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Millennium
Categories: Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Vegan Vegetarian, Vegan [Edit]
580 Geary St(between Shannon St & Jones St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
(415) 345-3900
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1097 reviews for Millennium
Review Highlights
"I definitely recommend the black bean torte."
(in 85 reviews)
"Also, the crusted oyster mushrooms are AMAZING."
(in 38 reviews)
"I had the chocolate almond torte and it was delectable."
(in 52 reviews)
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1096 reviews in English
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Review from Angie I.
Redwood City, CA
1/31/2012
This romantic vegetarian/vegan restaurant offers an interesting menu with dishes that are a fusion of different cultures. I was very impressed with everything that I tried at this restaurant and am excited to come back!
The items are relatively high priced but are equally complex, fancy, and delicious. Some of the dishes have a light Indian influence which I thought was an interesting touch. This is my new favorite San Francisco restaurant! -
Review from Raina B.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
An upscale vegetarian restaurant, I SHOULD love it. But I really didn't.
A friend and I went a while back and walked out pretty dissatisfied. It's almost like they are trying too hard. Some of the dishes were just overcomplicated with flavors that really canceled each other out. I can't remember what dishes we got specifically so my apologies but we tried about 5 dishes throughout the menu.
On the plus side, they had a pretty good margarita. -
Review from Wes K.
San Jose, CA
2/5/2012
Wanting to experience something different for a Thanksgiving meal, we responded to Millennium's email suggestion of a 5-course Thanksgiving meal at $60 each. With my elderly mom in tow, we traveled an hour from San Jose for, hopefully, something really different and scrumptious. Here are the glaring disappointments we experienced that night:
1) The initial bread plate: How did the kernels of stale popcorn and overcooked "roasted chestnuts" and something called "black-eyed pea chow-chow" enhance the bread serving? And where was the "pear mostarda"?
2) The salad course: How does just a few leaves of spinach, some endive (the most hideous, tasteless addition to a salad), only a few miniscule clumps of honey-roasted pumpkin seeds & not a tomato in sight constitute a delicious salad course?
3) The main course: I had the squash plate, although you wouldn't know it for the small, 1/2" thick squash rind that was barely visible (and tasteless) amidst the risotto rice. My partner and mom had the 3-mushroom torte - problem was that there was barely a mushroom to be found; perhaps it was sandwiched amidst all the seitan, badly cooked Brussels sprouts and nearly unrecognizable broccoli bits. The entrees were also lukewarm - is the concept of serving on a hotplate foreign?
4) The dessert: I had the "chocolate marbled pumpkin pie with bourbon cream and huckleberry compote". Now I know what all of those things are and what they taste like, but what they served was a hardened brownie with a thin layer of pumpkin goo atop it; there was no recognizable marbled anything, much less huckleberry compote to be seen. My partner chose the "maple pecan sweet potato pie", a sliver sized portion so hard, he had to stab it with a fork to break it up; with not a hint of sweet potato to be found.
5) And the wine: While I know a glass of wine is always expensive, $13 for barely a 1/2 glass of Pinot is either robbery or snobbery - you decide.
"Convert a carnivore" - are you kidding? We love and have had good vegetarian and vegan food. But you have to be kidding with a meal offering what I just described, much less the $240 we paid for the pleasure. Certainly one never to be repeated. -
Review from venu p.
San Francisco, CA
2/1/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Amazing food!
Must try Pecan-Chocolate Pie -
Review from Pete J.
Milwaukee, WI
1/29/2012
I would definitely go back again, but by no means were the dining, the room, or the service five or even four stars.
Millenium is quite popular. Regarding the service, I did an Open Table reservation two days before (Thurs for Sat), and the only time I could get was 8:45pm. When I called to try to move up, I was told the full menu was available at the bar, so we went at 7pm and sat at the bar. We were treated well, but no recommendations, no warmth.
The room is nice, a classy zinc-topped bar, surrounded by tables. The room had a nice feeling, but not particularly warm.
