Spruce
Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Laurel Heights3640 Sacramento St
(between Locust St & Spruce St)
San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 931-5100
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street, Valet
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
101 reviews
Neighborhood: Castro
"I like Asqew Grill in general, and I love this particular one. The folks who work there are nice and helpful, and the food is reliable.…" read more »
275 Reviews for Spruce
for a special occasion this a great choice. it is pricey but what do you expect for sacramento st in SF. The portions are small but the food is excellent. The timing from the kitchen wa spotty but our server was good.I would go back.
This place is amazing and Sting likes it too!
The food was fantastic and the service was excellent until we had to wait way toO long for the check. It felt like nearly 30 minutes from the time we were ready for the check to the time we received the credit card slip back to sign. The odd part was it seemed like they were ready for us to go, but trying to be way TOO polite in not making it seem like they were rushing us.
On the advice of good friends, my husband and I decided to try Spruce for dinner on our wedding anniversary. 8 years have passed, and not one fatality! Holla!
I scanned the reviews for Spruce, and found out that there were some issues with the hyper-popularity of the place. The wait was (supposedly) notoriously long, and even with a reservation, I was expecting to be irritated. When we arrived promptly at 6:30, we were indeed asked to wait five whole minutes.
I was tempted to act huffy about the five minute wait for our table, considering the bad reviews I read before coming to Spruce. But honestly, they were packed to the gills on a Tuesday. I felt almost lucky to get seated as quickly as we did.
The staff was extremely accommodating and apologetic, even for five minutes. I had to drop the huffy attitude and switch over to glowing admiration mode quickly.
We sat in the back room, which has it's pros and cons. If you sit in the front room where all the hawt Laurel Hill action is, you will hear nothing but chitter chatter about the latest Quinny stroller on the market and/or the fact that their Mercedes dealer couldn't find the pearl gray color they wanted. It will be near deafening on a busy night, as my husband and I found while walking through the room.
However, in the back, you will find it is decibels calmer, and the small, intimate setting of the room may be better for your private parties or quiet, romantic dinners for two. The only noise issues we had were when the door was left open. The busy-bee kitchen across the way is clanging and clinking all night long. If that bothers you, I would not recommend dining in the back.
I found the menu to be impossible. How to choose? It all looked amazing. Unlike some upscale restaurants that seem overly pretentious and slightly intimidating, this country-bumpkin found the choices to be very accessible and inviting. When the waiter approached and asked for our decisions, the answer "one of each" came to mind.
Since we weren't drinking anything but non-alcoholic mojitos, we decided to truly splurge and try the caviar. Admittedly, I choked at little at the $90 price tag. That's steep for an appetizer, according to my bank account.
But we didn't regret the decision. The potato blinis and brioche toasts were warm and fresh, and our server came out of the kitchen to replenish my supply whenever it looked low. The Osetra and creme fraiche melted on my tongue. It was pretty close to perfect.
I ordered the buttered lobster for $40, and the description was accurate...it was buttery, perfectly cooked, and accompanied by soft little gnocchi.
Husband-of-eight-years ordered the charred Berkshire pork tenderloin for $28. He made pay-per-view sounds while eating just the shelling beans.
The two plates were vastly different. One was a strong flavored meat dish, and the other was a light, delicate shellfish. I wouldn't recommend trying one and then the other. I did, and wished I hadn't. One bite of the pork and beans made me wish I'd ordered that instead. The smoky taste simply overpowered the subtle lobster.
We had the beign-YAYS! for dessert. "Happy Anniversary" was written in chocolate on our plate, which was so thoughtful and sweet. Eight little sugary balls and two choices of sauces...apricot jam and creme anglaise. They were delicious, light and tender. The perfect end to our fabulous meal. (No, I did not lick the chocolate writing off the plate. Yes, I was tempted to.)
The service was very good, although it was obvious that the restaurant runs at full speed ahead every night. The servers looked controlled, but never quite calm. We did have to ask for a few items, and the wait for our food was longer than we would have liked.
But the best parts of the evening were the special touches. For instance, when we were seated at the beginning of the evening, we noticed a card on our table. Upon closer inspection, we saw a forlorn French Bulldog looking longingly at something off picture. On the inside it read, "Happy anniversary! From the staff at Spruce."
IMHO, Spruce has one of the most important elements a restaurant should possess...a heart.
