Slow Club
Categories: American (New), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mission2501 Mariposa St
(between Hampshire St & York St)
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 241-9390
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu 6:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri 6:30 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Sat 6:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
457 reviews
Neighborhood: Mission
"Two dinners and one brunch later, I have a five-star feeling about Maverick. Nothing screams five stars, but you know how the…" read more »
390 Reviews for Slow Club
Reeeeeeeeally good burgers and fries.
Everything else - wouldn't have a clue.
But good burger and fries.
No cheap burger and fries.
But gooooooood in the tummy.
I have dined here quite a few times and have very mixed feelings about the experience.
The Pros:
The food is of good quality and I appreciate the daily rotating menu.
Full bar and good service.
The Cons:
While the food is well prepared something about the offered dishes just misses and I never find anything on the menu to get genuinely excited over (and for a gal who works to appreciate every meal to the fullest this is a huge dissapointment.)
This place is concrete which translates to ridiculously lound. Sound just bouces off all the hard surfices until you can barely hear yourself think. They need to hang some tapestries or something to absorb the sound.
My mom is really bad with names:
Mom: You'll never believe what happened! You know Kristy, your camp buddy?
Me: Kirsten?
Mom: Yeah. *lowers voice* Well. She started dating that Davy Johnson - you know, the not-so-bright kid who played baseball, but then threw out his arm beating up that poor Davis boy?
Me: Dennis Jackson?
Mom: That's what I said. Anyway, they just broke up and now they're moving to Alameda.
Me: I heard they were moving to Atlanta.
Mom: They are. Aren't you paying attention?
It's really fun.
This afternoon, I printed directions to Slow Club off MapQuest, which I promptly folded up into a little triangle (very professional), and shoved into the depths of my totebag - I mean purse - never to be seen again.
When MUNI (the number 9 - which I recommend you take if you wish to see a guy with teardrop tattoos on his face scream at the driver and then sit next to you and say, "how you doin'?") dropped me off at Potrero & 17th, I forgot where I was going.
Fortunately, there were people I could ask for directions:
Me: Excuse me, do you know where Slow Cook is?
Random Guy: What?
Me: Slow Cook, like the crock pot?
Random Guy: Never heard of it.
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Me: Excuse me, do you know where Slow Food is?
Random Muchacho: Como?
Me: aaaa (seizing an opportunity to use my superb Spanish skills) Donde esta el Comida Slow-a?
RM: Comida Slow-a?
Me: Si.
RM: No se.
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So after stopping several people while searching for Slow Cook, Slow Food and Slow Table, I found my destination: Slow Club.
At least I got the first word of the name correct. Great, I'm turning into my mother.
At 7:30 on a Wednesday, we didn't even have to wait (surprising, since they do not take resos). Ashley, our really nice server, led us to our table. Over a bottle of Sauv Blanc (glasses are for wimps, bottles are for champs), we watched the lighting in the restaurant go from "day" to "heeeyyyyyy." Everyone knows what a fan of dim-lighting I am, but the candles on the tables, combined with twilight outside = my best chance at looking moderately attractive to members of the opposite sex.
The papardelle was delicious. Especially since I've been enjoying a light summer diet of fiber wafers and belgian beer for the past few weeks. The egg noodles came with perfectly prepared spinach, pancetta, and a few other add-ins that I should have googled first.
His pan-roasted chicken looked great. I wanted to wait for him to run to the restroom so I could shove half of his dinner in my mouth, but he was enjoying it and I decided to be a mature dining companion. Hmph.
After dinner, we grabbed drinks at the bar. Our bartender was personable and prepared my Bicyclette with a fresh orange slice and a flourish.
5 Stars, Slow Cook. I mean, Slow Club :)
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This place is a little pricey but it pretty much offers everything I'm looking for in a chilled out dinner experience- easy parking, great food, chill vibe, and stiff drinks! Although the service overall isn't noteworthy, I gotta give props to our bartender who hooked us up with a free drink even though the girlfriend spilled her drink and broke the martini glass in the process.