My big disappointment was, as at least one other reviewer noted, some of the entrees are not particularly healthy, such deep-fried "crusted" (breaded) oyster mushrooms. These mushrooms were accompanied by an awesome "kumqua-ginger-chile jam", but why deep fat fry these delicate, delicious mushrooms? When you eat vegan, you think healthy. Both the "Arborio Rice Crusted Artichocke" and the "Pumpkin Seed & poblano Chile Tamale" were creative, delicious as main courses. Both the chocolate almond mousse dessert and the vanilla torte were very good. Nice wine selection. Fair prices. I definitely will return at some point, as the are some really good entrees. -
Review from Aisha L.
Brookline, MA
1/27/2012
Wow.... Yum.
My Boy Friend took me here for our 2 year anniversary. The hostess promptly sat us at a sweet little table for 2. The waitress was very knowledgeable and pleasant too. Not snooty not rude not too casual. The Goldie locks of servers.
She explained the menu and we ordered one of there prix fix menus and then 2 dishes on top of it and shared everything.
It was all sooooooo delicious. The fried green tomatoes stick out in my memory as awesome.
Also we ordered some sparkling water and guess what? It was free because they freaking bottle and sparkle their own water! Bam!
Great time, reasonably priced for fine dining, great food, great ambiance.
Loved it.
also its all vegan/vegetarian and they are creative and healthy with their dishes. none of that soy, tempeh, saitan fake meat crap. Just real food. :) -
Review from Cassandra E.
San Mateo, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is by far the best Vegan restaurant I have ever been to in my life! I strongly suggest everyone whether they are a full time vegan or not try this place out at least once.
I've tried to make last minute reservations here a few times and never had any luck. Finally I wised up booked a table about three days in advance through Open Table. And even 3 days ahead, didn't really give us the ideal time we were looking for (7:30pm-8pm), so we wound up on the schedule at 6:15pm with all the families and senior citizens (not really, but my late-night dining friends thought this would probably be the case...) hehe..
The restaurant is inside the Hotel California, which is an older hotel with lots of history and personality. The interior architecture is very classy, with a lot of wood finishing, crown moldings and a 1920s feel to it. The tables are intimate and small, (even for large groups.) As soon as we walked in I was a big fan of the service, cleanliness and appearance of the restaurant.
Once we were seated, the three of us ordered. The waitstaff was prompt and knowledgeable about all the menu items, including gluten-free options for my Celiac friend. We started off with the Lentil Fritters appetizer, which resembled falafel, yet tasted better! Its was the appropriate proportion for two or three people otherwise it could be perfect side dish to accommodate one of their salads (and yes this dish was gluten-free.)
We all ordered three different main courses, so luckily I got to taste all three! Apparently the dishes change according to what is available locally, and what is in season, so going into full detail about each dish, may not be worth it tooo much. I can say that between the Tofu, the Tempeh and the Au Gratin dish, the Tempeh was my absolute favorite! It was made in a completely vegan (cashew-cream based) curry sauce with an array of seasonal vegetables and mixed greens on the side. Not only was it amazingly Delicious, the presentation was beautiful when it came out!
As far as dessert goes, it was a tough decision, every single item on the menu sounded like a wonderful piece of Vegan-heaven sliced out and placed on a plate just for your tongue to be delightfully tickled with pleasure! We all shared the Chocolate-Pecan Pie, and the Vanilla Torte. I think both of them were completely gone in under 5 minutes!
As we were preparing to leave, I was already thinking about when I will have to make it back to Millenium! Soon..very soon. ;-) There are just too many vegan masterpieces on the menu... to wait too long! -
Review from Genia Y.
Los Angeles, CA
1/26/2012
Our family had a rehearsal dinner here in their private dining room about two weeks ago. Most of our party were die-hard meat eaters but no one missed the meat at this meal. The food and presentation were exquisite. We were given three different entrees to choose from and seeing that I tasted all three none of them disappointed. Let me not leave out the dessert. I chose the chocolate pie over the sorbet and so glad I did.
The decor could use a little updating but in a way adds to the experience. The restaurant is warm and unpretentious which was a nice surprise. Attention is obviously focused on the food and I can appreciate that. Our servers took great care of us as well.
Another bonus, the restaurant was two steps from the hotel hosting our wedding (Hotel Adagio). Thanks for the great start to our wedding weekend. -
Review from C G.
Concord, CA
1/6/2012
Came here for the first time with my husband on New Years Eve and had the 5 course meal. Everything was really delicious, except the spread for the bread. I would have preferred vegan butter either plain or done up all snazzy with some herbs and spices or something. Not sure what was in the spread, but we both didn't like it.