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Spruce is in my neighborhood allowing a lightning strike for lunch. A good thing, as a dinner reservation here is hard to come by. The restaurant is light, airy, the tables well-spaced. Our waitress knows the menu cold and is actually helpful. OH-MY-GOD. Service.
Potato soup with fresh mushrooms and some truffle oil. The taste of potato shines through, the mushroom adds a taste of the woods, the oil completes a lovely plate of food.
Roasted halibut surmounts a medley of spring vegetables. The halibut is fresh, has that clear taste of the sea and is perfectly cooked. It falls apart at the touch of a fork and the vegetables are fresh and lively.
Looking about I note the matrons of Presidio Heights are out in groups of two, three and four. Everyone is having a good time. The bar will surely fill in the evening, with a younger crowd.
A good scene. A talented someone in the kitchen. I make a note to try to get in for an evening repast.
Great atmosphere, superb service. We sat in the bar at a small table thinking we would have to fend for ourselves but had two sommeliers decanting the wine and several waiters making sure our meal was a memorable one.
The scallops were amazing.
So, I hate to break it to you guys, but this isn't one of those places where you're likely to see a "People love us on Yelp!" sticker out front. As mentioned by a lot of other people, this place is swanky and downright nice.
The service is top-notch, and you'll see well-groomed staff quickly shuffling around this sexy restaurant as they serve up the chef's ultra-chic menu.
8:30 at Dorsia?
This place can be hard to get a (dinner) reservation, so plan ahead if you're looking to drop the clams on a spendy meal.
A-la UrbanDaddy, I split the Niman Ranch t-bone steak with my dad and WHOA... Without doubt, the best piece of beef I've ever had. I had no idea a steak could even be this good. It's funny, when you consider you can get a steak at Denny's or IHOP, but make no mistake, you've never had a Spruce steak before. The meal also came with *duck-fat potatoes*, and yeah, they were equally as awesome.
Overall, this restaurant is impressive... from the decor, to the food, to the presentation of the food. Spruce is great for anniversaries, momentous celebrations, buying friendships, or if you're trying to swoon your date.
...just be sure no one at the table is Patrick Bateman.
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Despite being in the company of Gourmet Magazine staff in town specifically to check out Spruce, our experience here was disappointing. First off the staff/service was completely off. I had to ask for water and than when they finally poured me a glass, they spilled the whole tray on my dress, jacket, and bag. I was left freezing cold for the remainder of the 3 hour meal without any consolation besides a measley, "would you like us to dry-clean your jacket?". The sweet corn ravioli was served cold, very unappetizing, the scallops were better but nothing special. The shortribs were dry and boring and the apricot crisp dessert was unflavorful and had a gummy texture. I was SO looking forward to this evening with my experienced foodie friends from NYC, I was left shocked with the service and quality of food. The 2 stars are given in honor of the delicious Rose wine I sipped on and the fact that I got to sit near Tyler Florence in the dining room. I had very high expectations of this restaurant, too bad they were not met.
Best pastrami sandwich EVER. Pete is an absolute godsend to a dorky foodie like myself. He answered all my questions, let me drool all over the desserts like Pavlov's dog, and let me reminisce about the Ferry Building, where he learned his cheese trade. After every single bite of deliciousness, I wanted a palate cleanser and boy did Pete come through. He gave me a fruit aperitif which hit the spot. It's a damn shame I didn't have room for dessert because I had my eye on the lemon tart. Hell I won't lie, I would've tried everything calling to me from that dessert display but we all must draw the line somewhere right? Wow. They are evil evil evil. Still can't wipe this grin off my face.
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Probably one of my most favorite places to eat! (especially if I'm not paying). We had amazing wine (order Two Hands (anything from this winery is great).....and the beignets! Wow!
I had the brevette steak (essentially flank/skirt steak) that was done beautifully with duck fat and potatoes & chard. It was fabulous. Plus the rocket salad with watermelon & feta. I have to say....one of my top favorite meals.
On top of all of this...the ambience and decor is tragically hip!
My wife and I had a wonderful dinner with excellent service last night which was totally destroyed by a centrally located table of six who were loud (yelling) as if in their own back yard BarBQue and each with their third beer in hand. While it was clear that other guests were discomforted by this intrusive behavior, Spruce's staff could only observe the rudness of this table and the discomfort of others in silence. Why would I want to again pay the Spruce price for a meal that sounds like it is taking place in McDonalds?
