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RNM - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
598 Haight St(between Fillmore St & Steiner St)
San Francisco, CA 94117
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
(415) 551-7900
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
384 reviews for RNM
Review Highlights
"Fabulous grilled hearts of romaine salad."
(in 10 reviews)
"Wild mushroom and caramelized onion pizza with."
(in 7 reviews)
"I am completely addicted to the Molten Chocolate Cake."
(in 17 reviews)
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384 reviews in English
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Review from Tim W.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 11/21/2010
CLOSED! SOB!
The chef made pâté that I have DREAMS about, it was so good.
PLEASE! DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THE CHEF IS NOW? Please message me!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/10/2010
It took us years of driving by, doing the "we should try that place out" dance before we finally… Read more »
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Review from Kathleen G.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 10/25/2011
Now closed for now. We miss Robert daily.
Listed in: My Neighborhood
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/30/2009
FIVE STARS for robert who mans the door. The older I get the more complicated this menu reads.… Read more »
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Review from Boriqua H.
San Francisco, CA
9/8/2010
Whhhhhhy? I'm sad, angry, hurt, lonely, speechless, confused.....heartbroken.
This was the best restaurant, I can't believe it's gone. I had the best friggin jambalaya before it shut down. It was the best place to eat in this neighborhood. (sorry to keep using the word 'best')
Booooooo! -
Review from Fried Rice B.
San Francisco, CA
8/25/2010
There's no use for me to write a long review about how great this place was.... but if they ever decide to reopen, then people for sure go.
Their website is still up and says that they're remodeling, donno hope they come back....! -
Review from Jessica t.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
Outside of Mission Beach Cafe, and Spork, I think RNM may be my new stand-by "nicer" but yet still "relatively" affordable dinner restaurant.
We came here as a big group last night and every dish was overflowing with stand-out distinct flavors. Every dish was quality, fresh, and rave-worthy (though the hazelnut chocolate molten cake was unfortunately a dormant, lava free volcano).
If you arrive between 5:30 and 7:00 on Tuesday through Saturday ,and are a burger or pork-chop fan - the 28 dollar three course pre-fixe meal is well worth taking advantage of. It includes a small plate or appetizer, a large entree, and a dessert. Bargain.
Our group was debating capitalizing on this killer deal, until we learned that our dishes for the pre-fixe meal had to stay confined to the bullet-ed dishes on the menu.
So we decided to forge our own way with our dishes throughout the night, inspired by the tantalizing descriptions on the menu.
I'm always excited to go to a restaurant with an adventurous and foodie group, because more people - with good taste - just means that many more spectacular dishes to sample, share, and try.
And that's just what we did. We ordered an array of "on point" dishes.
We began with the french chesnut ravioli with meyer lemon beurre blanc, sautéed brussels sprout leaves and himalayan truffles. Our other appetizer was the grilled hearts of romaine with fuji apples, saint agur blue cheese, toasted hazelnuts and champagne vinaigrette. The romaine salad was fresh with crunchy hazelnuts that brought back vivid memories of just made french nutella crepes. Both were exceptional though. Especially the melt in your mouth chestnut ravioli that exploded with precise and dream-worthy flavor accents.
For my entree I had the pan roasted alaskan halibut with brown butter parsnip puree, baby artichokes, granny smith apples and fresh hearts of palm. The halibut was cooked just right and the bed of vegetables surrounding it were light and subtle - but spot on as far as taste. The brown butter parsnip puree was worth licking the plate for.
The stand-out dish for me, throughout the night, was the fiscalini macaroni and cheese side dish - for just 5 dollars. I repeat - 5 dollars. The dish was overflowing with dreamy decadence. It wasn't even my dish - but I stole so many bites throughout the night - that it's lovely owner - moved it across the table towards me - so I could have easy - forkful - after forkful access.
Pants and dresses a little tighter on all of us, we still proceeded to go strong with dessert.
We could barely contain ourselves as we scanned the delightful sweets menu featuring a molten chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream & espresso creme anglaise, a brownie sundae with vanilla, bittersweet chocolate and dulce de leche ice cream, a bread pudding with dried toasted pecans & brandy sauce, and a light citrus pana-cotta surrounded by blood oranges.
We ordered all of the above.
The brownie sundae silenced everyone with it's layers of cold bliss - cushioning a heavenly brownie.
The chocolate hazelnut molten cake - was by no means something I'd kick out "of plate" - but it was a little bit of letdown with it's less than moist texture.
The bread pudding was pure excellence. Thick pillows of sugary bread delight - immersed in a moat of brandy and pecan sauce. Unreal. Truly unreal.
The panna-cotta - light in flavor - but exceptional as far as consistency (panna cotta's consistency is very important) was elegant - among the vivid red of it's sauce and robust looking blood oranges.
Outside of the molten-less hazelnut chocolate cake - I couldn't have asked for a better meal. Top quality throughout the whole night - from the series of beautiful dishes placed in front of me - to the beautiful and amazing people around me at my table.
Trust.Listed in: Bread Pudding. It's What's Up., Solid Seafood Spots
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Review from Johnny T.
2/12/2010
If you ever need to find a good restaurant in San Francisco, get the ever-fabulous Jess T to find it for you. She introduced me to the gem known as RNM. In.credible. Wow! From the minute we rolled up to the restaurant (after sharing way too many personal stories to/in front of our cabbie; sorry, cabbie!), I knew I would like this place. I liked the neighborhood, I liked the layout, I liked that it was casually fancy. It reminded me a great deal of one of my favorite Chicago restaurants, MK.