The "Amuse" course was good, as well as the first course.The second course was a Kabocha Squash Tempura. SO GOOD. The flavors in the dish were exotic, tangy, and savory. I wanted two more plates of it. I can't remember the last time I had a dish with such vibrant, interesting flavors. Kudos. My husband loved the third course, the Brik Pastry Pouch. The meal ended with a rich chocolate cake that I couldn't finish, but the citrus whipped cream and ginger-orange pistachios were a great addition.
This place is proof that vegan food can be gourmet, creative, and absolutely delicious. -
Review from Reena M.
1/3/2012 3 Check-ins Here
This place has a nice concept to it. I use to be a vegetarian for 8 years so I like to try vegan/veggie places once in a while. The menu has several dishes which are fried so be careful if you think you are doing good by eating veggie food. One of my favorite dishes is the dessert! They have a nice selection of wines as well.
If the hotel I was at was not close by I would have not found this place but it is okay to experience. -
Review from Stacy B.
Woodland, CA
1/6/2012
This is one of those places that absolutely, positively lives up to its hype.
I've been to dinner here twice, (once for a special southern food night and another time for a friend's b-day where I got the $39 pre-fixe dinner), and once for drinks when a couple of friends and I wanted a slightly classier place than the Gold Dust.
While I've had some things that I liked better than others, I've never had a bad bite of food or a bad sip of booze here. Very creative menu, where there are often plays on classics.
Friendly and professional staff who know their stuff! -
Review from Jane K.
Hillsborough, CA
12/29/2011
Don't be fooled by the three stars. The food was delicious, well portioned, and creative. The chef did a fantastic job with the menu and wine list!
Our daughter is a vegetarian and we went to this restaurant for her birthday. We ordered plenty of appetizers--fries, tabouli, crusted mushrooms, brussel sprouts, and more and they all were delicious.
I had the tempeh. It sounded exotic and interesting. I was very happy with the dish and the sides were great.
The service was eh. Our reservation was at 9pm and she said we would be seated early but I think she forgot about us. Our table was right near the salad prep and clean dishes area and boy was it loud!
We had been sitting for 25 minutes and she never asked us for our drink order and never offered us bread. When she finally came over she wanted to take our dinner order but was aloof to taking our drink and appetizer order.
So, 3-starz to the amazing chef and his creativity -- definitely worth going to vegetarian or not. -
Review from Nilu r.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/24/2011
Is it just me or has this place gone drastically down hill? came here for dinner two nights ago very excited since I have always had great meals here.
This night however, the service was even worse than usual.
We sat for 10 minutes with menus before the water order was taken.
then another 5 minutes before the drinks order was taken.
then another 5-10 minutes before she came back to take appetizer orders.
finally meal order was taken...I wouldn't normally care about speed during a nice dinner but at least ply me with wine while I wait!
one good thing is that since vegetables cook fast, everything comes out very quickly...but the service here leaves a LOT to be desired especially at the prices they are charging.
On to the food.
the table ordered the oyster mushrooms, beet salad and stuffed dates to share.
The mushrooms were tasty but under-seasoned.
The beet salad was cut into little pieces and was very small...possibly the tastiest thing I ate all night but there were 7 of us and I got a taste.
the stuffed dates were just sweet...a bit boring.
I ordered the pumpkin tamale and it sounded delicious on the menu.
In reality, it was dry, WAY under-seasoned so I had to ask for salt.
Of course our server never really checked back with us until the dishes were cleared...
The service here really sucks...if you are charging $25 for a little bit of corn in a husk and some beans, then at least pay attention to your guests.
Based on that last experience, I am in no hurry to get back here. which is sad since I really like Millennium prior to this.Listed in: Eat here!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/3/2007
I LOVE this place. I just got back from dinner and as I was eating the wonderfully tasty lentil and… Read more »
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Review from Ronit G.
Novato, CA
12/24/2011
We decided to go to Millenium to have their 3 course raw vegan tasting menu for a special occasion, a birthday. We are raw vegan all the time and expected for $65 per person that it would be spectacular and a welcome change to the 2-3 other restaurants that actually serve raw vegan food in our area.