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I've always felt that restaurants with a "no reservations" policy had a lot more to live up to. First come, first serve. It says something about how you perceive your restaurant to be and how well you expect it to do. It is also the reason why we chose the Slow Club over other dining options. The risk that we would have to take to arrive and potentially wait hours for a seat was...well...exciting (and would further speak to the greatness of the meal we would consume).
As it turned out, we did not actually have to wait to be seated on a Wednesday night at 8:30PM. I was starving by this point so the "excitedly waiting to be seated after an hour" wouldn't have played out well anyway. The décor is industrial chic and very dark (although they turned up the light in our section as soon as we sat down). Our server was attentive and the atmosphere reminded me of one my favorite restaurants, The Public, which is unfortunately closed now.
For our meal, we ordered:
-Antipasto
-Baby Red Mustard Greens Salad
-Burger (2)
-Fromage Blanc Cheese Cake
The salad was a huge portion. I don't recommend it, but not because something was wrong with it. It was just rather average. I didn't have any of the antipasto, but from the way that my friend ate every single bite, I'm assuming that it must have been pretty good.
The burgers we both ate down to the crumbs. I'm always a fan of burgers, and this one I'd rate as one of the better ones I've had in SF. Not every restaurant can make a good burger, you know. The portion was perfect and left just enough room for a few bites of dessert.
The cheesecake was good. I would probably opt for a different dessert next time, but it definitely met expectations.
Having been to many restaurants in the city and beyond, the Slow Club is what I would expect out of a SF restaurant. Doesn't disappoint, but given how much I hyped it up in my own head based on its No Reservations rule, I wanted more.
This place is really more of a 3.5 for me. Rounded up to 4 for the burger.
I will come back, but most likely because I can't get reservations elsewhere first.
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Despite the name, this place isn't slow nor is it a club. It is a very solid restaurant though. We came on a Saturday night at 7 and were seated right away- we were expecting at least a half hour wait and were pleasantly surprised when we didn't have to wait.
I agree with everyone else, their burgers are excellent and just the right size. I hate eating burgers and feeling like I have to unbutton my pants. The fries along side the burgers were almost as good as the burger itself.
The only complaint I have about this place is the layout is a little confusing at first- you walk in and the kitchen is right next to you with the bar way at the back. Threw me off a little... I'm always used to seeing a bar up front.
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Horrible brunch. French toast is soaked in butter and comes with the syrup already on it. It was super eggy too. Some of the worst french toast I have ever had. I also tried the turkey sausage hash....no flavor...you need to douse it with salt/pepper/hot sauce.
Service was fine. Ambiance was depressing...dark and drab.
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Ok, here is what you do. Start a tradition with your friends. Something food related with GOOD cocktails or a good bottle of wine thrown into the mix. For me and my friends it is Martinis and Pizza, Mimosas and homemade French toast, and Casadias and Cuban Mojito but make one for your self. With this in mind, the Slow Club is a great way to start that tradition now.
This place is cold at first, but after a couple of drinks and the coziness of the waiters and fellow customers, you will feel right as rain. It is a bit off the beaten track, but you can take a bus from down town or from 16th and Mission. I know most people deplore public transportation, but think of it as a dinner and a "freak" show... but the "freak" show is first. =)
Anyway, try this on for size: Burgers (11) and Cote Da Rhone. Their Burger is not a burger, it is a soft, succulent stake that has been beaten into a constancy of pudding on mild bun which can be tossed at your whim. The tomatoes, spicy mustard, peppery arugula make quite the fest for under 15 bucks. Now, order their house Red, which is a deep earthy red with hints of chocolate and pepper, but without the bitter tannin you would expect with most house reds.
Their wine list is simple, but precise. Ever heard of "pairing", well it is where the Chef chooses what wine should go with what and more times than not, you will be VERY surprised at the taste. Talk about compound flavors! It was quite nice to say the very least. After your dinner, step down into the cool bar and follow up with a couple of cocktails on a comfy chair next to the bar. Not bad for a relaxing evening in the outskirts of the Mission, yes?
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I don't get the hype really.
I've seen this place consistently get a better star rating than places like Zuni Cafe or even Boulevard.
The food is alright. The atmosphere is stark. It's loud.
My meals were twice disappointing...not so fresh and lacking in creativity.
