- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Samovar Tea Lounge
Categories: Food Tea Rooms Restaurants Sandwiches Tea Rooms, Sandwiches [Edit]
Yerba Buena Gardens730 Howard St
Upper Terrace
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 227-9400
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 10 am - 8 pm
Thu-Sat 10 am - 9 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
942 reviews for Samovar Tea Lounge
Review Highlights
"However the curry egg salad sandwhich is bomb too."
(in 29 reviews)
"Masala chai was excellent and served piping hot."
(in 54 reviews)
"The top tier had my dessert; a coconut rice pudding."
(in 20 reviews)
Loading...
942 reviews in English
-
Review from Coco M.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
Tried this place out the other day and left very pleased with the service, all the smiles and the ambiance. Did my zen feeling last long when I walked out of Samovar? No, but I definitely was http://inagoodplace.com while sitting there enjoying my Smoked Salmon Maki Bowl (delicious & healthy) and Fukamushi Sencha (so fragrant & earthy)
You really can't go wrong at this place. I need to go back and try more goodies. -
Review from Natalia S.
Emeryville, CA
2/3/2012
I love this place but had the worst experience with one of the servers. It is really beautiful location and the quality of the tea and food is top notch, but the server nearly ruined our visit.
I was once a server and know how stressful it can be but this woman clearly had no respect for customers whatsoever. She tried to argue with us over a voucher we were using and I had to get up and talk to the manager, who confirmed I was right. Later in the meal, she blatantly lied to our face when we tried to cancel a dessert order saying it was impossible. When the check came, the voucher had not been included and I had to get up and find the manager once again. People like that should not get away with working in such a nice establishment and then treating their customers like dirt. -
Review from Yi-Xin C.
San Diego, CA
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love tea and I've been here a couple times to treat myself.
Over the years, this place has been a fantastic spot to meet with friends, and enjoy a wonderful tea service. Every time I come here, the servers are super nice and informative about the teas.
Yesterday, I got the Chinese Tea Service with smoked duck, and the pu-erh tea of the day was blood orange. While I've never had pu-erh tea before, and was thus inexperienced at what strength I would have like to taken it, the blood orange was prevalent. It was a delicious tea, that paired nicely with the duck. The duck was a little bit dry, but delicious. I should've eaten the squash dumplings first before they got cold. They were pretty good cold, but would've been delicious hot. (I was sitting outside and it was a little chilly which chilled my food faster than I would've liked) Everything was delicious!!!! And I loved it. Great meal to start of my long day in San Francisco.
Last summer, I tried their Platter of Tea Sweets with a friend. Mostly crumbly cookies and maybe something else, can't remember, but it went down well with tea!
And a few years back, I tried the English Service. Definitely can't go wrong with something as tradition as that. I love smoked salmon, and I love quiches, and when it's a smoked salmon quiche..the world stops spinning. The scones were a little bit dry, but then again, I've never really had a moist scone unless it was fresh out of then oven.
Overall, I love this place!
And eventually, I'll try all their tea services....you know, when money falls into my pocket... -
Review from Jeanne C.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/8/2012
The Korean/Chocolatey tea is EH (bad reco by the waitress).... but the view is still nice and beautiful as always!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/1/2010
So, I ask myself why NYC does not have a quaint tea lounge with a beautiful view. I ooh-ed and… Read more »
-
-
Review from Linda T.
Los Angeles, CA
1/24/2012
Even after living in NorCal for most all my life, I was taken aback by the breathtaking view and atmosphere walking up to Samovar. The tea house features an outdoor patio that overlooks the lush Yerba Buena gardens that, with a hot cup of tea in hand, represents the epitome of cozy. As my SF native friend stated, "it's so clean and nice, you almost forget you're in downtown..."
The servers are extremely knowledgeable about the extensive tea list so if you are n00b, like me, they can make some tasty recommendations. I tried the:
- Bai Mudan: Light and aromatic. While a great starter tea, I wish I had gotten something a bit more exotic...
- Smoke Wild Salmon Quiche: Filling was light and fluffy, salmon was tender and the crust was flaky. Amazing.
I had a *wonderful* experience at Samovar. Bring your friends, eat good food and enjoy the view! -
Review from Mel G.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
This is my favorite location of the Samovar Tea Lounges in SF. My friend and I came on a very quiet Thursday evening after work, and it was wonderful. The view of downtown SF is beautiful, and there is indoor and outdoor seating depending on what you prefer. An oasis in SOMA!