There were actually 4 courses, starting with a radicchio lettuce triangle with a nutty scoop of pecan and orange paste; with Gravenstein apples and celery on top. The flavors mixed well but the radicchio was cut so small that everything fell off - so it was actually hard to get a bite with all the flavors. Being that radicchio is quite bitter; I kept looking for that bite with apple but the pieces of apples were quite large and fell off. Too bad.
The second was a corn soup - it was good; nothing super special.
The "main" was a watercress salad with tomato and melon. Way too much watercress and the yellow tomato pieces and cantaloupe were hard to distinguish from eah other, and of all the things that they could've chosen for that dish - I don't like cantaloupe! So that was a bummer. They did ask me when I made the reservation if there any foods we couldn't eat; but it didn't occur to me to say cantaloupe!
The dessert was a berry sorbet in between two rounds of a nut cookie. Tasted good but the cookie was so hard from being in the freezer we could not cut into it! The chef didn't taste his creation, a mistake.
All in all I would not recommend going to this restaurant for food; it's what they focus on and it wasn't done well - especially for the price! -
Review from Mike G.
12/23/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
It is very hard to find a solid vegetarian restaurant, and these guys take the cake (dairy-free, of course).
The dishes seem to have a tex/mex inspiration, which means there is no shortage of deep-fried delights, so if you thought vegetarian automatically = "healthy," you should proceed with some caution. However, you'll find a variety of bean-filled, salsa-spiced, and "I feel satiated even though I just had a vegetarian meal and it was pretty healthy (not fried)" options.
The real reason this place gets four stars is because it is probably the most elegant vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco, and they have the backed up reservation log to prove it--make sure to book in advance. There are other tasty vegetarian places in the city (like Source, which is awesome!), but they just don't have that Friday night fancy atmosphere that Millenium has. -
Review from Rachel H.
Powell, OH
1/25/2012 Seated via OpenTable
With all of the amazing reviews I may have gone in with high expectations. Being vegetarian we try to seek out the best restaurants with each city we visit. It was good but I was anticipating it to be awesome and it didn't quite get there.
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Review from Elizabeth S.
Worcester, MA
1/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Food is outstanding however service by the waitress was lacking. Although the bus person was very attentive. Atmosphere was not on par of pricing and style of food. The ambience of the old hotel doesn't mesh with the bright orange and salmon decor. I recommend going for the food nonetheless.
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Review from Duke B.
Arcata, CA
I have eaten here on numerous occasions and love this place. It is gourmet vegan at its best. Its mostly local produce and the menu is constantly changing. This place is not cheap nor should it be. Organic local produce is not easy to source year round for a restaraunt. Amazing drinks with or without alchohol.
$$@ make a reservation ahead of time... Bar is first come first serve, good for smaller parties. I love this place and can't speak highly enough about it. -
Review from Lina L.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
Best vegetarian/vegan restaurant I have been to, hands down. Very flavorful and creative options - makes you not feel like you're missing out for having dietary restrictions.
Yum.
Cocktails weren't that good. -
Review from mitch n.
San Francisco, CA
11/30/2011
Recommended to me through an orientation leader, I thought I'd try it out. And since my boyfriend is vegan, I was super excited to take him along with me! I've always noticed this restaurant before walking by, but I never stopped to check it out, assuming that it was a steak house this whole time! Boy could I have been more wrong!
Making reservations was super easy! I just had to pick a time through opentables, while I was already on its' yelp site! We were seated quickly, food came in a timely manner and was verrrrrrry delicious! I'm no vegan but it sure filled me up good no problem. The broccolini appetizer hit us just right, very garlicky and spice with a hint of a kick! I had the cannellini and my bf got the stuffed "chicken" special, which were both very scrumptious!
I was already bloated from all the food but couldnt resist trying the desserts. We ordered the pallette of sorbets--which were teeny tiny scoops of rasberry/coconut/ginger, but was still very enjoyable.
Would definitely come back to try all the other good stuff on their menu. Service was amazing, no complaints at all. I asked the bf how it was by his standards, being a vegan for 13 years trying foods from all over, and he said it was a definitely one of the best high end vegan dining experiences he's ever had. -
Review from Pauletta K.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011
Honestly, it's just "ok." Maybe because I do eat meat, but I do believe that I am very open to vegetarian/vegan tendencies. The appetizers and desserts were the best.