Mediocre with a snobby air.
I tried twice...no more.
Slow Club definitely has an up and coming neighborhoody vibe going on. Last time I came with a party of 5 and waited for a solid hour but on a later Saturday afternoon brunch for a party of 2 there was zilch waiting.
Kdubbs and I definitely enjoyed the fried egg sandwich (drippy egg was superb) as well as the FRESH strawberry watermelon aqua fresca-a refreshing treat to the norm non -alcohol fare however, I have to admit the chicken rancheros were a bit too soggy for my liking. Just imagine wet tuna fish from the can but chicken in your eggs.
BUT I recommend going for the chill ambiance and the feeling that you are transported to a way cooler place than outside SOMA.
As a brunchoholic I'm always keeping my eyes open for good places to have a nice Sunday meal, esp. in the neighborhood. Going to the Slow Club this past weekend was another brunch where we all left full and happy and didn't have to spend too much money, it was great.
Between our party of three, the dishes we ordered were the grilled flatbread, chicken ranchero (w/o the chicken!), and the turkey sausage hash. I had a bite of the flatbread and my entree was the ranchero, both orders were yummy. The grilled flatbread was a little like pizza and the ranchero was like a having a quesidilla with tasty beans, guacamole, and jack cheese. I also LOVED the potatoes that came with it.
The bill was probably our favorite part. For the three of us, the total was just under $34!
Came here hungry after a Saturday a.m. bike ride. Several cocktails, huevos rancheros, egg sammy and french toast later...satisfied. Perfectly cooked eggs, well seasoned chicken, plenty of black beans, sour cream and crispy oven potatoes. French toast was huge and delicious. Eggy, crispy and topped off with a delicious drizzle of syrup, strawberries and walnuts. Attentive, unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere. No one is trying too hard. Don't even get me started about the cocktails...outstanding food, drinks and service. If dinner is anything like brunch, I think I have found my favorite go-to place
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Generally, I love Slow Club. The food has been consistently good and the drinks substantially potent since I started coming here about 5 years ago. And, surprisingly, I have come to love the powdered hand soap in the restroom.
My last visit was a little off . . . . First, instead of having to wait 30+ minutes for a table we were seated right away at around 9 on a Saturday night. We both ordered salads which arrived so quickly. It was like we had ordered them in advance. Then, our entrees arrived soon thereafter. My pork may have been a little underdone but it tasted good and the polenta was killer as it usually was.
Dinner flew by so quickly that we were out the door before 9:45p. Quite a short Saturday date night.
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Slow Club is dependable for food - always good but not outstanding, fresh, and up-to-date. But, if you want your sandwich made special order, that might be difficult. They weren't able to accomodate a turkey sandwich sans lettuce, tomato, etc. (It was for a kid.) My biggest qualm with the restaurant is the sound. It's always really loud, sometimes tough to hear the rest of your party. If you're headed there, then lean in close and talk loudly.
For better food and a more easygoing environment, I'd try Universal Cafe in the Mission or bar Jules in Hayes Valley.
Best brunch I've had in San Francisco. I'm crushed out on brunch ever since my San Diego days of living and dying by Hash House a Go Go, and I've never found comparable quality...until now.
My hyphy wifey (upgrade from "boo" thanks to gay marriage being legal now) and I had the frittata and the turkey sausage hash (with the biscuit in lieu of the toast). I had just eaten breakfast before coming in, and I had my whole plate as well a good chunk of hers. Now, I can eat a lot, but usually, I eat a lot because I'm hungry. This time, I ate purely for taste. The boring old house coffee was excellent. Full bar, too.
The menu is not extensive, but what is offered is done well. I would absolutely return.
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Update:
Went to slow club and was served RAW CHICKEN! WTF! RAW CHICKEN! Not a little pink but out right raw. It's basic culinary skills to be able to cook a chicken breast.
I was supper surprised and even more surprised when the check came. Something that bad should be completely on the house considering the illness it could have yielded. But instead we had to pony up for the rest of the bill excluding the chicken. In a normal situation I would have been fine with a little error in the kitchen and a comp as a result however, had I gotten sick from RAW CHICKEN it is a different perspective. The staff was even a bit unapologetic, wonder if it is because this is more common than not?