-
Review from C K.
Rochester, NY
2/4/2012
Excellent food, service and scenery.
-
Review from S L.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012
If you go to their website, there's a quote from a devoted fan, Esther, who states that this is where she comes to "recharge her soul batteries." That's right, you can come to Samovar to recharge your soul batteries on overpriced tea and food. I had the Chinese Service, and it did not represent the tea and food of my people. Every bite had a slight tinge of injustice. I do not recommend this hippy fecal matter.
-
Review from Nancy C.
1/8/2012
Samovar Tea Lounge is awesome. It's one of my favorite places to go to when I want a nice escape from the hubbub of downtown San Francisco. Tucked amongst the serenity of Yerba Buena Gardens and surrounded by a skyline of tall buildings and beautiful architecture, it's the perfect place to sit and lounge away on a sunny day. During colder weather, it's nice to sit inside, tucked in the warmth of the plush seats, pillows, and beautiful tall glass windows that let all the light in.
I like to come here to catch up with close friends and friends from out of town that I haven't seen in a while. There's nothing better than chatting over tea and light food. I love the variety of teas that they offer and I'm partial to the green tea. If you want any of the warm teas to be brewed cold, they will accommodate you. If you want a cold non-tea drink, the soy matcha shake is great. It's grassy with a light milky sweetness.
My favorite food here is the curry egg salad sandwich. YUM! You must try this. It has thin apple slices inside the sandwich. The combination sounds a little odd but the flavors complement each other so well. It's just so odd that it works. I've come here with friends before where the whole table orders the same thing. It's just that good.
Other plates I recommend are the squash dumplings or fruit platter with raw honeycomb, if you're looking for something very light. I love honeycomb!
Their desserts are worth a try too. I'm partial to the fudge brownie with green tea mousse. What I like best about eating here is that I always leave full but not feeling like a total fat ass. :)Listed in: Casual Dining
-
Review from AccioSoyMilk ..
Richland, MS
Updated - 1/2/2012
Well, it's been a few years since I've been here--I liked it better this time around, although I suppose it should really be a 3.5. Came here at lunch to meet with a friend. I came early and sat outside to avoid the inside crowd and to be sure we could meet up. It was chilly and I wanted (and my friend definitely agreed) to eat inside. I sat outside to wait for my friend and I was asked politely if I had been helped and I explained I was waiting for someone and was left alone after that.
My friend came by and we chatted before stepping in. We were told we had to wait 20 minutes--and this was past 1:15 on a Monday. Dang! It turned out to be more like 5 since we got seated in the corner. Normally I might not like it, but it was cozy nook with cushions. One thing that was odd was that it seemed a couple who was reading/iPadding stared at us when we sat down. It was random and a little weird.
We took a while to decide and it was amazing to see how busy they were past the lunch hour after a holiday. We got a veggie curry and a quiche. It came out fairly quickly (although we were busy catching up so my sense of time might have been skewed) and we ate. I liked my curry and the rice, avoided the yogurt. The curry wasn't spicy but it was just right in terms of taste to match my mood and spice. I also liked the chai, which like the curry was just spicy enough (as well as sweet). My friend liked her quiche as well.
We split the brownie with mousse but wasn't impressed. The mousse was not very green tea-flavored and the brownie was tiny for 8 bucks! It was, however, nice and fudgey and not cake-like.
Overall I liked it better than last time but we pretty much always had to flag someone down to take our order, get more water, etc. It was clear they were super busy although always nice. As others have mentioned, the bathrooms are fine, although today they were out of toilet seat covers, argh. I do agree that I wouldn't come here normally--if it's a special occasion or a date then perhaps. But otherwise it's too expensive for the price.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/26/2009
Eh. It was okay. Came here for a co-worker's farewell. I was excited to try it since I had not… Read more »
-
-
Review from Travis L.