We had the fries, brussel sprouts, beets and oyster mushrooms to start, splitting between 6 people. The brussel sprouts were ok, slightly on the less-warm side (not completely cold). The oyster mushrooms were probably my favorite out of the 4, but they were breaded and deep-fried, which I feel takes away from my vision of a healthy vegan diet. The fries were fries, but the aioli sauce (or whatever it was that came with it!) was good! And the beets were beets, which we all know tastes like dirt, but after a while you develop a taste for them and like them more. They were actually very heavily covered with oregano which I love but the dirt-oregano mix wasn't the best!
I had the artichoke risotto, which was...eh. The best part of the dish was the side of kale. Whatever that was seasoned in was great! The risotto was completely tasteless (a huge disappointment for me because I LOVE LOVE LOVE most risottos done right!). And again, the artichoke, while somewhat tasty, was also breaded and deep-fried. Not a fan of the "tempura" veggies.
We shared the tiramisu and vanilla torte, and they were pretty good. I'm not a tiramisu fan, but it was ok. I did like the vanilla torte a lot.
Overall, I was a little disappointed because I have seen so many great reviews. Was it because I do eat meat on a regular basis? I have been to several other veggie/vegan restaurants, and have really liked them.
Maybe they had an off night. -
Review from Hannah S.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2011
I love Millennium!
We ate here for the 6th or 7th time last night, both my boyfriend and myself kept commenting about how good everything was and that we need to come more often.
We are both vegetarian so dining at an upscale restaurant can be challenging in San Francisco. I hate paying $30 for a mediocre pasta dish!
Everything at Millennium is well thought out, from the decor to the cocktails and of course, the food. Even the side dishes are delicious.
I highly recommend Millennium! -
Review from A S.
Monterey, CA
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
We come here whenever in SF and have never been even close to disappointed but instead always exceptionally pleased. We are always treated to a new and wonderful taste and ambiance experience. From the in-house made smoked tofu delights in the salad to the fixed prix sampler with wine taste to the amazing weekend specials this remains the US top vegan elegant dining. Only Candle 70 and Blossom in NYC come close,
Many of the lower Star ratings seem to discern value as at Millennium you pay a premium for the best, so while I would confirm the value is right the prices for some, for other than special occasion would be seen as high. There are many SF offerings that deliver good quality at a good price, but for the best at a good price there is no peer. -
Review from Erin L.
11/16/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
I agree with Ting L. - worst expensive meal I've had in a while.
Service was horrid. The table on both sides of us were both complaining about the slow service too. The server, David, forgot to get one table's beer and forgot bread at our table and the other table next to us. I was facing the bar and could clearly see him chatting and laughing with other employees - so it wasn't like he was running around busy. Food took a good 45 minutes to arrive. The server, David also gave me the completely wrong dish and realized it after about 5 minutes when he came over to switch my plates. After that I felt nauseous and didn't finish my meal - I took about 2 bites (maybe it was something in the other dish). But of course David didn't notice since he never came over to the table to check on us.
Food was bland. Ever heard of salt and pepper, Millennium? Tom Colicchio would be upset. Everything just lacked flavor and had a mushy texture to it. Blah.
The restaurant was decorated really cute. The tables are ridiculously close to each other - especially when the weather is colder and you have bigger jackets and sweaters on. I felt like I was going to knock over wine glasses while trying to get to my table.
Over-priced, shitty service and food. There are plenty of excellent restaurants in the area - skip this one.Listed in: San Francisco
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Review from Miranda m.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2011
Love this place.
I am not a vegetarian, but if I could eat like this everyday I would be a vegetarian.
They start you out with bread and the spread of the day. The day I went, it was chickpeas and carrots. It was good, we inhaled to plates worth.
We did not order a starter, but instead went straight to the main. My bf had the crusted portobello mushroom and I had the pumpkin tamale, both were absolutely amazing. Each plate included four components to the dish, the main, the relish, the sauce, and the vegetable side. Each portion complements the other perfectly. The dishes were so flavorful that the absence of meat is not noticeable. We left feeling full and satisfied.
We definitely will be revisiting very soon.
Note: Make reservations since the place is very busy. -
Review from Tracy H.
