeji mushrooms, and meyer lemon. The scallops are fat and juicy, tender with sinking meat, and in a subtle, but beautiful, pea puree.
Quail stuffed foie gras, leeks and quinoa, garro, maitake mushrooms, zucchini and roasted red peppers nestled in a compilation of quinoa and maitake mushrooms and roasted red peppers. Zucchini curls garnish the plate and add coolness.
The pace of the meal is quick, fast and good. The tempo picks up as the dishes grow richer, and spanish guitar quietly spinning through the air.
Lemongrass soda, housemade jalapeno syrup, muddles with basil, makes a light and spicy refreshing drink between the meat course and the fromage.
Picandine pico affine, petit agur, la demon du midi, la vigneron with red grapes and raisin bread
Dessert, French earl grey macaroon with milk choice cream caramel sauce, lemon cream cheese ice cream huckleberry
Chocoate with coffee ice cream chocolate sauce
Mignardise to end.
voila. seduced you are. :)
video reviews of degustations on my site http://www.tastytwosom... :) enjoy.
Tracy aka @tastytwosome on twitter. :)
WOW! Amazingly delicious food with superb service and elegant decor. A must try for anyone that's ever in San Francisco! Hard to get reservations here on any night, so plan ahead! There were 4 of us and we all did the 3 course menu. So I got to try some different dishes. First course I had the Glazed Oysters with Osetra Caviar, Salsify and Lettuce Cream, tiny oysters, there were 4 of them I think. the caviar and the oyster seem to go perfectly with each other. I also tried someone else's Seared Sonoma Foie Gras with Caramelized Red Onions and Apples - as good as foie gras can get! Next came the Roast Maine Lobster with Potato Purée, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Corn and Tarragon. Tasted great, just wish it was bigger! The lobster was pretty tiny. Next was my Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras, Mushrooms and Quinoa, Fregola and Black Olive-Pine Nut Gremolata. Was getting kinda full at this point. The quail was good, but the foie gras here wasn't as good as the appetizer foie gras dish. Tried someone's lamb which was delicious. We skipped dessert haha. They gave us some sort of morning cake thing to girls only for keepsake. Very memorable dining experience overall!!! Also note that you should dress up when coming here (ties on guys). You'd spend total after tax+tip for the 3 course (very stuffed after) about $85 if you only drink water. $150 or so with wine pairing for each dish.
I have a confession. I put this on my Dad's Amex because nooooooo waaayyy can I afford this shit!! I plan on holding a sermon on the mount (protrero) to sing accolades about the soup!
I was a bit worried about GD being able to live up to all the hype. Oh - they lived up to it and then some! The service was phenomenal - my coat was checked, our table was perfect, our car was valeted (and I think the charge was later waived) and as we started to finish up our dessert they went ahead and pulled our car around. My coat was waiting for me as we walked out - I didn't even have to ask for it.
The food - was - stunning. Seared foie gras, the risotto - amazing. Duck breast and filet - drool. The big surprise was the fish course: Branzini with butternut squash and pumpkin seeds. Ooooh. . . it was so good! I really could have eaten a couple plates of it. Just such a wonderful combination of flavors. Yum, yum, yum!
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