Before I get to the food, I want to bring some attention to the cocktails. Not content to just offer the same ol' thing, the mixologist(s?) at RNM can do the d@mn thing. I had an updated Sidecar as well as something else cucumbery and fizzy. I'm not a huge cocktail enthusiast, nor do I particularly care for cucumber (didn't realize it was in the drink). I sucked down both in a matter of seconds. I wanted to savor the flavor and complexity but they were so too good not to guzzle. Shame?
Now for the food. Everything I tasted was fantastic. If you arrive before 7 (a fact that I bellowed to the waitress at 6:56 pm), you're eligible for a $28 prix fixe meal of a small plate, large plate and dessert. Convinced I had beaten the master at his own game, I chose my three...only to discover that the deal only applies to the bulleted items. You win again, food-universe-enemy-guy. Slightly chagrined, I proceeded to eat everything in sight. Highlights: grilled romaine salad (that smelled/tasted like a steak), topped with bleu cheese, hazelnuts and a champagne vinaigrette; chestnut ravioli with white butter (?) and truffles; pig cheek pizza with manchego cheese and squash (much better than this description); my duck entree that knocked my socks off (sliced glazed duck served atop chard, leeks, parmesan grains); and dessert.
Dessert.
My party knew better than to get between me and my dessert. Not since the days when Brooke Shields did her best Britney Spears impression and claimed that no one/nothing got between her and her Calvins had someone been so dedicated to not letting anything/anyone get between he and his prreessiousss. My precious for the evening was a brownie sundae topped with brandied cherries and whipped cream and served with vanilla, chocolate and DULCE DE LECHE ice cream. I couldn't speak afterward.
Better.than.sex. -- not that I would know.Listed in: LMNOP
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Review from Dan B.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2009
The food at RNM had its moments of greatness.
The complex and layered flavors found in the small plates' menu was truly amazing.
Started with a salad I have had before but never knew could taste this good. On a warm plate lay cool endive, kernels of melting blue cheese, slices of apple, and hazelnuts. The contrasting sweet and salt and soft leaves against the crunch from the hazelnuts made me want more. And I don't even like salad all that much!
Next was the pulled pork: it was sublime. The flavors of slightly salty pork, sweet corn cake, tangy bbq sauce, and cool sour cream all married together yet was still very discernible.
Although the rest of the dinner was good, I'll pass on any descriptions since they couldn't compare to the starters.
But I will mention this one tidbit for you 007 fans: they serve the famous vespa martini.
Overall, RNM is a fun place to go: the music had energy, the service was attentive, and the ambiance was vibrant and comfortable. The small plates rocked, the pizza was better than average, and the large plates could have been better.
I'll be sure to bring more people next time I go: the more folks the more small plates to share and sample. -
Review from jason g.
San Francisco, CA
7/29/2009
There's a restaurant on the corner of Haight and Steiner that serves up one of the best hearts of romain salad I have ever eaten. I usually don't like grilled salads but this was phenomenal. The champagne vinaigrette just tied everything together with the agur blue cheese.
The wild mushroom and caramelized onion pizza with truffle oil was also one of their better dishes and i don't even enjoy eating pizzas. The crust was thin and it was prepared perfectly.
The molten chocolate cake and the Brownie sundae were the perfect desserts to end the night. These were the highlights.
Now to the not so good moments.
pork osso bucco was bland, dry and was not seasoned well
mini rnm burgers were undercooked when asked for med........it came out rare.
The bread pudding was dry and lacked sauce even the waitress said so.
The waitress also forgot two of our side dishes which was the mac and cheese and the oven baked creamed spinach. She was nice enough to comp one of our drink so that made it up.
If I were to come back here again, this is what I would stick with.
The salads
The pizza
The dessert
3 ppl with 3 cocktails was around 124.00. Not bad. -
Review from Olivia L.
Sacramento, CA
2/11/2010
Have you ever had the cheeks of a pig? Well, I had them on pizza here the other night, and I might never go back to bacon (you know, from the arse of a pig) again.
We also ordered the grilled, yes grilled, Romain Caesar salad and raviolis. This last dish was so good, I ordered it for my entre along with the macaroni and cheese. Look, everyone's doing macaroni and cheese, but who can walk the walk? Yes, these guys.
So good in fact, that no one could stop at one bite. A coworker, Jessica, kept giving me the I-would-love-to-have-another-bite smile.
Eager and happy as a puppy. Meeee too.
I can't wait to bring my Sacramento crew here to experience this coup d'eta of American cuisine.Listed in: Get Out! (of town)
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Review from Inga W.
4/23/2010
Great food is like great sex, once you have it you keep coming back for more!!!
We sat at the bar because the only available table was by the door, and on a cold San Francisco night that can be devastating. The host was quite apologetic about this but we loved our seats away from the noise, interruptions and with a view to the kitchen.
Our waitress arrived to take our order but we were still deep in conversation and asked her for a few more minutes which ended up being ten, but she was genuinely sorry about the wait.
We ordered the anchovy bruschetta to start off. The perfect marriage of flavor all in one bite, a bit messy but absolutely amazing. It was the perfect balance of all the flavors a palette could ask for. The first bite really made me appreciate the art of food and flavor.
For our entrees we ordered the flounder and chicken. I never order chicken because I think it's really boring but today I took a gamble and it paid off. The superbly flavored and moist chicken was just right. It was surrounded by cherry tomatoes, green beans, olives, some other greens and even some croutons. The flavor was amazing, each bite of the chicken stuffed with goat cheese was heaven and yet never heavy or overwhelming. I pretty much finished the entire dish.