Just be careful when eating here since the lighting is very low it is hard to see if this is happening to you until you are a good way through your RAW CHICKEN plate.
I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AT ALL!
This is sad...my husband and I used to love this place. When we didn't live in the neighborhood we would make the trek over at least once a month. We only live a few blocks away and used to consider it one of the go-to places when we wanted to eat out.
This last time we went over on a Thursday evening at around 7:00 when it wasn't that busy. Since the weather was really nice outside we asked for a table outside. There was a group already out there so we figured we wouldn't be neglected.
Unfortunately, we were wrong. After sitting there for 20 mins with out so much as a water or someone to take our drink order, I went inside to ask for if there would be someone to check on us or should we sit inside. The hostess replied, " too bad, it will be a 30+ min wait" (mind you this place does not take res. and there were 2 tables empty) I then asked if someone could please come out and take our order. She replied, "yeah, whatever."
We sat out there for another 10 mins and still not even a water!
We then left.
Now the sad part is that since we have been going there, the chef has changed and most of the cool staff has left. The food became over salted, under seasoned, and lower quality(think gristly meat). I have had pretty much every thing on the menu at one time or another with less and less success. It really is too bad, because we used to love this place but will never eat there again.
Who needs to pay money to be treated poorly and to eat horrible food?
If you want good food, head just a block or so further and grab a table at Universal Cafe. It is always spot on. :)
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Very good food! I remember going here years ago and then finally went back this week for lunch. I really liked the mahi mahi with beans. For some reason, I was thinking sandwich when I ordered it but was not disappointed when I had moist mahi dish on top of some white beans. Yum! It got really busy for a late lunch though so beware.
My carnivorous meals usually consist of chicken or fish. I can go weeks without red meat. However, my good friend always raved about Slow Club's burger. So my husband and I had to try it. I gobbled the whole burger within 5 minutes. We both agreed that the burger was to-die-for. The meat was sooooo good, juicy, and cooked perfectly to your request. This burger alone will get my red meat fix if I ever need one.
Another thing we tried that was very delicious is the grilled flat bread. If only there was a whole menu on grilled flat bread, I would have found my new pizza place. (I hope you are reading this Slow Club ;).
Friggin fantastic!! Slow Club's been around for a long time, however it's been a long time since I've been.. so I needed to make a visit. A. and I haven't been on date night for a while so tonight was the night and Slow Club it was....
FYI - they don't take reservations, so be prepared to wait at least 20-40 minutes. No worries, there's a bar that serves delicious drinks and the bartender.. super friendly. We both ordered the margarita - forget the name- in spirit of Cinco de Mayo - i couldn't finish it fast enough, it was that good.
Prior to visiting I checked out the menu so knew I would have the Pan Roasted Chicken: umbrian farro, baby turnips, roasted onions,
lamb's quarters & roasted poblano relish - I wish I hadn't eaten so much bread (I was starving!) because by the time my plate came out I wasn't hungry anymore. First bite, the fork consisted of a piece of chicken with roasted onion. OMG! OMG! wow- excellent! I typically don't order chicken but the way this dish looked I had to and I am SOOO glad I did. Seriously this dish is a must.
A. ordered the hamburger with fries - he loved it.
We were way too stuffed for dessert..
Today, I had my left overs.. mmmm just as good as yesterday. I can't wait to dine here again. and again.. and again...
BTW- I hear Slow Club has a fabulous brunch too!
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Weekend brunch at Slow Club. After reading numerous glowing reviews I was really excited to try this place. I found the food to be decent, but not as amazing as I'd hoped.
The breakfast/brunch items were surprisingly limited. I'm probably just whining about there not being any poached eggs! Boo.
We tried:
Turkey sausage hash- satisfyingly good. Neat how they mix in yams with potatoes for a different taste. Accompanying toast was burnt, so I couldn't eat it.
Bourbon french toast- so sugary sweet that I couldn't even finish, and that never happens. Trust me, I like my sugar. Why doesn't the syrup come on the side instead of drenched all over the toast? I did like how they used (Acme?) sour batard, but the boyfriend was not feeling it.