First impression of this place = wow, what a nice bar. Obviously, a lot of money was sunk into renovating what looks like an old auto repair garage into a swank place for drinks or dinner.
They have an array of fancy custom drinks and I tried some version of the Harvey Wallbanger with clove-infused vodka and Galliano, and it was quite tasty.
As for the food, I thought it was fantastic. We tried a steak special which could have easily accomodated three people and it was fantastic. The accompanying vegetables (sugar snap peas and chard) were perfectly done. It also came with duck fat fingerling potatoes which were good (However, I can't remember if they were sold as being "fries" - if they were - slight deduction as they were really fingerling not fries) when combined with a little bearnaise.
As for atmosphere, I think the nightmare stories I have heard about long waits even with reservations are in the past. Other people have called this a hidden neighborhood gem, I disagree only to the extent that I think it's very well publicized. Although nightmare waits may be in the past, you can count on a full dining room when you're there and the high ceilings create a noisy atmosphere. Still, it's a great atmosphere which is a bit beyond "neighborhood gem" status. If you're looking for a smaller neighborhood place in Presido Heights, try Sociale across the street, it definitely still qualifies.
Spruce is hands down the best contemporary American restaurant in San Francisco. My aunt took me there last March for my going-away dinner, and being that we're foodies and Spruce is from the same gastro-geniuses who created Pizza Antica (our favorite restaurant in Marin), our expectations were high.
Built in a historic 1930s auto barn, this well-thought-out space exemplifies dark, contemporary sophistication. The dining room is separated from the sleek bar area by a wall of glass panels and has an industrial feel with cathedral-high ceilings, steel trusses and track lighting. In the late afternoon, light streams into the dining room through the skylights and illuminates the tan faux-ostrich leather chairs and the Kazuo Shiraga paintings mounted on the chocolate brown mohair walls.
One of the selling points of this restaurant is the dishes are prepared with organic produce from local, sustainable farms. My aunt and I shared all of our dishes - the golden potato gnocchi with asparagus and black trumpet mushrooms, the seared veal sweetbreads with farm egg raviolono, the grilled bavette steak with bordelaise sauce and duck-fat potatoes, the honey lacquered duck breast with foie gras, and the warm semolina cake with raspberries, honey, mint and Straus frozen cream. Every dish was impressive, expertly prepared and presented, and extremely satisfying to the palate and the stomach.
As for drinks, their specialty cocktails are outstanding and inventive. I had the Bitterberry Bramble (with vodka, lemon, raspberry and bitterlemon soda) and the Honey Elderflower Daquiri (with rum, St. Germain, honeywater and lime). Their wine list is epic, covering over 1,200 labels. My aunt and I shared a half carafe of Pinot Noir (forgot the label), which my aunt said is one of the best pinots she's had in her lifetime and this lady has been around for 75 years!
As for service, our waitress was approachable, attentive and well acquainted with the menu and made great recommendations for food and drinks.
One thing to keep in mind is there is a month-long wait for prime-time reservations at Spruce. We were able to make a reservation a week prior to our visit, however, we had to dine there on a Monday night at 5pm.
Spruce exceeded our expectations in food, service and decor, and my aunt and I left the restaurant feeling like we had a great night out. At the end of the evening, you really can't ask for much more from a restaurant.
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I'd expect a pretty damn tasty steak for $100. And Spruce does not disappoint. Interesting melange of locals of several generations. Seems far removed from the tourists/B&T set. Wine list isn't much shorter than War & Peace.
There are rare moments when you take a bite of something so magnificent, you find yourself momentarily intoxicated by a wonderful confluence of pure awe and joy. I had this experience last night with three separate courses at Spruce: the foie gras, the crispy pork belly served with the tenderloin pork, and the beignets with creme anglaise. Each dish made my heart sing. Even the butter that came with the bread deserved accolade. Spruce's decor can be described as mature and simply, beautiful. The restaurant achieves a subdued yet profound elegance through the use of darkness, warmth, and space. If you have a business dinner but you've exhausted all your options in the FiDi, then come to Spruce.