My fiance had the flounder which was super fresh, light and just melted in your mouth. I had a bite and then by the time I was thinking of another it was too late.
The food tasted amazing, looked appealing and elegant without being pretentious. We have all been to places where the presentation out-shined the actual meal, this was not the case, it was like the sexy pair of jeans, that's comfortable yet fits like a glove and makes you feel sexy and confident.
To finish off my meal, I asked for an improvised chocolate based martini and the bartender delivered the climax to great meal.
I think there is nothing left to say except we will definitely be back!!! -
Review from Liz S.
7/16/2006
RNM is a staple for us in terms of being one of those establishments that offers a consistently great experience, with excellent service, and delectable food.
Tonight on the TV screen they were showing the Wizard of Oz, and I thought how perfect that was to describe my feeling about RNM: you leave behind the sepia-toned grit of the Lower Haight, are greeted by Robert, the awesome maitre d' (aka Glinda the Good Witch), and then you're through the curtain and into...Technicolor!! And by that I mean that this elegant restaurant is rich in flavors and deep-hued colors, and alive with the sounds of people having a good time. So long, Kansas!
"Munchkins"/Appetizers:
White Corn Chowder with Bacon & Truffle Oil - deep, rich flavor, smoky bacon, and just the right amount of Truffle Oil - decadent, ate up every single drop
Duck Confit Pizza - now there's a new idea for pizza - savory duck atop a light pizza crust - good to share
Pulled Pork with Polenta Cakes - huge serving, tender pork in chunks (not shredded as I would have expected but nonetheless very good)
Steak Tartare - very good, liked the quails egg
"Yellow Brick Road"/Din-din:
Seared Ribeye - very tender piece of meat, cabernet sauce, on top of a potato gratin, and topped with sauteed spinach. Lovely.
My dining companions had the burgers and the scallops, both of which looked delicious.
"Flying Monkey"/Side:
Mac & Cheese - so creamy, it's naughty. Nicely crusted top.
"Wicked Witch"/Drinks:
Cocktails are STRONG with bite. Nice wine list and good after-dinner drinks.
"Emerald City"/Dessert:
Napoleon with Marscapone Cheese & fresh berry compote - very nice, light but with a rich cheese flavor. Crispy, cookie-like layers.
I'll mention again that the service is excellent, because that really makes the experience here special. Our waitress was friendly and helpful, and the dishes came out perfectly timed. They were kind enough to offer us a bigger table when the restaurant became less busy.
Where to go for dinner? As Dorothy would say, "Auntie RNM! Auntie RNM!"Listed in: La Creme de la Creme
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Review from Jennifer s.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2006
This is probably one of the most underrated restaurants in SF.
It is a gem. One of my favorite places.
This time around we order the heirloom tomato with fresh mozzarella and cornmeal cakes. It had a great texture and packed full of flavor.
I ordered the pork tenderloin, that was cooked to perfection.
My dinner companion had the rack of lamb ( also seasoned and cooked to perfection ) If you don't know what to order. You cannot go wrong with the RNM burger it is exquisite.
The service is wonderful and friendly.They do their very best to accommodate you. The wine list is superb.
This is perfect for a date or meet a group of friends. -
Review from Megan L.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2008
Wow. What a delightful find!
After an awfully long and awful day, my husband picked me up at the airport and suggested a late dinner of comfort food to cheer me up. We decided to head to Memphis Minnies as we haven't been there in ages. We were so excited to find a parking spot almost right in front of Minnies and gleefully headed down the street, discussing along the way what bbq sauce we like best...only to find that the restaurant was closed. We debated heading home and ordering pizza and then saw RNM on the corner looking both new and familiar all at once.
The Zagat review in the window caught our eye and so we ducked inside. We were greeted right away by the wonderful host Robert who, upon learning we didn't have a reservation, found us a cozy table right away. The place was jam packed - I don't know how he managed to fit us in. But he did and he was funny and gracious about it all and even gave me a mini hug - I'm sure it was written all over my face that my day was awful.
We then started a fabulous dinner. I had the St. Germaine cocktail which is like a fizzy cucumber spa water with alcohol concoction - heaven. We split the fois gras and the wilted romaine salad - both were perfect. I had the braised short ribs and he had the osso bucco. The only thing we said during dinner was "OMG so good" "This is our new favorite place" "OMG so good" over and over again.
And it was, so good.
Service was impeccable. Each course came out quickly and time perfectly. Our waitress was new and I'm sick I can't remember her name because she was just fabulous - she offered useful suggestions and answered all of our menu options with lots of helpful information.
RNM, while suitable for a goup, is the type of place that you want to curl up in the corner with your partner and just enjoy the decadent food and escape from the world for a little while. Awesome date night place!
We will be back 100% for sure. -
Review from Amy K.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2006
I have heard good things about this spot for some time, but didn't motivate to check it out until this past Saturday night. I definitely should have motivated sooner. I loved this spot!
We were seated upstairs in the lounge, which was a nice change of setting for dinner. However, I would have been happy anywhere in the restaurant - it's really cozy with cool decor - definitely a change-up from the other spots in the immediate area (No offense meant to Rosamunde's or Molotov's).
As for the food - really great. I think our server might have hated us because only two of us were eating, one other girl just drinking, and one other girl just drinking water (but it was sparkling). I swear, it was purely circumstantial - we are not "those girls".
