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Saison
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants American (New) French, American (New) [Edit]
2124 Folsom St(between 17th St & 18th St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 828-7990
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 6 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Upscale, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Voted "Best Cafe" in SF! Heated garden patio, brunch (8am-4pm), dinner (4-10pm), Check-In offers, Drink & Carafe Specials & Happy Hour! Full bar &… read more »
203 reviews for Saison
Review Highlights
"Complimentary course: popcorn ice cream."
(in 10 reviews)
"Amuse Bouche of sorbet over longpepper jelly."
(in 16 reviews)
"We sat the Chef's Table which was in the kitchen with all..."
(in 14 reviews)
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203 reviews in English
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Review from Amelia S.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2012
Fantastic!
My fiance and I enjoyed the tasting menu coupled with the wine paring. The food was superb and sitting on the patio area at the counter, and in front of the fire made the night. The restaurant is not stuffy. The service was provided by real people, though I wouldn't say always super friendly and accomodating. (We asked them to turn on the heater and they seemed a bit bothered.)
So why the 5 stars? The restaurant is run by real, down-to-earth people; the food is better than Coi (the other 2 star in SF); and the atmosphere is unlike no other in the city.
We love you Saison! -
Review from Tammy C.
(See pics) Catching up on another fantastic updated review with the amazing fast rising 2 Michelin Star place!
Josh's creativity is like breathing life into the dishes. It's something you feel familiar as you can taste each, yet something totally different as it creates a new sensation. Mark's wines are always the excellent, excellent compliment and pairing to the delicacy. It is like a great partner who brings out the best of your self.
The menu only listed the categories, not the actual dishes, meaning it truly depends on the season, the day, the sources and the chef's inspiration.
Each bite is made with multiple ingredients, layered with care and design so that you can enjoy as it reveals itself of each flavor, as well as when they come together like a symphony. It consists of harmony, and at times with fire and passion.
Since they change the menu way more often than just seasonal, each time we visited it's an entirely different menu, and chef Skenes' culinary talent shines right through. A lot of food was prepared as fresh as they picked from their garden, as live as the prawns from their own tank, just to name a few.
I was also very pleased to see the pastry chef's popcorn ice cream and 8-month preserved lemon.
As much as the restaurant now earns such a prestigious status, the Chef, the Sommelier, the pastry Chef and the staff continue to be very humble with great confidence on the cuisine they serve.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/7/2010
(See pics)
We came back after checking out their menus and also a few tries on the smaller… Read more »
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Review from Andrew C.
Excellent food and impeccable service. No white tablecloths in this unassuming converted stable that went from 1 to 2 Michelin stars for 2012.
Despite their FAQ stating no substitutions, Chef Skenes graciously accommodated my pescetarian g/f substituting elements of dishes and providing a completely different dish to go with my pigeon & toffee. I let them know when I made the reservation so perhaps more for requests real-time at the table.
Tonight's price $198 + $108 for wine pairing. We cheated with the Living Social deal and didn't feel at all like 2nd class citizens.
The listed "9 courses" morphed into 15-16 plates of food. This will be more of a picture review. I'm sure I've forgotten many components of the dishes
Egg
- bonito gelée topped with uni, cauliflower royale (w/ egg) and cauliflower chip (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) CA white sturgeon caviar supplement $48. The g/f did this. Mild and rich at the same time. Do it.
- egg yolk with trout roe, sliced cornichons, dill (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Cru
- crudité with miners lettuce, dried seaweed, biter melon, anchovy purée and lardo raviolo (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Lardo raviolo subbed out for the g/f for a crème fraîche based sauce.
- oyster with verbena foam. Sucked it down and forgot the picture.
- bluefin tuna tartare with tuna bone gelée. rice cracker topped with perilla salt, ground river vegetables and shrimp floss (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
- bluefin tuna headcheese and artichokes (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Brassica
-dried mustard family leaves over poached quail egg, whole grains, seaweed broth (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Crustacean
- dungeness crab, sunchoke purée, mystery foam. thin levain toast with crab butter (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Something in there had some kick!
Toffee
- fois gras toffee, coffee beans, citrus (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
- Sub for g/f. Sardines (raw?) with separated grilled or roasted bones (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Wood Pigeon
- Wood pigeon, winter fruits (hachiya persimmon, Asian pear), olives, 2 sauces (1 Chili), pomegranate seeds (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Good, but not great. Semi-crisp skin. Somewhat bland lukewarm meat. Chili sauce helped. Greatly preferred the Cured tuna. Did not lower my feelings on the whole meal.
- Sub for g/f. Cured tuna, uni (http://www.yelp.com/bi...).
Nid D'abeille
- Parmesan macaroons with olive oil ice cream (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
- "Cheese course" (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Perserved Citrus 6.08
- Layers of contrasting textures & citrus-y flavors. Some preserved, some not. (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Nawlins
- ice cream with chicory & chicory coffee (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
- beignets. so light (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
- popcorn ice cream with black truffle supplement ($48) (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) Popcorn flavor (delicious) overpowered the truffles. Supplement wasn't worth it for me.
- candies to go with popcorn ice cream (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)
Chef Joshua Skenes post meal in the kitchen (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)Listed in: Stay Puft Marshmellow Man's…
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Review from Saul G.
Salt Lake City, UT
1/17/2012
took an impromptu trip to SF and went to Saison. It was a fabulous meal. Could you get a 2-star Michelin experience for less money in SF? Sure... But they certainly are deserving of the rating. Service was friendly, unpretentious, attentive and accommodating and the food was imaginative, expertly executed and The chef was kind enough to gift me some Hackleback caviar when he found out I was allergic to shellfish and couldn't have one of the courses. He also made a special dish to replace the one I'd miss.