The decor is a little...dark. Cool for dinner, not so much for brunch on a sunny spring day.
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For me, this spot is super hit or miss. Ive been and the food has been fantastic, and Ive been when I wasnt thrilled. The crowd is intense and its a long wait. I like it for lunch and I love their new sister resturant "Serpentine" in Dog Patch
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three words: banana bread pudding.
yes. any restaurant that has this on their menu and doesn't manage to mess it up is automatically on my favorites list.
my friend and i stopped for lunch today and we were overall pretty impressed. the atmosphere was a little dark and gloomy for my taste, but it wasn't horrible. the staff was super nice and had some hotties working the kitchen (esp the cook with the glasses).
i had my heart on getting the crispy chicken sandwich (yes, i was prepared to break my vegetarianism) but alas, they ran out!!! the waitress didn't help by telling me how delicious it was but she shared my pain because she didn't get to order one herself. i settled on the mahi mahi (i guess i really just wanted meat) with toscanelli beans, roasted squash, and a tasty aioli. the fish was quite good. a little overcooked but that might have been my fault because i asked for medium instead of medium rare. my friend had the beef brisket sandwich which he enjoyed as well.
and of course, we had the banana bread pudding. it was really tasty. warm and just the right amount of moistness. the creme on top was just right. the only critisim i had was that it was a little dense and i wished they left more areas of the bread pudding toast on top for that crunchy layer. but overall, delish.
i definitely am looking forward to trying slow club for brunch! it a little far from my usually stomping grounds, but i'm ready to make the trip!!!
I feel very blessed to live so close to such fabulous restaurants. To have slow club and universal cafe as my local joints is great.
I've been going to slow club for a long time, and I absolutely love it. Their turkey sausage hash and frittatas are great, and the sweet risotto is divine. I recently went there for lunch with a friend for the first time and ate a super yummy salad that involved quinoa, feta, and a hunk of mahi mahi.
I'm taking one star off bc at brunch for some reason the bacon has always been either lukewarm or soggy. But other than that it's great. Friendly service, good, strong drinks, and super close to home. what more can I ask for?
Meh. Best part of the meal was the appetizer we got. Delicious pork rilletes served with grilled bread and rainbow pickled carrots. The pork was almost like confit in its consistency - and spread on the grilled bread with a little of the delicious whole grain mustard? Yum! We should have each gotten an order of that and been done with it.
One of us had the burger, which definitely is worth the hype. Very juicy and tasty, though the bun could be a bit sturdier. We also had the black cod - which was fishy and bland; and the grilled pork tenderloin. The grilled pork was one of the toughest cuts of meat I've ever tried to saw through. Maybe too lean, and cooked too fast? I don't know, but it took some heavy duty chewing and I left most of it on the plate. The sides were good, though. Blue corn polenta with greens and bacon. Excellent combination.
As for the rest - I had a couple of cocktails from the very cute bar in the back. Those were two of the weakest drinks I've ever had! Just because I like frou frou cocktails doesn't mean I don't want any alcohol in them!!
And our waiter. Yeesh. First off, we weren't even sure he was our waiter at first. He wasn't dressed like a waiter, no apron, no notepad. And while he wasn't blatantly bad, he was utterly, utterly indifferent. I left 15%, which for me, is a really bad tip. He would have had to spill food on my head for me to not leave any.
So, while the place is cute and all, the food, drinks and service really didn't all add up for me. I probably won't be back.
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I saw that picture on yelp and I HAD to try the Turkey Sausage Hash. Yum!
Service was a bit slow, but we were not pressed for time, so I had no problem at all. Our waitress was not that attentive, but that's okay too. I forgive them b/c my breakfast was so good. She was all smiles though, but it seemed like she wasn't really there. But it's not all about the service.
We ordered dessert too and I had strawberry shortcake and that was quite delicious. So was the banana bread pudding. Soft and moist. I will def. be back again and I will have to bring my good friends here!
one of the best hamburgers and fries in the city. the first time i went, i had already eaten lunch and came to hang out with friends and split a burger. i had wished i ordered my own after the first bite! i went back again a week later to do just that! haven't been back to try anything else---their menu looks good, but it's gonna take me a while before i can bring myself to order anything other than their burger + fries!
service was a bit slow (no pun intended) both times i went though.