Back to the food - was excellent. We had the cheese plate and then my friend had the Petrole Sole, and I had the scallops. Both were very tasty. The scallops, in particular, had a great mix of flavors going on, though it is definitely a rich dish. They have these Slider Burgers and this filet dish on the menu - both sounded pretty fantastic as well, but since I had my drinking shoes on, only one entree was possible. As for the wine - really great wine list - lots of choices from moderate to expensive.
Seeing as my friends all like to drive even if we are only going a few blocks (LA syle, bitches even though we are really from the Midwest), it was an added bonus that they offer valet services. I would also mention that the neighborhood is nice and sketchy so that if you need to get stoned after dinner before you go to the bar, the sidewalk is perfectly suitable - and seemingly preferred.
I will definitely return, though, I should note that this place is not cheap. Good thing I am a trust fund baby.
Right. -
Review from Julie K.
5/15/2009
After looking at a sample menu online and hearing people rave about it on Check, Please, I had some high expectations for RNM. These weren't quite met, but my friends and I still had a good experience.
Robert, the host, got our evening off to a great start by actually coming outside to usher us into the warmth of the restaurant, out of the chilly, foggy night. He led us straight upstairs to a cozy table and joked with us about the low-level mood lighting. It was so "moody" that we could barely read our menus, but he laughingly gave my friend a flashlight to use and repositioned a nearby floor lamp.
Everything sounded great, especially the long list of appetizers. The entrees sounded delicious, too, but we decided to order some small plates to share. I started with the artichoke and sorrel soup, and we shared the crostini with goat cheese and arugula, fava beans, and strawberries, then split the fried-green tomato napoleon, and an order of the mini burgers.
The soup was almost too hot to eat--a nice change. But once it cooled down and I could discern the flavors, they didn't quite work for me. The creamy artichoke and sorrel soup was topped with crab meat, artichoke crisps, and a heavy drizzle of Meyer lemon oil. The oil was a bit too strong and really overwhelmed the other flavors. The artichoke crisps were good but kept making me think that I was actually biting into a bit of crab shell.
Service was very attentive, with utensils and plates replaced frequently but unobtrusively, and water glasses kept filled. Our waitress also added a nice touch by giving us extra portions since we were sharing amongst the three of us, like an extra crostini and another mini burger. The arugula salad was dressed in a delicious light, lemony vinaigrette. And my friends really enjoyed the fried green tomato salad with the red pepper coulis. We also indulged in a lot of the fantastic bread provided to the table.
For me the highlight of the meal was actually the french fries that came with the mini burgers. They were easily the best fries I've ever had. I couldn't stop eating them and we had to ask the busboy to remove the plate before we ate them all. The burgers on focaccia, though mini, were pretty sizable. They were tasty and cooked just right at medium rare, but something--maybe the sauce--was too salty.
The dessert menu wasn't as tempting as I thought it would be, so we just shared a fudge brownie sundae and had a few coffees. My friend's latte was actually more like a giant espresso, with hardly any milk, and she was still disappointed after adding a ton of milk.
So, in all I wasn't blown away by the food here, but I would give it another try. I loved the loungey seating options upstairs, which would be great for a small gathering of friends. I could see hosting a little birthday party here, with lots of small plates for everybody to share--especially the signature wild mushroom pizza that we were too full to try. -
Review from Stella B.
San Francisco, CA
9/23/2008
I thought I found the "one".
So attractive looking.
Welcoming.
Surprisingly seductive first kiss, I mean course.
You know I am talking about the restaurant and the food.
We ordered the prix fixe meal: you get to pick one pre-selected starter, choice of the pizza or entree and a dessert.
Our first moments (first courses)
Warmed romaine salad dressed in champagne vinaigrette with hazelnuts (I passed on that, allergic!) and bleu cheese.
Delectable. Ate every bite. I am infatuated.
We added another starter, the BBQ pulled pork. BBQ was served over a fried corn pattie(they used corn kernels), and topped if off with creme fraiche, avocado and cilantro. Wow.
I think I may be falling...Have I found my food soul mate?
Then as anticipation started to simmer to a rolling boil, we were served the main dish. After hearing raving reviews on the gourmet pizza, I had to have it.
There are two kinds, one with duck, the other with wild mushrooms. I chose the second. With the wild mushrooms, the pizza was topped with caramelized onions and truffle oil. Though good, the excitement of my taste buds fell flat. My temperature started to drop and my enjoyment of the meal began to descend quickly.
Finally dessert. Let's just leave it at a minus "meh".
Maybe I shouldn't expect too much from a prix fixe meal. But then again, aren't they like first dates? The total experience needs to draw you in and make you yearn to return for more.
If I could turn back time, I would have just came for drinks and small plates. I don't think I'll be getting serious with RNM. Seriously. -
Review from Geoff K.
San Francisco, CA
7/28/2007
For $80/head, I don't expect a restaurant to cut corners, but RNM does. The sauce on the tomato napoleon starter was the same sauce that was on my rack of lamb. Similarly, the sauce on the grouper was the same sauce as the sauce on the pork tenderloin, albeit with a bit more salt. I rarely get annoyed at a restaurant and usually stick to disappointment but, at these prices and this reputation, I'd like the dishes to be a bit more unique.
I came here with high expectations based on word-of-mouth and Yelp reviews, and was quite let down. I was first a bit taken aback by the prices on the menu, which were certainly on the high end for the Haight. Wine list was well priced, though. Ambience was lively and I liked the bar. That said, I go to a restaurant for the food.
Maybe I just caught RNM on a bad night, but I don't see myself going back. -
Review from Archie R.
Updated - 9/28/2009
A small aside about the giant sun glasses you girls are sporting.