Highlights of the meal: the foie gras toffee was a great plate, the slow poached egg yolk with cornichon was fabulous, the preserved lemon dessert was very nice as well. The wines were very well paired and generously poured.
Sad to say, I probably won't be back anytime soon. Geography as well as economy prevent it. But the experience was worth it in my mind. -
Review from Bingying L.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012
Liked the cozy feeling and the 80s music. It was nice and inviting. Service was great and not uppity at all.
The food was very good, although some of it was too salty for me. Loved the wood pigeon, the lemon preserve, the huge oyster and the lobster tail. Even the bread was excellent. The menu is full of nice little surprises - you can get up to 2 or 3 dishes for one entry on the menu. The wine pairing was also very generous.
But in the end the $650 price tag just didn't seem worth it for 2 tasting menus and a shared wine pairing. There are definitely other single Michelin star restaurants (or even 0 star restaurants) that are better value of money. The difference in quality was just not significant enough to justify the extra cost.
It was a nice experience overall though, so not a bad idea if you're curious and feel like splurging. -
Review from David L.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
S A I S O N
O P N P V U
P P V O E M
H E E I R B
I T N L E
S I T E R
T Z I D S
I I O
C N N
A G S
T
E
D
Davids Bottom Line:
I liked the food a LOT. Lucky for me I like gelees.
What ruined this experience was the numbers game the business seems to be experimenting with. No matter how good the food is the price is hard to justify if you're leaving still hungry. -
Review from Scott R.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2012
Breathtaking. Bar none, the best restaurant in San Francisco - if not beyond. Truly, I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the world, from San Francisco to New York to Paris and I have never before experienced the culinary brilliance of Saison. Over the holidays, we had a number of celebratory events at some of SF's best - and they were extremely good; but none can compare to the uniqueness of Saison. Admittedly, I am jaded because we ate at the Chef's Counter and had a chance to witness the precise orchestrations of a finely-tuned kitchen team preparing the 22 courses and wine pairings we enjoyed; it seemed as though the entire kitchen staff was cooking just for us. Unlike many of the current crop of hot chefs that compose dishes using unexpected combinations - perhaps for the sheer novelty - Joshua Skenes combines seemingly contrasting ingredients in such a logical and natural way, you find yourself asking why chicken gelee, urchin roe and caviar hadn't been combined before. Or, why a layered dish of foie gras, chocolate and beer isn't part of the established culinary canon. The attention to which green is perfect for which dish reflects the
Is the Chef's Counter worth the cost: absolutely not. Is the chef's counter worth the cost: it's one of the best experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. -
Review from Kate S.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
Wild pigeon was the main course. I enjoyed all other tastes except for the wild pigeon. Be aware, there were no prices on the menu nor were we aware what the pre fixe menu would be. Bill for 2 was over 600$ Hated the music playing - was not appropriate.
Also, thought foie gras was going the way of shark fin soup in San Francisco? -
Review from Vibby V.
Burlingame, CA
1/31/2012
Location = It's tucked in on a quiet residential area of Folsom St.
Decor = Lovely and very cozy. We sat by the wood burning fireplace, under the beautiful lemon tree watching one of the chef's prepare food. Very romantic and we both felt like we were transported to the french countryside.
Staff = Friendly and extremely attentive. There were always people around us, serving food, drinks and changing out our serving ware.
Food = Exquisite tasting menu. There were several items on the menu that I had never tried before and I enjoyed to my surprise. Every little detail was brilliantly thought out. Compliments to the chef for his artistry in food.
Special Note = Amazing sommelier who paired our wines perfectly. It definitely elevated our dining experience. So don't miss out. -
Review from matt t.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
Beautiful dishes but the menu I had (Winter) came up wanting for value. The service was OK but not exceptional. The venue is lovely and the chefs clearly know what they're doing as the preparation is nearly flawless.
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Review from Chris D.
Emeryville, CA
12/27/2011
Tremendous food. Excellent service. We sat in the hearth room, which others here have complained about, and if anything, it was a little toasty even though it was freezing outside. Wait staff was very accommodating in adjusting various heaters to make us comfortable.
The food was fantastic.. many more courses than the 6 listed in the menu. My favorites were the uni bit at the very start, brassicas and whatever the insanely delicious cheese filled pastry dessert bit was. Every course was delicious and the wine pairing was great. Each of the many members of the staff we interacted with were warm, friendly, knowledgeable about the food and wine and happy to chat about it. Definitely lives up to the 2 stars, and if every night flows as smoothly as ours did, well on the way to 3.
Highly recommended. -
Review from Angela L.
Newark, CA
1/26/2012
Chef Joshua Skenes is a genius. Nuff said. Seriously, the food was to die for, and the place itself is cozy and inviting. This young man is going places. And I want to eat at all of them.
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Review from Pauline S.
Richmond, CA
12/22/2011
Such a wonderful, perfect evening. I enjoyed every single dish.
Things to know about the temperature-- yes, they do keep the door open but from where I was sitting, there was a heat lamp close by and they were very up front about letting them know if I needed it to be turned up. Likewise, there were blankets draped across the chair in case you needed them. -
Review from Honest A.
San Francisco, CA
12/11/2011
Very interesting selection of foods, many of which were very enjoyable.
What I don't get is how a 2 michelin star restaurant can keep the temperature of the place at like 55 degrees. Every woman in the place was frozen, which is unfortunately why we won't go back.
I think valet parking is a must in this neighborhood if you expect to get people outside of just the mission area. -
Review from Jackson M.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2011
I call shenanigans!
( All you need to know )
Great food at an unjustifiable price, which to be fair is a problem with the business model, not the food.