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absolute heaven to the nth degree.
i would definitely recommend going here with your favorite eating buddies- i can imagine a truly wasted experience with someone who is either not inclined to try new things or the diet-conscious.
the menu tends to gear food around their own locally grown garden, use the highest grade meats, and execute in a way that texture, flavor, and presentation are simultaneously harmonious and innovative.
i hate when a restaurant's aesthetic doesn't match up with the caliber of the food. the aesthetic fills you with a hope, a portent to which the food MUST deliver, and perhaps exceed. this place exceeds.
with every bite is a movement, a fugue of flavor, and an exposition to the climax. you know you have a good meal when you feel like you've heard your own personal symphony.
but don't worry, you don't need to break out your tux for this one. :)
Spruce turned out to be all that I wanted and expected- a great restaurant serving delicious foods in a classy, cozy space. I was fully satisfied with everything I ordered food-wise- the only issue that I had with Spruce was that the service seemed a little below par for the prices we were paying.
We were seated at the banquette right behind the hostess stand- I would have much preferred to sit somewhere further inside the dining room, especially since you could feel a bit of a breeze every time the front door opened. However, it seemed that the tables are situated in such a way that small groups were preferred- tables were pretty much set for just 2-4 diners. In any case, the space is rather tight once you actually look over how many tables there are, but because of the high ceilings and the natural light coming in from the skylight, you think you're in a much larger space.
Now onwards to the food- starting with the warm, crusty rolls, which tasted quite fresh. The gougeres were wonderfully cheesy and salty- a perfect start to a great meal. I decided to go for the charcuterie plate for my appetizer- I'm warning you right now that you will absolutely eat everything off that plate, love it, and just about ruin your appetite for your entree. Highlights off that plate include the wonderfully rich and fatty duck liver mousse, as well as the pork rilette. The salamis are great as well, but definitely order the plate to try the duck liver mousse.
Though I was stuffed from the charcuterie, my entree of lobster was up next and it blew me away. There were probably a good eight chunks of lobster meat in a buttery sauce with peas and potato gnocchi. I wasn't thrilled with the gnocchi, which were a bit hard, but the lobster was tender and luscious. Definitely worth the $40 price tag.
I couldn't leave without having dessert and coffee (even though I was fuller than I had any right to be) so it was time to order the beignets and a decaf coffee. The decaf is as great as everyone has mentioned, but I was a little underwhelmed by the beignets, which were more like very good sugared donut holes. By the way, they are best plain, or with the creme anglaise, but skip the raspberry compote.
Overall, a delicious meal that rates 5 stars. I'm subtracting a half star because service wasn't quite up to par- plates took a long time to be cleared from the table and honestly, what everyone has said about the sommelier is true- he had this strange forced friendliness that rang false and he seemed bored to be there.
I'd definitely be back because the food is awesome and the wine list (especially the German Rieslings) is extensive. Don't forget to drop by the bakery by the side of the restaurant- you can purchase the palmiers you had for dessert, as well as cookies and a limited selection of baked goods. I also met the charcutier, who told me that he does sell the excellent duck liver mousse to go- you can get the individual serving or get it in a larger amount for parties.
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We were all dolled up to check out this yet to be tried hot spot. We walk into the gorgeous bar and main room...dark chocolate brown walls accented with mirrors and cool lighting. My eyes are happy, and I'm convinced my belly will be too - WRONG!
Strike 1: We wait 1.5 for our table, even with a reservation (which they had apparently "lost" I feel like I'm in a Seinfeld episode). We were told it would only be a couple minutes...an hour and a half later...a snarky waiter who only served us water later...we finally get seated
Strike 2: Hostess not at all apologetic for the delay!
Strike 3: The appetizers are good (but not great) - we ordered the seasonal vegetables, rocket salad and salumi plate. The entrees were really yummy (this is what earns them a star!) We had the duck, pork and a veggie concoction para mi (vegetarians note - they only have a vegetable plate as a vegetarian entree. I had to convince the waiter to serve the corn ravioli appetizer as my main with veggies on the side! crazy!)...but here's the worst part - the DESSERTS SUCK! The chocolate-almond cake was sooooo dry, with a generic chocolate flavor. The palmiers (though generous in portion) were totally burnt!
Three strikes with Spruce, and I'm never coming back. The poor service and the hit or miss menu makes me want to my appetitive and pocket book elsewhere.
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Great neighborhood place. It reminds me of restaurants in Kensington and Mayfair (London, England). The only difference is that here I order the burger and fries almost always for lunch. Over on the other side of the pond, burgers and fries are, alas, not on the menu.
1. Terrific wine list. Very well thought out, with lots of options both under $50 and by the glass. The DRC on the list was cool, but weird.