1/3/2012
One of my favorite little places to bring friends for a chat over tea and light food. I really like its location at Yerba Buena terrace overlooking the MOMA. On a sunny day, it really is beautiful next to the fountains and the little picnic-friendly park area. Overall, the diverse list of teas really makes for high revisit-value. The food options are unique from toasted sandwiches to a play on the Cantonese "jook." I am interested to try their unique tea+food combination sets. However, for tea and light food, it is a tad overpriced. Be sure to ask for more hot water to get more bang for your tea, but in all honesty, if it's good tea, it's not great to overbrew it and have the tea leaves decay.
Two of my favorites for tea: The Ti Kuan Yin and the Maiden's Ecstasy Pu-Erh -
Review from Wendy H.
Houston, TX
1/1/2012
I'm normally not crazy about tea houses in the US since I am Asian and can easily get damn good teas from Japan and Taiwan at a fraction of the price..but this place was pretty special.
I had the Masala Chai and the Russian Blend. The tea concoctions were perfectly brewed and balanced with their accent spices..and made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Great ambiance and even better company (thanks Jane for squeezing me in in your ridiculously busy schedule) made for a perfect afternoon! -
Review from Susie P.
La Mirada, CA
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is alright. There are better tea places in San Francisco, but I would like to say that the view outside is nice minus all the birds that try to eat your food.
I would also like to say that the food is pretty delicious. -
Review from Sandy S.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2012
This place suxxx big time.If someone knows and has drank the real masala chai he will know what crap they are serving.Also their appetizer can be forgotten as the most yuckiest I ever had.On the top of all this they are damn expensive.If you wanna save your money,time & happiness don't go here.
-
Review from Chanel L.
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
They don't take reservations and its first come , first serve. Arrived around 11am and most of the good seats were taken. We were lucky to snag a table inside near the window. There was 4 of us and we shared the Moorish Tea and English tea set. We also ordered the polenta ginger waffles and salmon poached eggs over rice dish.
We had a good time and the environment was very soothing, peaceful and relaxing. Didn't really like the food selection, but the tea was really good. Not sure if I would come back and if the brunch was really worth $75. It was also my coworkers birthday, which we already told the waitress. No birthday song,.. or a birthday treat.
I left hungry and not satisfied. Will not be back! -
Review from michelle t.
Westwood, CA
12/13/2011
There is a reason why this place has such good ratings! Because it is THAT GOOD!
I didn't get to try everything on the menu, but what we did have was absolutely divine!
The way I would describe it is LIGHT BUT FILLING!
5 stars because I would take anyone I know back here without a doubt.
It is a very peaceful setting, nice ambiance.
This is the place to be if you are looking for a combo pack of : Tea, Dessert, Food, Ambiance.
For dessert I would suggest the Rose-infused Yogurt! It was just a very interesting mixture. Worth trying! -
Review from Ava C.
Milpitas, CA
1/27/2012
Really enjoyed this place -- it's truly an oasis in the middle of SF. Food was great, service was solid, and the tea I had was fantastic (turmeric tea).
Would give the place 5 stars if it were open past 8pm on a weeknight. It'd be a great place to meet up with friends and chat throughout the night except we have to leave at 8 and find someplace else to continue the conversation. -
Review from Mei X.
San Lorenzo, CA
Updated - 11/27/2011
It's been well over 2 years since I last review this place. And Samovar has never let me down once, or ever as a matter of fact. Samovar has an extremely special place in my heart. The food, service, and ambiance (both indoor and outdoor) has made this place my most favorite restaurant in the whole entire world.
My heart sings and flutters whenever I get the chance to dine here. Also, every single friend that I brought here always comes out satisfied and surprised. Both genders gave it thumbs up. Every girl that I brought here LOVES Samovar. Every guy that I brought gave it a surprising yes to the food, and yes, even the tea.
My favorite tea of all time has got to be Earl Grey with milk and sugar on the side. It's sooo good and have an irresistible scent. The food section is a mix of Asian fusion with English meals in there. Very interesting and YUMMY and reasonably priced. For me, I say it's about 10-20 dollars per person depending on what you get.
Not to mention, there's the million dollar view that you have for dining in the outside patio. And I must say, the PERFECT DATING SPOT when you want a good impression on your first date. This place is absolutely gorgeous. With the waterfalls, trees, birds, and green grass below you, I couldn't help thinking this is a mini Central Park.