( The Cherry on the Top )
A classy chef who lashes out at reasonable criticism on Yelp:
"The good news is that we can tell by your other reviews you are entirely unqualified to pass judgement on any food establishment other than subway sandwiches and government issue processed meats.
Travel the world and comeback [sic] in 10 years."
- Joshua Skenes, in response to F. P. (4/8/2010) -
Review from Nicole C.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2011
Best meal of the year! Super cute chef. Amazing tuna crudo (and I have had a million tuna crudos). Pigeon, persimmon, pinot noir, perfection!!! Popcorn ice cream. Enough said.
A wonderful SF dinner in a fabulous rustic/urban location.
Thank you Saison. -
Review from WS P.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 11/19/2011
It shows what Michelin Star Rating can do to a restaurant......
My friend and I went to Saison last night for their "A week of white truffle" special menu. I have to say that I am quite disappointed. With 100 dollars higher than their regular dinner price and a menu with "A week of white truffle" as its title, I expected every course to be a course with truffle. As it turned out, only two courses had truffle in them. We had an option of adding 40 dollars for 2 additional courses with truffle, which we did. But overall, I feel that the chef put way too much emphasis on fancy techniques, sacrificing the raw simple flavors of the ingredients, which is what truffle is all about.
It's a shame, really. Saison has been my favorite restaurant for several years but after our dinner last night, I will not be returning to Saison again.
(Edit: Just to put it out there, that dinner cost us 500 per person. And my friend and I split wine pairing. This is for a Michelin 2-Star restaurant....... Completely unjustifiable.)1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/26/2009
This is the most amazing restaurant that I've ever been to in San Francisco. Seriously, ever!
The… Read more »
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Review from Teri Y.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had the most unforgettable meal ever here. I was still dreaming about it when I went to bed that same night.
What makes Saison stand out is their daily changing degustation menu so you won't know what you're gonna be having until you are seated at the table and presented the menu. But what makes Saison more special is that on some of the items on the menu, there were several interpretations of that item, so we ended up having sub-courses for one item on the menu. Throughout the meal, we were also presented several surprises from the kitchen that were off the menu. The food was amazing and clearly showed the creative minds of Chef Joshua Skenes and his wonderful team. We were blown away with each course and each of them kept impressing us more and more.
Service was professional throughout and yet Saison manages to achieve a relaxed atmosphere with fine dining. Anyone who shows up in jeans or a cocktail dress would not be under or over dressed.
Loved the open kitchen and we saw Chef Skenes in there with his team. We were also given copies of the menu and a handwritten thank you card from the team for joining them for dinner.
I still dream of Saison.Listed in: San Francisco
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Review from Ken and Yuri Q.
San Francisco, CA
11/8/2011
So...I have not yelp'd anything for some time. Several events have brought me back:
1. Sir Michael Bauer's March 13, 2011 review of The Dining Room
2. The Dining Room closing
3. Recent meal at Saison
4. Saison two star Michelin award
This review covers 3, 4.
The food was good. As expected. Wasn't really blown away, but was not disappointed. The timing was NOT good. The service was not good. No acknowledgment of timing issues.
We arrived hungry. Clearly this was our mistake. The timing was so poor, and tables around us were talking about it as well, that we had to actually had to take note of it:
9:00 reservations
9:00 seated - great!
9:05: welcome glass of wine - great!
Waiting...empty stomach. wine going to head quickly....
9:30: canapes. Good, but hungry. Consumed in less than 2 minutes.
9:36: bread. Good. Consumed in about 3 minutes
9:46: bread. Chomp. Gone. More please.
9:52. bread. Gone.
At this point, a bit irritated, still hungry, slightly buzzed. We have been seated an hour, and have had the canapes, and three servings of bread.
10:00. Spot prawn. Good, but wasn't really that special if you have ever been to a good Japanese restaurant that serves a fresh ami ebi with fried head.
At this point, I'm really getting irritated. Seriously, we have been an hour and 15 minutes,, and I'm eating a single prawn, a couple canapes, and three servings of bread. This is not normal for fine dining, I keep telling myself.
Thankfully, this seems when things started to pick up. maybe even too fast. But I didn't care at this point.
10:20 Brassicas. Can't remember, but I'm sure we ate it. Hungry still.
10:36 Asparagus. Good.
10:45 Abalone. Was nice, now I'm slowing down and enjoying the food.
11:05 Rabbit. Good. A lot of green stuff going on, I thought it should have been simplified.
11:17 Cheese. Good.
11:25 Raspberry. Nice.
11:36 Chocolate. OK.
11:42 Bill.
At the end of this, I was seriously feeling guilty as I didn't enjoy nor appreciate the food, between the frustration of the timing issues, my hunger, the buzzing on empty stomach, and the scarfing of the delicately prepared, albeit scarce, courses.
There are so many other good restaurants of better caliber to eat at in SF. This is not a pop up anymore, and it needs to start operating like a real restaurant. -
Review from cas c.
Oakland, CA
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Everybody has their own internal bar/measure for how special, yummy, a place is. And for me, I rate this well worth it for using the "Mother-in-Law Watch the Kids Annual Coupon" Each year, my MIL comes to stay and each year I find a night when she can watch the kids and my hubby and I can actually stay LATE and linger at a restaurant. This beats wondering if the kids have frazzled the babysitter or are tossing each other out of their bunkbeds, or if my 5 and 7 yr old boys are making their older sister roar in rage at sneak-snapping pictures of her in the shower.
So this "Once-A-Year Mother In Law watches my Kiddos for a whole night Dinner" has got to be SPECIAL. And I read the reviews, I quiz friends and this time it was....SAISON.