College Station, TX
1/17/2012
The watermelon soup is amazing. The food is complex, yet light. They have a great beer selection including Pliny the Elder.
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Review from Pete G.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
This is gourmet vegan food ,interesting ,tasty and well prepared and orchestrated,but my review is really focused on the servers and service which is a good part of the dining experience. I have come here for a birthday 3 years in a row , paid by the birthday host who loves this restaurant,so i have been reluctant to write my true feelings and perhaps thought each time it was a bleep on the very expensive upscale dining radar. It is not. The service here is atrocious and the waiters ,though they look the part are not trained properly and frankly dont seem to care. But smile alot for sure. Nothing on the menu is every explained,expressed or promoted.Its worse than a fast food place,but in slow motion and at 10 times the cost. You have to asked for everything...more bread,more water,more coffee. And I can see its every table in the place. And of course the bus people are in your faces trying to grab every plate as the last morsel is eaten. Tonite I can remember only two things the waitress said ." Are you ready to order" and when we our host asked if they could have another cup of coffee,this wasnt quite hot enough,she said"It ll come out the way it comes out." We all looked at each other,aghast. I barely had the nerve to asked her to wrap my dessert. Im sorry ,this was threes years in a row like this and looking around at other tables getting the same" smile without service" , I suspect this is just how it runs.
I would give this place barely 1 star if not for the great food and I think if I were paying,I would toss a salad at home. -
Review from Mace C.
Stanford, CA
12/11/2011
We came here last weekend and ordered some items for dinner a la carte.
It was very challenging to find parking. There was no street parking and the nearby parking garages were all exorbitantly priced. Thankfully, Millennium had a valet service ($11) which was definitely worth it.
One thing that was really great about the service was that we'd indicated that we had food allergies when making reservations and our server had followed up on that. After we'd sat down, our server gave us menus where dishes with food we were allergic to (mushrooms and nuts) were indicated; they differentiated b/n dishes where they could remove mushrooms/nuts and dishes where they were unable to do that. Which was super considerate. As a side note, as a non-vegetarian, I learned what it felt like as a vegetarian to go to a regular restaurant and find a menu with a bunch of dishes that look good but realize I can't really have any of it b/c of dietary restrictions.
We had the bread and dip. You have to ask for the bread and dip; it is otherwise free. The dip was bean based and quite tasty. We got two drinks- a juice blend, the rawvolution and Tahara's Veil (cocktail with rose flakes in it). Both were okay but nothing special.
For appetizers, we had the fries which came with a lemony sauce and broccoli with aioli. The fries were baked very well, just the right amount of crispness, but I feel like both dishes were something that we could make ourselves. Both dishes were quite salty.
For our main course, we had the torte and the pumpkin tamale. Both were okay dishes. The torte had grilled egg plant and plantain in it. It was on the dry side even with the tomatoes and onions and sauce on the side. The pumpkin tamale was okay as well. The tamale did not really have a tamale taste and the kale on the side was quite bland.
For desert, we had the sassy cider (warm alcoholic cider) and the ice cream sampler- Chantilly which was my favorite-sweet vanillay taste, Vanilla Burgundy which was a bit too alcoholic, and pumpkin which really did taste like pumpkin but was quite heavy for an ice cream. I was disappointed that the ice cream sampler portions were so small- we had 3 scoops that were probably the size of 1 traditional scoop of ice cream, while the cider portion was way too big. We could only finish half of the cider.
Overall, the service was very good. Unfortunately, the food was average. It was decent but I feel like we could have made a lot of it ourselves. -
Review from Cydney B.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/30/2012
Flawless New Year's Eve Dinner... all 5 courses. See you on Valentine's Day!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/24/2011
The Huz and I have been vegan for 5 months and had T'Giving Dinner tonight at Millennium. We agreed… Read more »
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Review from Kiki K.
San Jose, CA
11/29/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Super bomb spot! I loved it - I am not a vegan or a vegetarian and so I was very skeptical that this place would be satisfying. I enjoyed every part of the meal and didn't feel like I was eating super hippy food or had anything missing at all.
We tried a few different things but the only thing I can remember and I say is a must is the Black Bean Torte! AMAZING!
Minus one star because this place acts all shi-shi about their food but the waitress didn't even know what kind of oil they fry their stuff in. -
Review from Mihir M.