Just thinking about this place makes me want to revisit again for the upcoming Christmas holidays. I truly appreciate businesses like this in the Bay Area. It's beautiful and elegant in their own character. And I wouldn't, for a second, wanted this to be anything different.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/14/2009
I come to this place every chance I get. Their Earl Red Tea with smoked salmon salad is the perfect… Read more »
-
-
Review from Steven B.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Samovar Tea Lounge is located behind the Metreon near the MLK waterfalls. It's pretty hard to miss because the front is all glass. The interior is very unique also with it's mixture of coloring and statues/decoration.
They have a wide variety of teas ranging from all cultures and places. There's everything from your green teas to black teas. Food-wise, they have brunch items and lunch items ranging from fruits to sandwiches. Wild Salmon Quiche is great... no it's awesome... wait it's a MUST HAVE! This quiche is just perfect in other words. Just get it and you won't regret it. The outside is crunchy and the inside is moist and soft. The salmon tastes goes really well with the quiche. The waffle they have is another great item to get.
If you're a fan of tea or just looking for an interesting date spot, this is your place to go to. It's definitely not an everyday lunch place since it's quite an expensive place. The quality of their tea and food is pretty high up there though. -
Review from Reena M.
I came upon this Tea Lounge while taking a break from the Moscone Center which is down the street. While walking up, the view is just beautiful. It is in the Yerba Buena Gardens next to a sushi restaurant and right next door to the art museums.
I had a seat outside facing the water fountains which was so relaxing. The weather was great, a bit chilly, but went well with the wonderful green jasmine pearls tea that I ordered. It came with a cast iron tea pot which had the hot water, a strainer with the loose tea and then the cup for me to sip on.
I wanted to have the mushroom quiche that they had on the menu but for some reason they were out of mushrooms so I ended up ordering the squash dumplings. I would rate it about 4/5. It was something different and I loved it since it was vegetarian.
This is a tea house I will definitely come back to when I am back in this beautiful city. The tea, food and view is something to come back for.
A major plus for them, they have a nice Ganesh statue in the inside dining area =)
P.S. - they have an email subscription club where you can get updates and discounts on tea which they ship to your house. -
Review from Casey S.
11/12/2011
Sure, you're paying $10 for a pot of tea, but you shouldn't look at it that way.
Think of it as a $10 cover charge to a haven from the touristy bustle from the city. The tea is just a bonus. -
Review from Brittany B.
Los Angeles, CA
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I wanted to like this place, I really did. The food was so weird and the service was so bad that it is hard to like it. The one thing it has going for it is the atmosphere. The space is bright and open and there is nice outdoor seating.
I ordered the Jook. It was a cold day, as it often is in San Francisco and I wanted something warm and comforting. It came with smoked duck, seaweed, garlic chips and a few more very strong flavored items. It was like a bowl of mushy oatmeal or porridge.
The tea I had was interesting. It was called nocturnal bliss and was a sweeter tea, without being too sweet. I honestly prefer the Yogi teas better that I get at Whole Foods.Listed in: Lunch in San Francisco
-
Review from Mansi A.
11/21/2011
Another simply delightful tea time experience at Samovar. A charming location in Yerba Buena Gardens...in the heart of SOMA, yet an escape from the surrounding craziness.
The jasmine pearl tea was the perfect escape from a cold, blistery San Francisco day. :) -
Review from Tara L.
10/11/2011 2 Check-ins Here
*Love* this place.
The food was great, but the experience was what really left an impression.
On a crisp, sunny day nothing beats dining outside and Samovar offers the perfect environment - a serene and peaceful haven in the midst of the concrete jungle.
Our waitress took her time to explain the menu and tea pairings. It's a pretty simple and yet sophisticated menu filled with a worldly variety of offerings. I wanted to eat light, so I ordered the Wasabi Caesar Salad with WIld Smoked Salmon. It was delightful and fairly filling. Our waitress suggested pairing with the Ryokucha tea (green) which was vibrant in color and nutty in flavor.
It was just a nice change of pace and stood out to me as an experience that is not just your run of the mill, average meal.
Next time I'm in town, I've got my eyes on the ginger quinoa waffles!Listed in: My Golden Guide to San…
-
Review from Mike S.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love this place. My GF and I were at MOMA for a sort of a field trip day. It was nice to sit there, relax, and enjoy good tea, and finger food, while chatting about the different exhibits.
-
Review from Tracy T.