2. Great food. Not frilly or delicate. Flavors brought together very well in each dish, with great presentation.
3. Fairly masculine decor -- very much evocative of a steak house. In most restaurants in SF you'll usually see either set of couples or groups of women enjoying a meal. This is on of the few nice restaurants in which we saw groups of guys enjoying a meal together...I wonder if it's because of the decor and vibe.
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There's no better place than Spruce, the aptly named Laurel Heights hangout for the sustainably well-dressed & hip crowd. The spacious layout & beautifully architect with the dark, contemporary sophistication. The entrance is wide open by a take-out cafe and a seating room, while the 70-seat main dining room is separated from the crowded bar by a wall of glass panes. A ceiling highlighted by exposed steel supports like Starbuck ceiling structure! And a dark color scheme set the tone for the hip, young & socialite diners, lounging in faux-ostrich chairs and on mohair couches, are seemingly imported from all corners of the city and beyond to lend a dose of "in-crowd" to a neighborhood that's mostly sleeping by 10 PM! This is a super chic spot in my book!
I've been chef Mark Sullivan's fan since his day at the Village Pub & have been reading about his new restaurant forever, I finally got to check it out!
The roasted beet and tangerine salad, citrus, parmesan, arugula & the Asparagus were both fresh & sweet tasty. The golden potato gnocchi, rapini, citrus, with parmesan was flavorful. The Burger with twice-cooked fried was fattening but so delicious! However, the long cooked polenta with short rib sugo was the winner of all.
Wow, what I can say but love everything about this new spot! The service is superb. Our waitress was very nice and approachable, making great recommendations. She was obviously very well acquainted with the menu. The food was wonderful. Consider they use all locally sourced, organic New American fare, it's such a great place to take your loved ones here ;-)
What surprising me the most is More than 70 vinos are available by the glass. That's some of the best wine by the glass that I've seen in San Francisco. There are also 60-plus bottles of vino under $50 to choose from. WOW, that's beyond reasonable! They also offer a great cocktail list as well!
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Spruce has a great atmosphere, a huge wine list, cool bar, and tasty food. We drank a bottle of Hope and Grace cabernet sauvignon 2005... Mmmm, Mmmm good! The hot rolls, olives and french fry appies were tasty, as well. The Caesar salad was good, and I got a taste of the short rib entry, which was very good. Mine on the other hand, the Lobster with gnocchi, was just okay. However, the true measure of a restaurant with me is whether I am willing to go back after a so-so meal. In the case of Spruce, I would go back. I just think I ordered the wrong main course for me, personally. I recommend Spruce.
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Aside from the beautiful vaulted ceiling with the early evening sunlight spilling through the skylights, the long, friendly bar area, and the perfectly chilled bubbly, Spruce has a delightful staff.
Especially at the host stand.
Having been for dinner a few months ago (see Jeff T's review) we had a hankering for Spruce's charcuterie plate. We walked in around 6 to a very full bar and opted to put our name on the list for a bar table (a nice touch for the spontaneous no reservations crowd). We figured it would be about 20 minutes and were prepared to wait.
Then Megan, the sommlier? manager? girl wonder? walks up and says that she remembers us. (you *motions to BF* had the moscato d'asti, you *points to me* had the zinfandel) After a quick reminisce, she proceeds to scout out spots for us in the bar area. Thanks to our wonderful hostess, in less than 10 minutes we were cozied up to the very crowded, fully seated bar with gorgeous bubbly in hand.
There is nothing that pleases me more than to have fine, personal service accompany me, my BF & a glass of something gorgeous on date night.
Along with the bubbly we opted for the charcuterie plate (just as delicious as the last time -- hello duck liver mousse!!), which was followed by the vegetable salad with green goddess and a side of perfectly fried French fries. The salad was comprised of the smallest of baby romaines, fava beans, giant spring peas, paper-thin carrots & asparagus, and a slightly aged ricotta cheese. The green goddess was fresh and bright. It was a perfectly satisfying meal, and at no time did we feel rushed throughout the duration of our 2 courses. It was a relaxing small meal, and I was in good company. Definitely no need to hurry.
Once I'd eaten all of the abandoned fava beans off my BF's plate, we opted out on dessert list, settled our check and made our way out into the breezy, now darkening evening.