In a word - GENIUS. Not me for having my patient MIL watch the kids, I mean GENIUS for the food, the flavors. It wasn't just the combo of flavors, the incredibly luxurious ingredients, but that it was the formula for SO YUMMY.
So
1) Luxury Ingredients: Smoked sea urchin, truffles, foie gras, pigeon, Lobster, crab, roe, toro, fish, oysters, etc. eggs; ADD
2) Fun Ingredients: cabbage leaves, crisped seaweed, prawn roe salt, artichokes, olives, pear, meyer lemon. ADD
3) Saison Josh Skeines and Team Genius
(you can watch them make magic and he's totally calm, almost serene)
ADD
4) 80s Music that gets us folks tapping our feet/nodding to the beat, then ADD
5) great great inspired wine pairings and frequent tops ups - cool!
= YUMMY FLAVORS which leads to HAPPY EATERS
Let me elaborate by yummy. So for example, sea urchin is all ocean-y briny goodness, but when they lightly smoke it it becomes WOW - rich savory. Or crab and poached lobster in a dashi-smoky inspired creamy broth - the ingredients become better combined vs on their own only. oysters with a meyer lemon chaser.
These folks know how to work with fire/ smoke to enhance the ingredients.
Anyway, got to finish up writing this. But yes, enjoying such a consistently well executed meal, with a convivial atmosphere, and nice fellow diners too, and thoughtful chef, knowledgeable team, - worth it. And we floated home on a happy-yummy-tummy cloud to rescue my Mother in Law from our three little kids. TOTALLY WORTH IT. I'd do it again - Saison was yummy yummy lick the plate clean yummy. . Let me convince her to come and visit us again. I'll ask the kids draw some pictures of her and mail them out.
It is pricey but you get a consistently amazing meal and the wine pours are very generous. -
Review from D. W.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011
DISHONEST BUSINESS!! They are out to extort your money, so STAY AS FAR AWAY AS YOU CAN! We made a reservation and they requested a credit card number to hold it in case of no-shows. We show up, but one of the 2 diners was a vegetarian and they RUDELY refused to accommodate her, and more than half of the menu were meat items. So, we left after informing the VERY RUDE manager that we are unable to eat there. The next day, I find a $300 charge from them on my credit card. I called TWICE and finally was told that it is their "Policy". It's funny, but this "policy" was neither communicated to me at the time of booking or at the time of the departure from the restaurant.
If THIS is how you need to make your money, then that is just sad.
STAY AWAY!!! -
Review from Jeff V.
Chicago, IL
11/4/2011
The food and service were wonderful; The chef is a master, his kitchen a seriously inspired and disciplined machine. Every course showed me things I've never tasted before.
I just wish I knew the price in advance. We didn't think it necessary to read Yelp reviews to get a ballpark price. The FAQ item about price on the web site is fairly unconcerned with providing helpful guidance. "The price depends on the ingredients". Truism. And a review depends on the expectations. -
Review from Yee Gan O.
10/7/2011 19 photos
Coming back in the UK after my best trip to the USA ever, I'm left reflecting on many great meals and amazing times spent with wonderful Yelp friends (you all know who you are!). Yelpers aren't just ordinary folk but people with big generous hearts and their finger on the pulse of their respective cities. I've been introduced on previous trips to new restaurants, like Baume, which have subsequently gone on to garner Michelin stars
I'm dedicating my 1400th review to my favourite meal I had on this trip. As I was lucky enough to add 13 Michelin stars to my collection, this had to be something special.
I was lucky enough to be dining here with Elite Yelper Tammy C, who has the FTR for this restaurant and has been enjoying the food here since the soft opening of the restaurant.
I'll be honest in saying that I probably wouldn't have eaten here if it wasn't for Tammy. They only serve a tasting menu at $189 and the description of the dishes on their on-line menu is limited to one word for each of the 7 courses - Eggs, Cru, Brassicas, Crustacean, Stew, Preserved lemon 1:27, Chocolate Literally. Fortunately, I've shared many meals with Tammy and trust her judgement of restaurants impeccably or I may have missed out on the outstanding meal of my trip.
Saison is located in what the locals would term a 'shady' part of town, the Mission but it has character on the walk from the BART station and I didn't feel unsafe. The restaurant is quite understated from the outside but it was great to be able to see the chefs hard at work in the kitchen through the screen door as you enter the premises - I love seeing the engine room of the a restaurant humming like a well oiled machine.
The food reminds me of my recent experience at L'Enlume - each dish comprises small portions of well sourced food, which is cooked perfectly and paired with a few other ingredients on the plate to create a flavour, texture and temperature explosion on the palate. You get about 4 or 5 mouthfuls with each course and with extra 3/4 surprise dishes in addition to the listed 8 courses, you are definitely full.
They also have the amazing ability to wow you with one dish only for the next dish to surpass it - it's a crescendo of food experiences rising to a climax before the puddings.
I love that chef Josh's food ranges from the food plates which are almost too pretty to eat through to a wonderful perfectly cooked jumbo prawn which you had to tackle with your hands. Good food should never allow excessive table manners to get in the way of enjoying it!
My favourite dishes were probably the 'stew' and 'brassicas', both of which surpassed my expectations from their bland descriptions. In both dishes, I could clearly taste each individual component and these blended wonderfully with the other ingredients to form a medley of flavour explosions.
I was also most grateful to Mark the sommelier for helping out this teetotaler by producing wonderful sparkling grape juices to accompany my food! Poured into large wine glasses, I felt like I was savouring a paired drinks service like Tammy with her wine pairings!
At the end of the evening, it was great to have a chance to chat to Mark and Josh and get my tasting menu signed.
This is cooking of the highest skill, quality and innovation. Go, visit, eat, enjoy and reminisce!Listed in: Top USA Restaurants
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Review from Jonathan T.