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
First and foremost, I was definitely thrown off by the pricing. The cheapest thing on the menu is an Arnold Palmer/California Iced Tea for $6 or $8. That drink is just an iced tea lemonade! The sets that included food were ridiculously priced!!
However, the quality here is amazing. I was a bit skeptical to be honest (it's just TEA). My lemonade tea was delicious! Freshly squeezed lemon, a green jasmine tea that had very floral tones. It was delightful! My companion had the most expensive tea on the menu. The name eludes me now but it is a green tea priced at $29.99 and it is a specific green tea that is grown in the shade/dark and is very labor intensive to produce. It had beautiful color and a very umami, bitter and fresh taste. The waiter was helpful the entire time despite our lack of decisiveness. We also munched on some cookies that were made with their fresh tea as well (matcha green tea powder, african roobois tea, etc).
We sat in the outdoor seating area since it was a sunny day. We were placed in an extremely sunny area and it got hot :( Also, there is a definite pigeon/bird problem but that is to be expected in any urban outdoor seating area. The birds were extremely daring.
I do intend to return and try their full food and tea sets to really have the entire experience. -
Review from Jacqueline C.
Oakland, CA
11/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was pleasantly surprised by Samovar Tea Lounge. I had been there in 2007 for a corporate event and wasn't particularly impressed.
I went there recently, as a group of six. They don't take reservations, so get there early to grab a table.
I wasn't sure what to expect here. I assumed it wouldn't be your ordinary high tea . . . and I was right! Samovar has a variety of culturally-inspired tea service, including Moorish, English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian (hence the samovar), etc. They also have an a la carte tea and food selection. If you do a la carte, you'll probably spend more than you expected to (can you say $8 brownie?). The various tea services range from about $19-24, with most being around $22.
The ambiance is warm (assuming you get indoor seating), cozy, and trendy. The service is friendly.
I had the Moorish tea service, squash dumplings, and an additional cup of tea -- Masala Chai. I split the food with a friend; it was enough for a light lunch. The tea also makes you more full than you ordinarily might get.
The Moorish service consisted of:
Halloumi & Veggie Kebabs, Mint Salad, Hummus,
Roasted Eggplant, Greek Yogurt, Herbed Crackers,
Chevre-Stuffed Dates, Mint Tea
The best part of the kebabs was the grilled chunks of cheese -- SO good! YUM! The Chevre-stuffed dates (with a mint leaf) were also noteworthy. The mint tea was a less sweet version of Moroccan mint tea. The squash dumplings were good -- thin, greasy, and crispy -- a nice vegetarian option.
The Masala Chai was especially good and enjoyed by everyone at the table -- the perfect addition to a chilly fall afternoon in San Francisco! -
Review from Annie D.
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been here twice over the years and it's clear that the atmosphere is the real star of the show. The green patio is gorgeous and even the inside feels like outside because you're surrounded by windows like a sunny greenhouse. It makes for a lovely afternoon escape.
Foodwise, it's just OK. I thought the tea soup with duck was VERY bland. I can't believe they charge $12 for it. I enjoyed my ciabatta sandwich and cheese course a bit more during the second trip though.
And as for tea alone, I doubt it gets much better than this. I liked their masala chai and mint tea, and would come again to try out one of their more involved traditional tea services (they offer tea service from all over the world that includes food pairings and the Japanese, Chinese and Indian versions sound great). -
Review from Andrea B.
10/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Samovar is a very trendy tea lounge, perfect for lazy afternoons with tea and friends.
My friends and I tried many dishes - Smoked Salmon Jook, Curried egg salad sandwich, Quinoa Ginger Waffle, as well as the (small) Moorish plate. We loved everything. We also tried the Baozhong Oolong tea, as well as the Masala Chai. Both very good - the teapot and cup were burning hot and not well designed, so we spilled a lot.
The Jook was the star, though. I will get this again and again.
I will say that the Quinoa waffle tasted nothing like quinoa or ginger, but the waffle was super fluffy, and the syrup was awesome.
Service was nice. This place is pretty expensive, but the ambiance/food is worth it. -
Review from Vanilla P.
San Lorenzo, CA
11/4/2011
There is a waitress here who looks just like Deena from Jersey Shore. I think it might actually be her.