I do love the look.
Given that as a kid, I used to get a tiny little boner looking at pictures of Audrey Hepburn and yes, even Jackie O, I am a fan.
That being said, if the glasses are so big on your face that it looks like you are about to do a spacewalk, buy a smaller pair.
That's all.
Been back to RNM three times now and I have to upgrade.
A solid 5 stars now.
GET THE PATE!!!!
Just get it. Get it now.
What's not to love about a loaf of innards and butter??
Mousse.Listed in: Lower Haight, aint it great?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/8/2009
It's not that I dislike the east coast. I am just a west coast guy down to my core.
That being said,… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer H.
Burlingame, CA
9/9/2008
Remember 3 things from this night:
1. Lemelson pinot noir
2. Brownie sundae that was hand-delivered by angels. Tasted heavenly!
3. Guy who pulled down his pants and rubbed his butt on the front fender or our car. Did I mention we were hosting my mom and uncle that night? They were watching from the backseat.
Ok, ok, I remember more, but those three stood out. The seating upstairs was cushy, room was dimly lit and it wasn't as crowded or noisy as downstairs. Request upstairs seating if you want a more private dinner. My uncle from Canada is a real foodie and he was impressed. Food was solid, but that brownie sundae was amazing. I never knew something like a brownie could be taken to another level like that.Listed in: Casual Date Restaurants in SF
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Review from Wakako U.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2009
Order as follows:
1) Grilled Romaine Salad
2) Pizza - fontina cheese, mushroom, carmelized onion, truffle oil
3) Buffalo rib eye, rare (love buffalo steak!!!! who else serves buffalo steak? buffalos are all cancer-free, lucky!)
You too will leave with a 5 star party in your tummy experience. -
Review from Jessica C.
Cupertino, CA
8/12/2009
It's a friend's bday, they send out their choice of restaurant and it's like ooooh. RNM. Lobster risotto??!?! Yes please. So many reviews and 4 stars. That's generally a recipe for success, but maybe that night I ordered wrong?
We started with a scallop dish, mac & cheese and cocktails which was not bad. Then for my main I ordered the lobster, chanterelle mushroom and mascarpone risotto with tarragon, white truffle oil and mâche. I suspect that there is just too much going on there. I think my taste buds doth protest to the mascarpone as there was just something off about the way the dish tasted to me. It was a light sourness, not bad, but it made the way the risotto tasted not smooth. It was like a sharp richness. The lobster of course was super tasty however and I finished that off quickly.
This place was beautiful however and we were seated on the second floor near some loungy couches and facing a large flat screen tv that was showing David vs Golliath.
All in all decent eats, lovely location, but probably one I won't come back to. -
Review from Jessica L.
San Mateo, CA
1/24/2010
Incredible! Everything here was wonderful and their 3 course pre fixe for $28 is a deal!!
The arugula salad with blood oranges was light and refreshing. The warmed salad wedge was surprisingly good as well.
Their mushroom pizza with brussel sprouts and truffle oil was TO DIE FOR. They are a great size and we took ours homes.
Lastly, the mini burger on foccacia was perfectly cooked
Specialty cocktails are priced well - I had a $9 belvedere martini.
For dessert: brownie sundae with dolce de leche ice cream - pretty good. The trio of sorbets - great - and huge in waffle cones!
Great portions for the price. I recommend one person getting the pre fixe and sharing the app and dessert. The Materdie is a lovely gentleman as well.
I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Jenn H.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2010
Went on a randy wednesday night with no reservation. Soooo glad they took us right away bc as soon as we walked in we were informed that they were going to be closing the kitchen within the hour. That said, the waiter never rushed us along and even sat and chatted about the daily specials and went over the different wines and drink list.
Our delicious app- pâté, duck rillettes, smoked prosciutto, coppa salami...not normally a fan of pate...but have to say, Id def take another shot now that I may not be (ahem) allergic like I thought.
My meal (wait for it..) seared dayboat scallops on english pea and mascarpone risotto . OMG! way too much to eat but was even better the day after for lunch, which I wouldnt normally think for scallops. I was very impressed with the neighborhood restaurant in the lower haight, I will def be passing along the good word and I will DEF be coming back with friends. -
Review from Frankie F.
San Francisco, CA
5/5/2008
Heard about RNM from a couple that saw it being featured on Check Please Bay Area (love that show!) RNM lived up to the hype.
We brought the good company and RNM brought the amazing food and drinks. We started with the grilled hearts of romaine with fuji apples, saint agur, toasted hazelnuts and a champagne vinaigrette... Yes grilled romaine. This salad made me want to grill every salad I ever have moving forward. We had the cucumber martinis to accompany the grilled hearts, don't forget to eat the cucumbers after you finish your martini because it is a must after you finish this potent, crisp cocktail.
We had to have the famous wild mushroom and caramelized onion pizza with fontina cheese and truffle oil which was like the best pizza I've ever had. For my entree I had grilled Australian rack of lamb with Parmesan and chive scented farro, fava leaf, fava bean and roasted red pepper salad and salsa verde. The meat was perfectly cooked, flavors balanced... just to die for. I had bites of the steak, halibut and risotto, anyone of these meals would have made a perfect entree.
For dessert we switched the drinks up to the sidecar, a brandy cocktail with a sugar coated rim. I never drink brown boos but I had 3 of these cocktails. I was paying for it when they hit me on the ride home but I'd do it again! We all shared the molten chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream, trio of sorbets in mini waffle cones with fresh fruit, and the crepe and I couldn't tell you which one was my favorite. They all were.