And not a moment too soon, for as we gave up our ring side bar seats, packs of women who were crowding the bar sipping cocktails started to bring the noise level up to a respectable cackle.
((the following is not a refection on Spruce, just my experience))...
Now don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with getting your girls night cocktail on. Been there, done that! It's just that there is nothing that *dis*pleases me more than to have boozy women hangin' on my chair & cackling in my ear as I'm sipping champs and savoring pate. Nothing (& I mean NOthing) should interfere with that lovely bubbly glow, *especially* on date night. ;)
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Wouldn't go back. It is too stuffy, especially for lunch. The menu is small & silly expensive for what it is. I had a cocktail...OK...but tiny for the $10. The burger was mediocre at best, dry and overcooked. The wine list 50 under $50 was pretty decent. The service was lackluster the place is pretentious and underwhelming, can't recommend.
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So i went here about two months ago, the server was great she knew a lot about the specials wine so on. i guess i can try to remember what i had but its not worth it. i remember she had some type of artichoke salad, i had the soup which was bland. she had the fish which was good nicely cooked and i had the duck which was overcooked and a broken sauce all over the place the veggies were not drained they were just kind of splattered on there big no no. i had an amazing bottle of pinot which made the night i guess i was expecting more.
If I could rate Spruce on the merits of their food and their food alone, they'd easily be 4 stars. Unfortunately for them, so much goes into a dining experience above and beyond the food itself. My experience here was one of those situations where everything else about the restaurant easily outweighed the food that was served us.
Had late reservations for a Sunday night, spent 30 minutes at the bar having cocktails (quite good too actually, albeit pricey even by SF standards). Got seated in a corner and started with appetizers. Charcuterie for the wife and I got the carrot and cardamom soup. She loved her platter and devoured it (particularly raved about the duck liver mousse) and my soup was quite tasty although I did end up having to season it a little further. We also ordered the fries.... amazing. Probably our favorite thing of the night surprisingly.
All was good at this point, but then the troubles started to occur. We'd been seated and had our orders taken by the hostess.. odd, but we didn't think much of it. But soon it dawned on us that we hadn't really seen our waitress at all. Even our appetizers were brought by someone who wasn't our waitress. Our dishes, now empty, sat there. And sat. And sat. Until nearly 20 minutes of idle time finally passed and our waitress finally appeared to remove the plates.
Entrees soon arrive. Pork tenderloin and pork belly for the wife, steak and "duck fat fries" for me. The tenderloin was a generous portion and tasty. The pork belly, while extremely tender, was relatively flavor less. My steak was wonderfully prepared and tasted amazing. The duck fat fries sadly turned out to be over cooked potatoes with crispy (but tasty) skins, but ultra bland inside. Throughout the course, I was hoping to place an order for another cocktail or at least get my glass of water refilled, but alas, no waitress. Again.
And then once again we played the empty dish table sitting game. This time nearly 30 minutes pass before dishes were cleared and dessert menus brought out. By now, we'd been seated for nearly 2 and a half hours on simply appetizers and entrees. While some of the choices on the dessert menu sounded interesting (particularly the beignets), we weren't willing to risk having to sit for ANOTHER hour just for that. And thus, we called it a nightl, paid our bill and walked off.
The restaurant is gorgeous with tall ceilings, exposed duct work, and white marble throughout. The hostesses and bartenders were friendly and accommodating. Food was a bit uneven, but had several high points for us. The wait staff however just ruined the experience and that alone is what crushes their score.
I'd consider coming back if I ever heard that they addressed wait staff issues, but monitoring other reviews, it certainly doesn't look like I'm alone in having these types of problems with the front of house.
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You are so beautiful that you make me cry. Your cocktails are such a delight that I feel unworthy to imbibe them. Evenings here are so sublime that I have to constantly pinch myself.
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This is a little gem hidden in Laurel Heights. The food was amazing and the decor was out of this world. The wine sommelier looked a tad young and had an attitude of a 13 year old. He made my friends and I feel like we didn't know anything about wine and were drinking it for the first time. Anywhoo...the hot/cold artichoke salad was really good, the scallops were to die for, and the fish was amazing. Our waitress was really sweet.
Amazing food...mostly really meaty dishes though.
I did feel a bit out of my element making under 500k and not wearing my pearls. It was worth it for the food but be warned and wear your sunday bests to this one!