San Francisco, CA
10/6/2011
Yup, it's pricey. However, you get every dollars' worth in my opinion. The food was so good, I can't even remember what I had. Not because it wasn't memorable. It was complicated. Every dish was meticulously planned, prepared and executed.
For example: who tears apart tuna tartar with an oyster shell for "texture?" And then uses sinew, mixes that in, then makes tuna bone gelee? It's like an all tuna version of a turdukin. Unbelievable. I loved every single bite.
The wine pairing is well worth it - you get to try 7-8 different wines and you get basically as much as you want. If you drink it before the next course, it'll be refilled in two shakes. Nice touch. See also: express route to hangover.
Spectacular food, amazing wines, impeccable service, great setting. Was a perfect dinner. I'll be back. -
Review from Emm C.
Manhattan, NY
11/9/2011
Saison shouldn't rest on its laurels. The price that night which varies based on ingredients was 188/p. Yes the dishes were innovative, and yes the wine pairing was generous. but was it worth a day's pay (for others even more) for the 8-course meal. Compared to my experience at Cyrus, Benu, and Frances...no. It was a 2 hour meal..9pm reservation. We were seated _outside_ when no one else was eating. If you're ever seated outside, ask them to reseat you even if you think it might be rude. To be honest, you're paying several hundred for this 'experience.' It was kinda cold out in the terrace and the brick oven probably wasn't well ventilating so the exhaust got me sniffly as well. I was definitely allergic to something in the room. I think it was the dried herbs hanging or the exhaust from the over.
ok so the food...the main dish was a wild spotted deer, well-made but only had 2 pieces on a bed of assorted greens. The dessert was a popcorn ice cream, not totally my cup of tea considering it's almost winter and we were outside. They did provide heated lamps though.
Maybe we woulda had a better experience if we were in the kitchen? i don't know. But if you took me here again, i woulda thought this was a mission dive, not a Michelin place. from the looks of the other reviews, I am thinking it got its Michelin and it's all cocky now! oh, also there was a disgruntled worker complaining to his colleague which is not cool. He also had the toughest job there, which is slaving over the over, which probably burns the eyes and makes you really warm. I felt bad for him and he's probably underpaid when us diners were paying hundreds to the establishment. -
Review from Cynthia C.
San Francisco, CA
I honestly can't describe the food that we had here last night for my bday. Everything was a piece of art decorated with specks of gold, intense flavors. SOOOOO good!! We sat the Chef's Table which was in the kitchen with all the chefs in action. Everything was freshly made and every dish was made with care. I can't believe it takes like 10 people to create one dish that takes 2 secs for me to devour.
Every dish that came out, we were like THAT's our favorite! Everything was awesome and we were beyond stuffed after our meals. The chef was super generous and kept giving us free dishes. Our 7 course meal turned into a 12 course meal. We couldn't stop eating because it was so good but we were stuffed!! We also ordered the wine pairing to share and turned out not to be a great idea for lightweights. We were trashed by the end. Oopsie.
Funny side story: I made a boo boo and asked the Exec Chef to take a pic of us. I had no idea who he was. Didn't know he was the top dog and people ask to take pics w/him. Oopsie. Sorry dood, you'll just have to settle with taking pics of me and my wifey! ha.
LOVED this place, one of the most memorable food experiences this year. Will definitely come back again!! -
Review from Brooke S.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2012
We had a nice experience here. The level of creativity and taste of all the dishes were spot on. A little expensive, but delicious. Excellent wine pairings. I would go back for a special occasion. I am hoping they do something about the bathroom situation though (1 unisex bathroom where you wait outside in the cold).
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Review from Mike H.
9/30/2011
Picked Saison for a dinner to celebrate a new job and boy, did I pick well. This was one of my most memorable dinners ever.
Free glass of sparkling wine to start. Nice surprise. That day's menu listed 7-8 courses but we ended up getting 11-12. Didn't opt for the wine pairings and instead ordered a bottle.
The food quality and inventiveness were of the highest quality. Everyone at Saison celebrates food and wants their patrons to enjoy the experience. The head chef is incredibly modest, given what he and his team, and it's a very big team in the kitchen, create each night.
Just one note: if the sashimi is available, don't be squeamish when it comes to the uni (sea urchin) and ankimo (monkfish liver). You must eat them or you'll miss out on some of the best you've ever had. -
Review from Brigitte V.
Santa Clara, CA
12/21/2011
So the BAD STUFF first: it's cold, very cold. the door is perpetually open and if you're a "cold person" like me, dress warmly. i was refused a reseating for comfort. the area is sketchy and far from the "cool parts" of the Mission (but still walkable). service is fast, this is not a linger-as-long-as-you-want type of 10 course meal, it is speedy and your plate will be removed within 1 minute of your last bite (which can be good if you're in a rush). servers seemed slightly stressed (and this was the 6oclock seating)--not particularly interested in giving you a long answer if you had any questions about the food, sourcing, preparation, etc. our server started to walk away with every follow up question, as if she really had to get going or maybe something better to do than chat with us (really, I just had a couple questions!).
GOOD POINTS: the food was really excellent. highlights: amazing sweet dish of foie gras in the middle which was totally unexpected (toffee/mocha/caramel/toasted coffee flavors), ceviche of tuna, wood pidgeon, preserved lemon and lots of different "treats" from the chef (dishes he is trying out and are given out between courses, can be different per table)
interestingly the food was very light despite the 10 or so courses and I was comfortably full, not stuffed. vs. somewhere like French Laundry or Alinea (my gold standards for awesome 5 star dining) where I am always about to burst. The price point was quite steep for this restaurant given the "bad points" above and also given the location i was surprised that we spent over $500 (tip is mandatory) for standard dinner for 2 without wine.
it felt to me like a 1 star michelin restaurant, but has a lot of potential. -
Review from Ines K.