We made reservations for a couple weekends from now while still seated in the restaurant because it was that good. I can't wait. -
Review from Chard M.
San Francisco, CA
9/6/2006
I love a fine vodka martini and RNM has my new favorite one in The City. I ordered the RNM Martini which consist of your traditional vodka and a sneak of dry vermouth except they add something so unbelievably rare these days..... a pimento FREE olive!!!!! I love it! I almost asked twice if the olive didn't have a pimento b/c I was so excited to have found it and hear those wonderful ear tickling words of "NO" again.
On to the food, which is why we came here in the first place. We started out with the corn chowder with chantrelle mushrooms and truffle oil. I finished it with a piece of bread soaking up every last drop it was that good. The main dish was the mini burgers which was nicely split in two for sharing. I usually dip each bite in ketchup, cuz I love Heinz and think every other version is sub-par, but i think i only dipped this burger twice out of 8-10 bites. So juicy and flavorful! The cheese melted just right with fresh heirloom tomatoes and lettuce on top squeezed between a buttery piece of fancy bread. Hmmmm....... -
Review from Doug M.
San Francisco, CA
9/8/2006
This really is a great neighborhood place. The service is first rate, and I've always felt very welcome there the moment I walked in the door.
The drinks are well made and the food is consistently good. The interior is very tastefully done. Great date place.
Keep in mind that it isn't an inexpensive place. Even though it is in Lower Haight, among the sausage place and the BBQ joint, dinner for two with a few drinks will easily run $70. I've never felt that it wasn't reasonably priced, but keep in mind that you are flirting with the Zuni price point when you come in.
I'll certainly be back from time to time. -
Review from Adrienne g.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2007
After waiting weeks & weeks to get a reservation here, we were completely underwhelmed
I think everyone & their brother must have seen the Eye on the Bay, or Check Please Bay Area, or whatever show it was that gave this place rave reviews b/c every time we tried to get a reservation, they were booked .....our planets could never line up.....until this past weekend
Evening starts out w/ the maitre'd who's on the phone & doesn't even acknowledge us while we're all 3 standing in the super-small, ultra cramped "waiting area" which is a podium surrounded by curtains. We're finally seated in the middle of this huge line of tables (felt like we would be eating Family Style - like one would expect in Mom & Pop Italian restaurants & we'd better like our neighbors)
In fact, the tables are so close together w/ all the other tables, you have to actually pull them out just to get in & when they're pushed back to "normal" position, my sis' bodacious ta-tas are completely smooshed....note to bodacious ladies - watch your jewels when getting seated here!
They also had some kind of raucous party going upstairs b/c there was this 1 lady screaming laughter the whole time - witchy-poo laughter.....flashback to the Bugs Bunny - Hansel & Gretel episode where the witch cackles, clicks up her heels & darts off, leaving bobbie-pins in her dust. Amusing at first but then was pretty disruptive to us peasants eating downstairs & everytime she howled, we'd all look at each other & snicker
But back to the meal.....sis & I shared the Cheese Plate - okay but not outstanding & each had the grilled Hearts of Romaine Salad - nice concept but a bit too oily, & the Squash Ravioli - okay but only 3 raviolis & the Butternut Squash Ravioli at Pasta Pomodoro is MUCH tastier than the dish here & at 1/3 the price. Overall, nothing was really bad but then again, nothing stood out.
What we thought was funny however was the dessert....I got the Brownie Sundae & my oh my, Weight Watchers would have been proud.....maybe a 1 x 1 inch treat that literally fit, in its entirely, on the tall Tea spoon they provided.
So would we come back here? W/ so many fantastic restaurants here in SF, there are other sirens calling & RNM would not jump to mind. Waitstaff was uber-friendly - but w/ the cramped tables & meh meal, all for $120, we expected moreListed in: Ode to Pumpkin - the Savory…
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Review from Kristen C.
San Francisco, CA
11/6/2009
I came here last night with Sally L., and overall we were quite pleased. Like always we usually come to a restaurant, having done our YELP research, with an idea of what we will order. Unfortunately when we got here, the menu had changed!!! So if your looking at the menu on their website, don't be disappointed if some of those yummy items are no longer available. Instead of the green garlic clam chowder and lobster risotto, we had our hearts set on, we had to change our selections. We ended up with the grilled hearts of romaine, the baked oysters, and the buffalo rib eye. I must say that even though we didn't get what we came for, the food didn't let us down. To top the meal, we finished with the bread pudding. yummmm yummm! Some say this restaurant is over priced, but i think it's reasonable. Splitting these 4 plates came out to about $35 each.
As for the restaurant itself, its cute and cozy. I like that it's not a huge restaurant, and i'm sure it gets packed on the weekends. Good thing we came on a Thursday night. Parking can be a bit tricky, but we lucked out after a few circles around the block and ended up with prime parking right in front! -
Review from Gracie-C Y.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2008
Never realized this place was so close to my work.
Heard a lot of good things about it, but never got a chance to partake until recently.
Parking's a bitch. Don't stray too far east of Fillmore cause the neighborhood gets kinda sketchy.
It's a small space, but they did a nice job with the decor. A nice space-aged bar and a great view of the open kitchen from almost every table. I'd even consider eating at the counter next time to watch all the wild and crazy cooking action.
A whimsical and fun menu, lots of disparate items but they seem to make sense when you see the restaurant in person.
Started with a nice grilled romaine salad and moved on to a wonderful thin-crust pizza of mushrooms, caramelized onions, and fontina cheese.