They didn't have "out of this world" options on the menu for brunch, but I have always heard this place is good for both brunch and dinner. My friend and I got the frittata without cheese to split, and it was nice, but nothing amazing.
Will definitely give it another chance for dinner sometime.
My friends and I had a party to go to at Circolo and I drew the straw to pick a dinner place. Slow Club was a few blocks down and we collectively heard good things about it (though no-one could say from whom...hmm). They don't take reservations but it wasn't an issue even though it was a gorgeous Saturday night. We sat outside and the service was still timely. I had the caesar salad for starts, which was good but not Jack Falstaff caesar salad good, and for the main course I had the pan roasted chicken. It was scrumptious; the breast laid on a bed of quinoa and roasted fennel and it all played well together in my mouth. Best of all, I didn't have to sell something on ebay in order to pay for it.
By the way the neighborhood is a different change of pace than the NOMA scene. Had no trouble finding free street parking and it seemed safe to walk around.
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The food here is terrific. The Praether Ranch hamburger is the best in town and the fries are among the best I've had. Thin and crisp and delicious.
My only beef with this place is they can be very pissy pants about getting a table. In my opinion ... if you show up early and drink at the bar before the dining room opens you should get some preference. On one visit we were given extreme attitude for taking our drinks and grabbing a table for dinner. After telling the pissy pants hostess "excuse us for spending money at your bar AND staying for dinner" she got over herself.
All in all this is a VERY nice place for dinner. Just come early. It's small and popular.
Slow Club had never, never disappointed me. I go there every chance I get, and the food is always fantastic. I love that the menu is different every day. I love that there is a cocktail special. I love that the food is tasty each time. Okay fine, it's not Aqua, but it's not supposed to be -- and yet, I like it better. My biggest regret about moving to South Bay is leaving behind my beloved Slow Club.
A friend I hadn't seen in awhile and I were going to a show at Project Artaud over on Florida street and were looking for a dinner spot beforehand so we could catch up a bit. The closest options were Circulo and Slow Club, and I'd wanted to try out Slow Club since I've been to Serpentine over in my neighborhood. Also the price range seemed more reasonable for us.
We got there on the early side (6:30) since we had the show to make at 8, and had no problem getting a table. They don't take reservations, so I was a teeny bit worried we'd get stuck, but I think for the early crowd it's not a problem. It did fill up later. Parking is a non-issue in the "media gulch" which is a plus.
One of the conceits of Slow Club is that they use locally produced, organic when possible produce and meats, and they had bowls of the fresh cooked veggie on display as you walk in - I thought this was a nice touch, and it enticed my dinner companion to try the fiddlehead fern.
Started at the bar where I had the Mariposa Martini - Junipero gin and a French vermouth - fantastic! The bartender was friendly and helpful and made the best martini I've had in a long time (well, that I've not stirred up myself!).
We shared a mustard green salad with shaved radishes and chive blossoms which was light and fresh - a great start. I had the pork loin which is served with asparagus, bacon, and some other greens - it was fantastic. The pork was very tender, not the least bit dry which is a frequent problem with pork. My friend had papardelle (pasta) with homemade sausage and fiddlehead fern which he reports was also very good.
Didn't have time for dessert (and I don't do desserts anyway), but my friend was still hungry (huge appetite, not because of portion size) so he ordered some fries, which are served with a garlic aioli - which was a nice touch, but just a tad too salty for my taste (yes, even for fries).
Overall - a great time. The space is cool, people friendly, drinks expertly made, and the food fantastic.
What?!!??! A place that WASN'T hard to find parking?!?!?!
Okay. So I didn't drive, but my friends said that they didn't have too hard of a time finding parking at this Portreo Hill spot. That alone deserves a star.
My friends (including the fab Kristina C.) got there and put us on the wait list at prime brunch time on a sunny Sunday afternoon. About 40 minutes later (which isn't too bad considering the time and the size of the restaurant), our gracious host finally led us to our table.