Don't sit down outside unless you're really seriously gonna order. We were meeting a friend and arrived 3o minutes before Samovar opened. Not once but twice were we asked if we were going to order. Jeez, calm down and yes we will, but you aren't even open yet!
Order the Moorish tea service - the mint tea is amazing and the grilled cheese is fantastic - it squeaks against your teeth as you bite it, and has an awesome paneer-like quality that's perfect when slightly charred.
My friend ordered the bento box and was super jealous of my Moorish tea. Just sayin' -
Review from Suan W.
Silicon Valley
9/15/2011
I tried the Moorish Service for lunch today. Who knew halloumi was so squeaky? I just wanted to keep masticating loudly to maintain the pleasure it gave me, but alas, I finished feeling satiated.
The other components on the tray were tantalizing as well - mint salad, chevre-stuffed dates with candied walnuts, flat crackers, greek yogurt, and extra hummus to substitute eggplant (barf!). Paired with mint tea, the light meal kept me full for the rest of the day. Perfect for a perpetual dieter and daily food logger. -
Review from Chrissy H.
San Francisco, CA
10/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm not generally a huge fan of tea...I know I shouldn't say that because I am Chinese. But look, this place has very well-designed dishes, very subtle twists on seemingly normal things. I had the wasabi caesar salad which I loved, and this is saying a lot given I don't even like wasabi, or caesar salad come to think of it (my friend had ordere it for us). Very subtle wasabi flavor, did not overwhelm the dish at all.
The best part of the meal was the sandwich--with portabello mushroom and some sort of delicious mustard dressing, which seems strange but turned out incredible. I would highly recommend these two dishes...Hold on the dessert though. Definitely not worth the price. You can get much better stuff around SF. -
Review from Markus N.
Updated - 9/5/2011
Already I've shared the pleasure that Samovar pours with many. Saturday past I shared it with my Dad. The sun was shining; it was a jacket on-jacket off kind of San Francisco day. We had chai and dates with goat cheese, walnuts and mint.
In my mind as we sat I apologized again for not being the best son. But only in my mind, because the day was beautiful and all that was a very long time ago. We enjoyed the day, we enjoyed the company.
Thank you Samovar.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/22/2011
Briefly, as there's paying work to do.
The tea is expensive, but to celebrate the solstice on a… Read more »
-
-
Review from Janet Z.
Menlo Park, CA
11/5/2011
Setting: Afternoon tea with a foodie and tea fan. It was raining outside, so we took a seat inside. The accents were beautiful and the background music was a nice touch. I was slightly put off by how crowded it was and I wish the seats weren't so close together. There were several times where I had to move my chair to let the other patrons or the waiters by...
Order: Bai Mudan white tea, Green matcha tea, tea soup with tofu, fudge brownie with green tea mousse. The teas were good, although quite pricey. The green tea was beautiful but drink it fast as it cools very quickly! The tea soup was underwhelming in flavor, but I enjoyed the fudge brownie and green tea mousse (I'm a huge fan of green tea ice cream though, so this shouldn't be a shocker).
Cost: $56 + cost of parking around yerba buena ($3.50 an hour). as i said, a bit pricey. -
Review from Adrienne V.
West Covina, CA
9/30/2011
Cute place on the top terrace.
The location is fairly secluded so it isn't right by the busy streets. On the day we went, there was a wedding photoshoot going on. Super cute! I wasn't entirely sure what to get so I stuck to the english breakfast option I believe? It's been a while... The english breakfast includes a salmon quiche, a cranberry[?] pastry of some sort, and an assortment of apples and oranges. The tea was a simply black tea with milk and sugar on the side.
THE QUICHE
was very rich an tasteful. I hadn't had quiche in quite a while, but I really enjoy cheese. It's a pretty good amount, I could barely finish half of it. It had some green onions and the salmons shredded up, but the smokey flavor is prominent. mm..
THE PASTRY
was alright. It was a little dense in my opinion. Mehh... nothing to really rave about but it wasn't horrible.
FRUIT?
... pointless to review fruit haha
THE TEA
was fairly mediocre in my opinion. I work at a tea shop, so I get black tea for free. It was mild, and I guess if you've never had tea before it'd be good.
I wish I had the waffles; they looked so appetizing but I really wanted the 3 tier dish. The prices are a little steep for tea, I will admit... but the ambiance, the experience, and the location make up for it. -
Review from Tiffany C.