Fremont, CA
1/9/2012
I just realized that I have never written a review of Millenium. The food is very good, but sometimes too fancy. Their cakes are outstanding - we have gotten them for birthdays. The black bean torte is a classic great dish. My wife & I ate here for New Year's eve, & the 5 course meal was very creative - truly an experience, but perhaps not something we would do again because of the cost. This is a place to go for special occasions.
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Review from Ivan L.
11/5/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Are there six stars I could give?
For my wife's bday we headed to Millennium. From the outside it's rather unassuming on a fairly average Tenderloin block. Inside it feels like a reasonably well maintained old 3 or 4 star hotel dining room. It's not till the food comes out that this place goes crazy 5-star.
We tried the tasting menu with wine pairings. Overall, the presentation is just a hair shy of pretentious but it was so perfect without a single thing to criticize that they pulled it off. 5 courses, 5 wines. There were two of us and so we each got something completely different with each course. So make that 10 courses and 10 wines. Every one was a masterpiece. By the end we were over stuffed and over impressed. Some of the best food I have ever had! -
Review from Cheryl C.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2011
Sometimes the man friend and I just want a dozen of oysters and a couple pints of beer after a long day of work...but NO! Apparently, 620 Jones has gotten too cool for school for us. It was the second time they turned us down for a private event. Sad face. Well, onto the next one!
We walked up and down Geary and tried our best to avoid any frou-frou hotel restaurants. Then Millennium showed up on my yelp app under "oysters" (good job on picking up the keyword "crusted oyster mushrooms"). How silly of us to ask the bartender if they were serving raw oysters for the night...
I can't deny it, man friend and I were a little turned off by "vegan food" but to our delight, the night turned out delicious! The Kimchi-Scallion Cake was anything but ordinary. Each of us had two bottles of beer--Allagash White and Chocolate Stout (yum). Then we decided to try the Crusted Oyster Mushrooms which was okay, not too different from veggie tempura. I'd love to come back and try their entrées.
If I could cook a mean vegan dish like that, I might eat less meat ;) -
Review from Mike A.
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2011
Beautiful atmosphere, great service, and the best vegan/vegetarian cuisine in the world. I've dinned here twice and I loved it both times. Keep in mind I'm not vegan or vegetarian... I just love to eat, and the chefs flavor profiles for every course of the meal were spot on.
I'll be back again. -
Review from Fancypants X.
San Francisco, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Relinquishing control, especially where food is concerned, is a near impossibility for me. When I was told 'A Taste of Milennium' was five courses of the chef's choosing, I was terrified but excited. I'm a notorious 'picker' but If I was going to be safe anywhere, it would be at a vegetarian restaurant, so I sat back & let it be.
Course after course, I was pleased with what was presented to me & didn't feel the need to dissect my dish, like I do when there is meat involved:
- kale & butternut squash salad: I'm not a fan of kale but the thinly sliced squash complimented the bitter green.
- potato gnocchi: the small portion was SO appreciated. The sometimes heavy dish was actually delicate & fluffy.
- crusted oyster mushrooms: omg, fried mushrooms...I almost ate the entire platter meant to be shared w/ my dining partner. I think this was a 'bonus' dish.
- squash & quince bastilla: flakey crust, interesting filling. As inoffensive as the flavor was, I didn't enjoy the cinnamon in this dish.
- molasses & thyme tempeh w/ whipped sweet potatoes: so amazing! So many textures & the sweetness was right on.
- sampler of desserts: the chocolate almond midnight was best. The rest was not as mind-blowing as the rest of the meal.
- $72 per person & requires the entire table's participation.
I nursed my ketel one martini (dirty...just the way I like it) but wished they poured grey goose. My dining partner liked his red.
Letting my hair down for one meal without having to worry 'will I like what's on my plate?'-- for someone as nutritionally neurotic as me, that peace of mind deserves five stars.Listed in: Veggie.Vegan. Raw.
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Review from Steve B.
Pacifica, CA
10/19/2011
My spouse is (mostly) vegan, so for our anniversary, it was between Greens and Millennium. Over the years, many carnivore friends had spoken so highly of both that we were excited. I also heard that Millennium tended to be more creative so that folks missed the meat less. I would give it a 3.5 if Yelp would allow, but...