Wifey had their version of coq au vin, and I gotta say they hit a home run there. It had a rich, full-bodied sauce and fall-off-the-bone tender chicken.
I kicked myself for not trying the RNM "white castle" burgers. Silly me, I thought I wouldn't get full because the words "white castle" scared me off. Saw 3 or 4 orders of those burgers go to the table next door and I gotta say, they ain't mini. Lordy, they looked good.
Anyway, I was happy with my cod dish but distracted throughout the evening by those damn burgers.
Early birds, take notice! RNM has a kick-ass $28 three-course prix fixe from Tuesday-Saturday 5:30-7:00pm. The prix fixe includes plenty of great choices from the regular menu... even those luscious lookin' burgers. -
Review from Kandace J.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2009
RNM is a great little hidden gem in a not so great neighborhood. When you walk in, the atmosphere is very unexpected, especially after trekking down a trash & bum filled street.
The food is outstanding and the wine list is fantastic. They have one of my favorites...The Prisoner. All of the prices are very reasonable for the quality and the staff is incredibly friendly. I haven't tried the prix fixe menu, but it looks like a steal at under $30 per person.
The interior is small, but feels large because of the fantastic high ceilings. The lounge area upstairs is really nice and probably a great spot to have a low key drink with some friends. -
Review from Tom C.
San Francisco, CA
2/21/2007
An upscale restaurant in the Haight? I should've known better.
Let's get the facts out of the way up front:
1. The only reason this place has any stars is because my RNM Mini Burgers were fantastic. Seriously, I kind of want them now just thinking about it.
2. Waitress. Bad. I phrase the prior assessment as such because I'm returning the favor. My entire party and I couldn't get more than 2 words out of her the entire night. What's your best cocktail? She points to the entire list and walks away. Great, maybe I'm deaf, but I don't remember my friend saying 'I'm blind, please locate the cocktail menu for me. That is all.'
3. Chain-meal. Why? I know you're located in the Haight. That means you're trendy, right. Whatever. It doesn't mean you need to decorate your entire interior like you just returned from dumpster-diving in the studio lot where they filmed Monty Python. You already wasted your trendy quotient on a lame name like RNM. Get over yourself.
Now, onto the real topic at hand, the maitre'd, Robert. OBNOXIOUS. I never use all caps, it's cheating. But hey, desperate maitre'ds call for desperate measures. We had a 9:45 reservation. For whatever reason, Robert planned to seat us on the 2nd floor overlooking the main floor. Great.
However, when we arrive, Robert tells us that there is an extremely loud, obnoxious group of party-goers upstairs. He would not want that to ruin our dining experience and as alternative he suggests three seats at the bar. We all decline. No thanks. We'll be fine, we tell Robert.
He asks us again. No. He asks again. No. He begins setting the places at the bar. No. Finally, he agrees to sit us upstairs. But they're really drunk, he warns. Wow, Robert, honestly what do I need to do? Is there a secret passcode?
Oh, and the people upstairs were fine. But maybe I just didn't notice them because all I could hear was my talkative waitress rambling on about the specials and best cocktails. -
Review from Corinna P.
San Francisco, CA
3/5/2009
I went to this joint a couple of months ago and it was very good. I am a big fan of any small plates venue. My friend and I shared the grilled hearts of romaine salad. Grilled hearts of romaine... such a simple concept and so freaking good! Also there's no losing when you introduce warm blue cheese to a salad. Yum. We also shared the wild mushroom pizza with truffle oil and that was pretty incredible too.
My only beef was that I ordered a vodka martini and it tasted like vanilla (= big yuck). I sent it back and they brought me another vanilla vodka tasting martini. I'm not sure what was up with that, but I'd still go back. -
Review from Jason S.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2007
The style of this Lower Haight attempt at upscale dining matches the mustache on its ever-present maitre d -- solid, groomed, and ready for business. There are touches of elegance and edginess but none of them memorable or distinct from the many other sub-swank culinary establishments in the city that one could choose from on any given night.
That said, RNM definitely delivers upscale nouveau cuisine and decent cocktails in a neighborhood often lacking either. Parking is also an issue, as in anywhere in the Lower Haight these days. In sum, I would label RNM as "B for Backup" -- solid but not my first choice. -
Review from Jacob L.
San Francisco, CA
7/4/2009
I wanted to go to Nopa because it was nearby, but they were predicting a 45 minute wait. Cutie suggested RNM, I called and they had room so I thought... give it a try. How bad could it be?
When we arrived there were an number of empty tables, and I wasn't loving the decor, so I was prepared for an underwhelming experience.
The menu had a few apps that looked interesting, so we decided to try four apps as our dinner.
We started with a sorrel soup with dungeness crab and fried artichoke on top. It was nice but needed salt and pepper. We actually appreciated that it wasn't over-salted as many soups tend to be, and they kindly split one bowl for us into two large cup servings.
This was followed by grilled hearts of romaine with fuji apples, saint agur blue cheese, toasted hazelnuts and champagne vinaigrette. The cheese was great, the hazelnuts were delicious and the vinaigrette was excellent. Cutie thought the grilling was what made it work, but I would have been just as happy if the romaine had been raw.
Our next course was a napoleon of green tomatoes with a cornmeal crust and goat cheese between the layers. It was served with a red pepper coulis which was incredibly tasty. Somehow this dish was much better than I expected it to be.
Our final dinner course was the large portion of lobster and pea ravioli. This came in a lemon butter sauce and was garnished with peas and raw pea greens. We were both rather astonished by how good this was. The flavors were subtle and delicious, and the raw pea greens had a crisp sweet pea flavor which we loved. There were five ravioli in the large ($18) portion, and they were big ravioli, but we could have used some more.