Los Altos, CA
11/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm slightly addicted to tea. So I figured I would automatically like this place. This location is really nice since it's centrally located in yerba buena gardens. I ordered the quinoa waffles with a masala chai. Others in my party had the duck bowl, and the japanese tea combination. The quinoa made the waffles a bit lighter and fluffier, but nothing special. The best part was actually the syrup, which is suppose to be agave nectar. I think it taste more like a light molasses.
The Japanese tea pairing was okay. It's cool since you can make little nori wraps with the seaweed, smoked salmon, and rice. However it's just really hard for me to justify the price. $22 for a pot of green tea, things to munch on, and a soup.
I think overall the bill with tip was about $60, which I really just wasn't worth it to me. Most of the tea actually cost more than the dishes. (Food is about regular price, but the tea just cost too much in my opinion) -
Review from Maria A.
San Francisco, CA
11/6/2011
Surprising brunch spot. Their waffles, salmon quiche, and chai were flavorful and light. They actually tasted....healthy, in a good way. The waffles came with a side of cut up fruit, the quiche came with a salad and slices of orange.
Would've given it 5 stars, but as an avid coffee drinker (chai just didn't have enough caffeine) I would LOVE it if they added a few coffee drinks to the menu. I know, i know, it's obviously a tea spot. But I had to get Peet's afterwards because I still needed to wake-up. -
Review from Stephanie Y.
San Francisco, CA
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Totally disappointed!!!! I saw this deal and came with 2 other friends. It was a really hot day, we get there and choose to sit inside since all of the shaded outside spots were taken. It's like a greenhouse .... instead of cooling me down it was making me sweat more. We sat for 15 minutes (mind you it's 1:30pm... the place is practically empty inside) and I couldn't get someone's attention to get us some water. We finally get the person's attention and it takes him another 10 minutes to get us water. I wouldn't even consider this place big.
We ordered the Chinese lunch set which was a duck stir fry with some pu-er tea that they choose. The tea was just tea I drink at home already. It was weak even though I let it brew. It was also annoying to pour the hot water into the small clay tea pot then pour it into my cup. The tea leaves kept clogging my spout, which caused me to tilt it at a steeper angle which is potentially dangerous. Hot water could leak from the lid and burn my fingers. I also think it's silly that they give you a pot of hot water from the start when it starts cooling down and it's cold by the time you finish your meal, which is when you want hot tea. The duck stir fry was plain and the only flavor was the salt from the soy sauce. The squash dumplings wasn't sweet or salty. This place is just a rip off. -
Review from Analisa S.
Berkeley, CA
10/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went to Samovar at the request of a friend and really enjoyed their restaurant. Its on top of Yerba Buena gardens and feels so cozy. The staff is incredibly nice and really accomodating to customer's needs. I had the Grilled Agor Cheese, Sun Dried Tomato, Pesto served on whole-wheat ciabatta with English Breakfast Tea. The sandwich prices are common for organic, downtown SF prices ($11) but the tea was a little on the steep side ($8). But if you plan on going to Samovar to work in the afternoon and stay for a few hours, it has such a nice ambiance that the tea will be worth it.
My sandwich was really good. I tried to google "Agor Cheese" ahead of time, but Samovar comes up in the results. Looks like its their own concoction.
I like this place and I'll definitely be back again soon. -
Review from Annika L.
Irvine, CA
10/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
I moved from the Bay Area to Orange County back in March 2009. I very much miss my family, bestest friend Paul, and Samovar Tea Lounge.
Of course, it's probably a good thing that I moved out of the area, because I would have ended up spending all my money there. This place, quite simply, made me fall in love with tea. Without Samovar, Lapsang Souchong would not be a part of my life, and the mere thought brings a tear to my eye. But then, without Samovar I wouldn't have painful withdrawals from their nori.
My pantry is still stocked with Samovar's Lapsang Souchong and Moorish Mint (which I brew in my Samovar Infusing Mug). Thank the gods they ship their tea, because no other brand or blend comes close.
I miss their tea service, I miss their food (Japanese Maki bowl with Tofu and extra side of nori), I miss the atmosphere, I miss the complete Samovar experience.
The next time I visit the Bay Area I'll stop in to give my family a hug and then haul ass to Samovar, where I expect my husband will have to drag me out.