Manhattan, NY
11/20/2011
Are you kidding me this is a Michelin two star restaurant?!!
The food is waaaay below par - amateur, to say the least and the ambiance leaves much to be desired -- behind a coffee shop where you have to go out to use the restroom. Service was mediocre - staff taking away food without even asking when there's food clearly left on the plate. Staff constantly pouring flat water into our glasses when there was clearly some sparkling one... Not to mention they enforce a 18% tip on the bill for this mediocre service.
Since the moment we called to make reservations we were asked about any allergies. As one member of our party is allergic to dairy they promised to let the kitchen know. The same question was asked once we got to the restaurant and after clear instructions that one person was allergic to dairy, they just kept serving food with dairy -- so why bother ask about food allergies?!!!
For $250 per person menu we were so disappointed. How did they get Michelin two stars?! Must write to Michelin. Never thought there'd be such discrepancy between a Michelin rating and the restaurant.
Save your money for a better restaurant. Don't be fooled by the "two Michelin star" like we were!
Never again. -
Review from K V.
San Francisco, CA
9/20/2011
BEST. MEAL. EVER.
I came expecting a lot, and left happier than I could ever imagine. You get what they serve, no substitutions, no room for error. They have many "surprise" dishes, so much that I couldn't take anymore. Tasting menus often leave me hungry, but not here. I couldn't take another bite, no matter how delicious the food, and it was DELICIOUS. The wine pairing was out of this world and they are generous with their pours. I highly recommend it!
They have more staff than they have diners. Everyone is friendly. The ambiance is super cute. The kitchen is wide open so you can see inside. Parking is easy.
And to top it off, you save 30% off food + drinks when booking through http://Savored.com.
You must eat here! -
Review from Jen D.
Updated - 7/11/2011
I really hate to do this, but after such a terrible experience, I must say my peace.
My first (and last) experience at Saison was wonderful and for over a year, I have be raving to friends about it. How a small, unassuming kitchen could pump out such amazing food with parings for around $120/pp was unbelievable and I wanted to tell EVERYONE about it. So when our friends finally booked a table, they invited me and the bf and two other couples.
The day had finally arrived and I went to the Saison website to check out the recent menu. First thing that catches my eye is the Crustacean course and then I though to myself. OMG! Did anyone remember to tell them about the allergies in our group? So I called Saison and Mark, Saison's manager, answers the phone. I politely ask if there would be any way to accommodate a crustacean allergy and fish allergy on such short notice. I apologize for the late notice, but explain that the reservation was made by the Executive Assistant to one of the people in our group and she was unaware of the allergies we have.
I was given an apathetic, flat, NO. Mark gives me the spiel about how they already bought the food for the day and it is too late to make any changes and we would just have to skip the courses that had items we were allergic to. Ok, I kind of understand that, I said, but based on the menu, it looks like we'd have to skip 3-4 courses (out of 8-10 courses). Would we pay a lesser price for less courses? Again I got a flat NO.
Let's take a break here to talk about how much the prices have changed. In January of 2010 we paid $120/pp for an 8-10 course tasting with wine parings. This year, July 2011, the cost for an 8-10 course tasting is $140-$150 and the wine parings are about $100/pp. That's almost $250/pp if you do both the tasting and the paring. I know Chef Skenes received a Michelin Star last year, but he's still serving the same type of food, with not much variation from the menu we had last year. So why on earth are the prices so much higher?
After speaking to Mark the manager 3 times and then speaking to Mark the sommelier once, the best offer they gave me was that we could:
- come to dinner as planned, but all still pay the full price for the tasting menu while 2 of us only eat 1/2 of the meal
or
- not come to dinner and pay the $150/pp cancellation policy (and not use that fee towards a future dinner, which is what I was asking for)
or
- not come to the dinner and pay $150/pp cancellation policy, but 2 of us (out of 8) could come back and sit at the Chef's Counter and get the full tasting menu and wine parings at a discounted price
And during every conversation all I kept hearing was how the kitchen had already purchased the food for the guests who had reserved a table for that evening and it wasn't like they could return the food or make something new for us on such short notice. So I'm guessing they don't take walk-ins since how would they be able to feed them if they only bought enough for as many reservations that were booked for the evening.
Also, answer me this. What kind of chef can't whip up something for a paying customer who has aversions to certain foods? Every restaurant that I have ever been to, from mom and pop places to ultra fine dining, has ALWAYS been able to come up with something.
Saison just lost 8 very loyal potential customers. And just for the record, we ended up going to Atelier Crenn and what an amazing meal it was!! I spoke to the owner and explained our allergies and she was able to work with it with no problem at all for a fraction of the price.
So if you want my advice:
Skip the rude, apathetic service and the uncreative nature of the team at Saison. There are way too many restaurants in this town that would happily take your money and give you stellar service and food and Saison is not one of them.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/24/2010
I could write a really long-winded review, because this restaurant deserves at least a 5 pager, but… Read more »
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Review from Marina N.
Updated - 7/1/2011
Quite disappointing. Have been eating often at Atelier Crenn the past few months and Saison pales in comparison when it comes to vivid flavors, ingenuity, and service. To skip to the bottom line- you can have an extraordinarily creative- aesthetically and in flavor combinations-meal of your choice at Crenn with warm and impeccable service...while Saison does not rise to that level yet charges double. I won't be returning and am not surprised you can get a 30% discount reservation online.