For dessert we had a brownie sundae, with dulce del leche ice cream, chocolate ice cream and marinated cherries, topped with a dollop of whipped cream. This again was fantastic. It was by far the best dulce de leche ice cream I've ever eaten -- not too sweet and with just the right flavor. The brownie itself was not that memorable, but the combination of flavors was really close to perfection.
Our bill for two, including a glass of wine and a nice cocktail, was $84. While this is certainly not cheap for dinner, it was a really good dinner and we left very happy.
I don't hear much about RNM and didn't expect much, but based on this dinner they are one of the best and most creative restaurants in town.
We'll be back. -
Review from jennifer h.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2009
My friend and I dined here Friday evening. I suggest making reservations! The interior design is nice and romantic. Perfect! Ha.
We had the the scallops (delicious), duck pizza (pretty good especially with the cherries!), porn loin (that was just okay; I'd probably pick something else next time), and of course a side of mac n' cheese (easy dish, but it was very delicious). All of this for 2 people was way too much by the way!!
The prices are reasonable too. It's a bit cozy in there. -
Review from David O.
San Francisco, CA
3/1/2006
You KNOW you are going to be getting good food when the menu is all-lowercase and in tiny print. It's sort of like if you drop the "e" or capitalize the "x" in "extreme" - if someone is willing to defy the conventions of grammar, they mean business.
And who says dishes need "labels" in bold so they can be easily identified? Certainly not I. The waitress knows exactly what I mean when I gesture at the menu and say "this lamb thingie, here".
So yeah, I actually thought the food was solid, but it didn't change my perspective on #*&^. I award big bonus points for having my favorite beer on tap, Lagunitas IPA. I liked the atmosphere, and had an overall good experience. I am pretty sure this place is cooler than I am, and you know I'm cool because I sit at a computer all day. -
Review from amber k.
5/28/2009
I loved this place! We came here without reservations with a group of 8, and they were still able to accommodate us. The interior is swank and modern with candles, cool chain mail, and an odd chandelier. They serve you a plate of pate, mustard, pickles, olives, and some other meaty thing with grilled bread before your meal- awesome.
I had a glass of red zin and and a delicious arugala, strawberry, feta, and fava bean salad. I got a taste of a grilled salad with apples, blue cheese and walnuts. both to die for. the boy got a veggie plate that was a mix of whatever they had in the kitchen... and I was actually jealous. My favorite was the gnocchi in this lemony chard sauce. I ordered the three mushroom pizza and I was in heaven.
so yeah, awesome. four thumbs up. -
Review from Yvette K.
San Francisco, CA
8/14/2008
I have never had a bad meal at RNM. The food is always very good, but not fantastic. In other words I never think, "Oh, I'm craving such and such from RNM". That's the only reason I've given 4 stars and not 5.
The service is very friendly and I am always happy to get hugs and warm wishes from the gregarious host, Robert. Our waitress, Amy, was very friendly and helpful last night too (this is her last week at RNM).
I've always liked how you enter from urban Haight Street through a curtain into the modern and peaceful dining room. They have a full bar and make very good drinks - I've eaten many a pleasant meal at the bar too.
I had dinner last night and, as usual, I was not dissappointed.
To start I had scallops - they were fine, but nothing remarkable. For my entree I ordered the nightly special which was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, waffles and collard greens. Very good and a lot of food. I did not order desert.
I go to RNM once or twice a year and I always have a very pleasant time. I was happy for RNM when they were featured on the KQED show, "Check Please Bay Area" - they are certainly worthy of praise.Listed in: My "Check Please Bay Area"…
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Review from Jess C.
2/11/2009 3 photos
I ordered the Duck Breast, with "NO ALMONDS" (yuck, I hate all nuts) but the chef accidentally made it with almonds anyway. I was too hungry to wait for a new one, so I just ate it as is. The manager was nice enough to refund the dish! Service throughout the night, while a bit slow, was really good all around.
What was embarrassing after the whole refunding-for-almonds ordeal was that I ordered a hazelnut chocolate lava cake that was infused with hazelnut pieces (I didn't know that at the time! I was hoping for a nutella filled cake heh). I ordered it because nothing comes between me and lava cake, but i felt so shady after getting my almond crusted meal comped... Oh well!
Good food, nice but slow service, and really not as expensive as you would think! -
Review from Lizzie G.
2/25/2010
FACT: I came out of here a few pounds heavier
FACT: I came out of here a little bit squiffy
In light of these I have branded this a 5 stonking star experience, with blue cheese dressing on top! The one thing that I thought was a little strange was the whole eating at the bar thing, but apparently that's cool over here in SF and far be it for me to deny anything thats cool. Now this will be my second visit to this fine city and I think it might be my first foody 5 stars. Now this could be that I was having a little too much fun last time to review everything or it's that the dishes that were served out here we so delicious that I just couldn't forget them.
Now the group I went with were more than happy to order a selection and sample everything from the menu rather than sit with our own dishes, that's a great idea... if you're not sharing a table with me! I quickly eyed up the delights and sank my teeth into parts of a pig that would make a Rabbi blush. It was all down hill from there, I didn't want to share. This food was mine!
Now I have to thank Jess T for bringing these delights into my world and my mouth and now my thighs, god love those thighs! And for picking a dinner spot with such killer cocktails. Literally, I was on the floor after one!Listed in: San Francisco a London CMs…, Exploring San Francisco