The food was solid and flavourful without busting my wallet.
the most amazing company + delicious brunch food = perfection for two hours
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I am having a hard time deciding whether i want to give 3 stars or 4. Last night, dinner and dancing. Slow Club was close, so let's give it a try. My initial reaction was "this is the best bar ever-i just got the most amazing variation on a Vodka Gimlet i have ever had, using Hangar one Kaffir Lime and filling me with liquid smiles! And the bartender was not only cute, but he also had a flare and cared about his drink, testing it to make sure it was good. He even gave good presentation with a swirly lime wedge.
Then we were seated and had an emo-waiter to whom i felt we were an inconvenience. It was not particularly busy, and we had no demands on his time, so i'm not sure if he was having a bad day, or what. And he wasn't impolite so much as just....lifeless and short.
The food was good but not extraordinary (same California menu....). Had the fettucini and the chicken. And dessert was good, but not awesome. That was the Schafenberger chocolate mousse cake (rather dry, and not very moussey) with honey lavender ice cream (pretty good).
My second gimlet also came half-assed. =(
I don't think it's worth going out of one's way for....I also agree with the noise level. It's no Andalu, but it's getting close. But i like the lighting of the place up until they try to hide your food from you. For some reason around 7:30 they dimmed the lights so low that i could barely see what i was eating.
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I think they call this place the slow club for a reason... the waitress kept forgetting everything, water, bread, our drinks, not mention to take our order. Maybe it was her first day being a waitress. She only had 4 tables.
Anyway the food was good. Atmosphere is ok. But maybe I should have gone for bunch, obviously that 's the time to be there. But I'm not driving, or biking, or hiking, all the way out there just for some over priced NON-amazing food that early in the morning.
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The food was average, and it was really loud. There's no speciality dish there that would make me go back. At least I can say I tried it.
While the outside is hardly inviting, once you're inside, it's a whole different world.
Small but not too small, urban warehousey vibe, with every table packed and everyone having fun. Service was good, and food was even better! We had the flat bread which was alot like a pizza in reality (with the herbed ricotta, grana padano, housemade pork sausage, shaved fennel & extra virgin olive oil-YUMMY), the chicken and the steak. The steak was good, but the chicken was amazing, soft and moist and juicy!!! For dessert we had the chocolate brownie sundae with ice cream and the bread pudding. Both were great. The bread pudding in particular, had a different twist than the norm in terms of flavor but it was great.
We all agreed that it was a great dinner spot. :)
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I can only rate Slow Club based on their brunch, which was average at best. The coffee was bland, the $2.50 Fresca/pineapple juice was very watered down and the fritata lacked much taste.
As far as service goes, the dude at the bar was incredibly smug. When I didn't hear him once and asked him to repeat he peered at me like I'm a moron. I watched him with other customers and he was equally disinterested and short.
Our server, on the other hand, was very nice and helpful.
Not a bad place, but I won't be going back.
SF Food Inspection Score: 92
Awesome food!
We had a party of 8 and the hostess was VERY helpful! She never made it seem like it was a hassle and always updated us to let us know how we were.
For some reason, I ordered something sweet rather than savory, my usual and preferred taste bud pleaser. But 3 out of the 8 in my group ordered the turkey sausage hash, and the rest had an egg of sorts. So I optioned for the bourbon french toast.
tre magnifique! and having bites of others, the food was light but flavorful.
and the bloody mary was so good. loved the habanero vodka!
go early or with a smaller party. perfect for sunday with friends.
I've been there for brunch so this review may not entirely reflect how good they can be. In general, it was good, very good.
Frittata was fluffy and perfectly cooked and the flatbread was intense too.
Bloody Mary has an intense intrinsic spicyness probably coming from the Campbell's jar that I spotted in the bartender's hands and not from the habanero infused vodka they pretend to use.
Just by peeking at our neighbors, the burger didn't look inviting but, to be honest, the taste could have been fantastic.
Homefries are for sure forgettable.
We certainly had a pleasant meal, moderately priced, fresh, simply cooked and seasonal.
Now, this should be enough to go back again and again but for us there was no extra value added.
We left with that "expected food" afterthought.