1. Food: we ordered two apps (Mirin Glazed Sesame Onigiri and Black Bean Torte), but our waiter brought a third (Seared Potato Gnocchi) over which we had been torn (complimentary - very cool of him). The torte is very good - the other reviews are accurate (good, not religious), the Onigiri was tasty (sauce was required - otherwise not special), and the Gnocchi was actually pretty bland (it was our waiter's favorite - he described it as "subtle" (again, read: bland)). For entrees, we had the Brik Pastry Roulade and Red Quinoa & Fresh Corn Tamale - both were "OK". Dessert was pretty good, and impressive that there was no dairy (could have fooled me). Overall, the apps were the best, and unfortunately, the food didn't blow us away. Good, but not matching the reputation.
2. People: very polite. The woman who seated us seemed genuinely warm, and our waiter and bus guys were all very polite and helpful. The team is the main reason I'd go above three stars.
3. Location/Ambiance: a big "meh" - probably the most significant disappointment. Not the greatest neighborhood, which is fine, but it's attached to a B/C-grade hotel, which doesn't set the greatest tone when you first arrive. Our area of tables were in the "New York"-style section: two tops like sardine cans line the long wall. Not a favorite - you either make friends with the people flanking you, or you try and ignore their conversation, parts of which you inevitably hear.
4. Other: largest section of post scripts/notes on a menu that I've seen (e.g., sustainability, etc.), plus opportunity to give to local charity - pretty cool.
Overall: good food (not amazing), didn't miss the meat that evening, good staff/team, not much on ambiance - going to try Greens next. -
Review from M K.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2011
Millennium has sexy, sexy food. I took my guy to Millennium for his birthday, and eating at this restaurant was like the beginning of new love.
When you ready the menu, it is a bit like reading personal ads. You can browse, looking for certain key words of your favorite ingredients. And there is a little bit of every international cuisine-- Italian, Southern, Mexican, Indian, Korean, Moroccan. It's so hard to decide, but you choose a few dishes. He chose the fried green tomatoes and the Korean-style tempeh. I chose the black bean torte and the Moroccan portobello mushrooms.
Then the food arrives, and it's gorgeous and beautifully presented. It's like meeting a blind date, and your first reaction is "Wow." You appreciate way the elements are plated with swirls of sauce. The colors pop against white plates.
And then tasting the food is like a first kiss. The fork touches your lips, and you taste the flavors and textures of the food. And everything is so perfectly balanced-- salty, sweet, spicy, umami, crunchy, creamy. It's amazing that the chefs are able to coax so many savory and creamy flavors without using dairy.
And dessert is like having mind-blowing sex. I shared the chocolate almond torte with my date, and I allowed him to have about 3 bites while I inhaled the rest. But that's was okay with him because he's a giver and what makes me happy makes him happy.
I don't know-- maybe not everyone else is going to have the same spine-tingling, shiver-inducing, toe-curling reaction to Millennium the way I did. Maybe it's an individual chemistry thing like dating-- the things that I like might not be the next woman's favorite cup of tea. But for me, I know I've fallen in love and I am definitely going back. -
Review from Patrick K.
Pacifica, CA
1/1/2012
We had reservations here for 8:15, but didn't get seated until 8:50. However, the staff at Millennium handled the matter very well. All four of us were given complimentary drinks during the wait, and a complimentary appetizer after we were seated! I had a mixed drink with chipotle, it was great!! GREAT JOB, STAFF! The dinner service was perfect. The food came out on time and the waitress was great. The dishes were very well plated and creative. However, the food tasted very bland. I had the Cannellini Runner Bean & Smoked Leek Gratin. It was well executed but lacked salt, and any depth of flavor. My wife had the Green Tea Tofu, hers too was very bland. The baby bok choy on her dish was very good however. YES, I REGULARLY EAT VEGETARIAN, in case you ask!
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Review from Robert M.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2011
I love meat. I never thought "Not Meat" could taste like this. Everything I put in my mouth was awesome.
Eat here. -
Review from Ting L.
Atherton, CA
11/13/2011
Not my cup of tea, worst expensive meal I've had in a while
Thought the food was either overly attempting to be flavored or overly bland, guess vegan isn't for me
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