Most importantly, the flavor combinations are disappointing. For example, they served Pasternak's Rabbit, which they've had on the menu for 6-8 weeks (plenty of time to get it right) yet it was oversalted and the flavors were just bland. The rabbit was lovely and tender but the peas were not sweet and they didn't add anything to the dish; some of the random leaves added to the dish were bitter and unappetizing. One of their standby dishes is the brassicas in which the veg were way too dry and flavorless and were only redeemed by the silky egg yolk. The spot prawn was lovely but was not a good match with the very acidic tomato gelee and granite. The only redeeming parts of dinner were the preserved lemon mousse and the milk chocolate dessert.
My husband ordered the wine pairing automatically without looking at the pairings themselves. But as soon as he saw the planned pairings on the menu, he couldn't believe the poor choices and immediately cancelled the wine pairing. The pairings were not great and certainly not worth the eighty-eight dollar charge and unfortunately their corkage charge is fifty-eight. Yes, seriously.
Saison serves a set meal for 148 and you are asked to indicate any allergies before you come. Forget dislikes or preferences, you really don't have choices. Nor do you really know what you're going to be eating because the menu reads like this: crustaceans course, rabbit course, preserved lemon course, etc. When I came previously, the vegetarians didn't get a veg menu, they just had non-veg courses omitted from their dinner.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/13/2010
Ok here's our menu from Feb 2010:
* Little leeks, wild caviar, meyer lemon
* Our farm egg, smoked… Read more »
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Review from Rob C.
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
part of the trio of top SF restaurants along with Benu and Atelier.
today's price was $188 pp.
caviar, cru, brassicas, wild spotted deer, preserved lemon, chocolate, and all those in between dishes...maybe 14 course? had a lot of focus on ember cooking. first time i said forget it, no pictures, no note taking, no recording of descriptions, just eat. thus the short 5 star review of one of the top sf creative tasty interesting dining spots.
gonna get 2 michelin starsListed in: Past few years of many great…, SF good bets 2008
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Review from Carrie-C N.
San Jose, CA
6/26/2011
I really wanted to like this place. However, I think by trying to preserve the barn feel, the atmosphere was compromised. The barn preservation could be seen as artistic and nice, but it did not make up for the fact that San Francisco is a cold city, and the restaurant itself was really cold! We sat right by the door, and regardless of the door being closed, I could still feel the draft. Every time the door opened, I felt a breeze. I honestly do not like wearing a jacket while eating, but I had to wear a jacket that night, and I was still cold. This probably ruined the experience for me. Maybe that's why there was a blanket behind the chair....
We opted for wine pairing, which was a superb choice, and probably the only highlight of the night. The wines were great and the servings were huge. Still, the food was a disappointment and the portion sizes were small. I left hungry. For eight courses and about 3 hours of dining, I shouldn't left wishing for a plate of fries. Here was the order of our food and what I (personally) thought:
Course 1: Canapes (oyster, parsnip custard w/ salmon roe, radish). This was okay, nothing special. It tasted exactly like it sounded.
Course 2: Wild spot prawn. If you're Chinese or Asian, and have had prawns with the inside of the head still intact, well, this is exactly that. It won't be any better in taste. The main difference being that the prawn was raw.
Course 3: Brassicas w/ poached quail egg. Don't remember too much of it. I think it was okay, but not sure. Not memorable at all.
Complimentary course: Asparagus (with foam). Nothing special.
Course 4: Monterey Abalone. Again, I've had much better abalone elsewhere (Dining Room for example) and cheaper (Koi Palace). Also, they won't let us keep the abalone shells. We asked for it, they said no.
Course 5: Pasternack's Rabbit. This was good. It was just really small, and I barely had two pieces of rabbit in my dish.
Course 6: Tallegio cheese. Cheese was different and interesting. But not good. A little too experimental in the wrong direction for me.
Course 7: Raspberry palette cleanser? Shouldn't have been a course.
Course 8: 72% Araguani chocolate. This was okay. Probably the highlight of the night. Which is sad, because there are much better dessert elsewhere (butter cake at Gary Danko for example)
Complimentary course: popcorn ice cream. It was different, not great, just different.
I wasn't feeling the artistry or the flavorings, as you can tell. Although it was unique, the taste was just not to my preference. It was on the pricier side too, and I left feeling quite underwhelmed. Unfortunately, with all the other choices in San Francisco Bay Area, I probably won't be coming back to Saison, and can't recommend it to anyone given the measly portions for the $148 a person and $88 per wine pairing. At least the service was spot on.Listed in: Michelin Stars then and now
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Review from Poppy C.
San Francisco, CA
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awww, I hate to say it... but I will.
Poppy did not have a good time here.
The food is amazing and all the workers smiling and cheerful.
But...
It cost over 500 dollars for two people to eat dinner at the bar and I wasn't even drinking.
Our reserved table was two wobbly barstools in a shed decorated to look like you were indoors with a blazing hot fire in front of me cooking my front and the freezing cold wind blowing in from the open door chilling my back.
I simply could not enjoy any of the food served. The brick floor was uneven so my chair was never steady. My purse had to sit on the floor, no hooks at the bar. The girls next to us complained loudly when their bill arrived (apparently they thought it was 78 dollars per person) and one of the servers noted that the girls should be appreciative as they were last minute diners that were squeezed in...that's where we were seated...next to the last minute ladies...although the next man to occupy their seat was far more entertaining. He brought his own gluten free pretzels and a photo album of the house he built. That was actually pretty interesting. We were given a little brown shopping bag when we left and I eagerly tucked into it hoping it contained cookies or some similar treat. Instead it was two copies of our menus rolled up like diplomas and one of the workers business cards saying to call him next time and he would take special care of us (I had been very frank about the seating).
My date adored the food. He picked and he paid and I very much appreciate him and all his effort. My advice for anyone looking to dine here.
1. Don't wear heels, between the brick and the front garden made of dirt you will either ruin them and/or break an ankle.
2. Make sure you are seated at an actual table. Not the one right by the front door of the shed. -
Review from marion p.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011
I brought my parents to Saison on their birthdays, they were visiting from France. We had a memorable feast of delicacies, a divine way to treat your taste buds.
We sat outside, it was elegantly rustic, the wood fire and the warm blankets to keep us cosy.
There must have been one chef per guest, outstanding.
The wine pairing was the highlight for me: brilliant association with the subtleties of fine flavors. Amazing alchemy, the sommelier is a talent.
The atmosphere was relaxed, in comparison to Benu, I enjoyed this fine dining experience much better.
One of the best culinary experiences I`ve had in San Francisco. -
Review from Tom W.
Palo Alto, CA
6/17/2011
Truly the most disappointing meal I've ever had. Not to say the very worst, but for the price and the raves, it's hard to imagine being more disappointed. While I'll preface it by saying Saison had a guest chef this week, so maybe that chef poorly represents the Saison experience, but it seems like it was similar enough in style to what I read on Yelp, that I don't think my experience was that far off.
The flavors were unconventional, but besides lacking punch or excitement, they were often just plain unenjoyable. We started with a trio of canapes which had an interesting mix of strong and sour flavors, but as amuse bouche goes, nothing stood out. The spoon of apricot was my favorite, yet I realized the main thing I enjoyed about it was what I would have enjoyed about eating a fresh apricot. The white chocolate and pistachio was nice, but nothing too special, and not the unexpected burst of deliciousness that amuse bouches at similar restaurants aspire to be.
Our next dish was a small mix of caviar and fish, which was entirely unmemorable. A little fishiness, a little saltiness, and very little food. Next up was a salmon dish with parsnips. While the salmon was rich and buttery, it reminded me of a great salmon I'd had at work for lunch the same day, which was slightly better and wasn't over in three bites. And the parsnips were just unpleasant.
The cornbeef heart tartar was overly pickled and was a flavor I just didn't enjoy, despite often liking pickled things and almost always like beef tartar. The mushroom dish was a very earth mushroom with too much anise, but better than the last two dishes, while the chicken "dish" was probably the most enjoyable, yet the chicken was over in one bite. By the time dessert rolled around, it was really left me wondering "Was that it?"
The lemon dessert was one of the few things that were in the ballpark of my expectations, with a saltiness in the gelee that worked really well. And the final course of cucumber soup had a few surprises to enjoy with sweet crunchy nuggets of some kind, but again not something I'd hope to ever have again.
The complimentary sparking Chardonnay was terrific (and the waiter, who was great, poured me an extra half glass). I thought the Pinot I ordered was also totally solid, though for $28 a glass (price unlisted), I imagine it's hard to go wrong. It's a nice urban environment, though many restaurants in the city have a great aesthetic and this was louder than most upscale music mostly due to music more than talking. So with all the great restaurants in the city for much lower prices, I can't imagine recommending Saison to anyone. -
Review from Andy W.
There were flavors I've never tasted before, then there were flavors that were familiar but elevated a 100 times better. All I can say is... mind blowing.
I love being able to walk in there in jeans and not have to worry about dress code. The service is what you would expect from a fine dining venue but without the stuffiness. The staff was friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, professional yet laid back at the same time.
When I made the reservation, I asked to be seated at the chef's table (counter) and that we are celebrating a birthday. When we arrived, we were seated at the chef's table and they wished my friend a happy birthday. At the end of the meal, they handed us copies of the menu and a card wishing my friend a happy birthday. I thought it was a nice gesture.
I highly recommend sitting at the chef's table if you don't mind sitting at a counter and in the kitchen. You are right in the middle of all the action. Very cool, experience. The kitchen staff were friendly as well. When we could not figure out what something was in our dish, we were told to just ask.
I'm still a bit baffled by all the reviews that said they were still hungry at the end and that they don't make any substitutions. Substitutions were accommodated. They switched out a rabbit dish with chicken for my friend who doesn't eat rabbit. I was very full at the end of the meal and no, I don't have a small appetite. Chef Skenes even came over close to the end of our meal and asked if we had enough to eat and chatted with us for a bit.
The entire meal took 3 hours. I didn't feel rushed and I didn't feel that there was too much time in between the courses. I thought the entire meal was paced perfectly.
8-courses turned into 10-courses. Plus a small treat (sugar coated raspberries) that came with the bill at the end. Major stand out dishes of the night was the brassicas and the cheese course. No, it's not just cheese that was cut from a wedge. It was lou bergier pichin baked inside a brioche shaped like a bee's nest served with almonds, honey, honey comb and chamomile petals. Delicious! I hope they keep this on the menu so I can go back for this.
Overall it was a perfect experience and memorable meal. -
Review from Troy B.
San Francisco, CA
10/1/2011
I ate here earlier this year and was disappointed by the dishonesty the restaurant displayed in the check when it arrived. I live in SF and am familiar with the "healthy SF" surcharge that many restaurants add to their bill as a way to protest the law that mandates they provide health insurance for their employees. Rather than just increase prices a little like they might when the price of oysters goes up, they single out this particular cost of doing business, itemizing it on the bill as an "add-on".
But Saison goes beyond this by calling this VOLUNTARY surcharge a "tax". I'm sorry, but that is crossing the line to fraud. There IS NO HEALTHY SF TAX. If they want to add a surcharge, they can, but it is a lie to call it a tax. I eat out a lot in SF and Saison is the only place I've been that has decided to use such egregiously dishonest language.
I won't be back.