We went last minute so the restaurant side was full. We ended up getting a table in the bar which was great. We didn't miss out on a thing, it was actually a little / lively more hip than the restaurant side anyhow. Service (from the hostess and on) was great, very sweet and friendly . The nice hostess walked us over to help us find a bar table. Food was AMAZING (all of it). A tad pricey, but if you want a treat, totally worth it. We ordered the duck, steak and scallops app. The steak was incredible and will melt in your mouth - a must try. I will definitely go back. My only complaint is that the one thing in the world I wont eat is black pepper and so i asked the waiter to please, please leave it off and my steak was covered in it, but I was able to scrape it off and was still able to enjoy most of it. Oh, and they have valet which is a huge plus.
All I have to say is good luck getting a reservation. I went around the time they first opened and was suprised with the quality of the food. The service was sooooooo slow, but the wine list was quality, and they even serve Marin Brewco's beers. Probably a place to go with your parents or a high class date.
Let me give you a hint on how to get in this place without a reservation, just go the bar, they have four tables next to the bar and you can get served (table for 2) there right away. The seats are comfy with the leather cushion. The fries were fantastic! The burger was good. I had the best cocktail, Ward Eight, tasted like a orange juice for adults. The wine list was gigantic. People watching is fun too - to see the quirkily-dressed local, rich people. I'm definitely going back.
I wish I could give Spruce 5 stars. I'm not only going there again in a few weeks, but the entire first experience was magical until the very end. Here's my story.
I work across the street and they actually valet their cars in the building that we own. So really, they should give me 5 star treatment. We walked over there and the valet guys saw us walking up and one guy walked towards the door to, what it seemed liked, open it for us, then he turned around and walked the other direction because a car had pulled up to valet. That's nice.....
We had reservations at 7:30pm and when we arrived our table wasn't ready. We chose to sit at the bar and have a cocktail. They have a full bar, 200 page wine list, and some creative cocktails. I had the East West cocktail, which was like a mojito w/o the annoying mint. Yum. 30 minutes later, our table was ready, ONLY because my date got up and asked where the hell it was. That seemed a little annoying to me that they forgot about us.
We were seated in the middle. Beautiful table. The service was impeccable. The wine sommelier was my favorite person of the night. She listened to what we liked, what we were going to eat, and offered us a great choice. I like whites, my date likes reds. She was nice enough to bring out a glass of red just for him.
Dinner was amazing. They served the meal as if it were a fine dining style. You get little nibbles in between. I'd say, it was like the finer dining style like Michael Minna, but less uptight then French Laundry. Something we definately need, and in between style where you feel like a star but not shell out $500 for it. I had the lobster, which was ORGASMIC. Buttery, savory, tasteful, and the portion was just right. My date had the halibut, which he said was "okay". We chose the beignets for dessert. I could have skipped the dips, because the beignets themselves were amazing.
Dinner ended around 11pm. We closed the place down. We were the last set out. I must have gone to the bathroom 5 times during the 4 hours of bliss. We walked to the front to grab our coats. I got mine okay, but then there was some drama for my date. They could not locate his coat. There were 2 coats left in the closet, one was mine, the other was NOT his. They gave it away to some other fool, and that fool wasn't smart enough to realize it wasn't his coat! Needless to say, I was too tired to let my temper out. The manager gave us her card, and told us that maybe the fool with the jacket that wasn't his will bring it back. FAT CHANCE. She then offered to compensate us some way if it doesn't turn up. We left the restaurant confused and he was shivering. Poor guy.
Follow up: My date called a week later to follow up. He had not heard from them and they said that they would send him a check. We're still waiting for it.
I suggest you not come in your nicest jacket in your closet. Be prepared...people do loose things.
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Skip it. Bad food, bad service, bad atmosphere. You could get all three better at a fast food joint. No kidding. Seriously not good food. I didn't even have to fork over any of my own cash for the bill, but I was still offended. I felt liked we'd been scammed and most of the folks around us were falling for it. Skip it. We still have good restaurants in San Francisco, patronize them.
Food is very nice and the restaurant is beautiful. I read somewhere that the portions are small, they are not they a just fine.
Challenges, because of the high ceiling it is very difficult to hear the people at your table talk. Parties of more than 2 will be challenged if they are hoping to speak to one another.
The service was professional but very, very, very slow. They took forever to get our first drink order and then simply admitted they forgot. But then the next drink order took another 20min. Dinner also took a very long time.
A nice place but not one I am dying to return to.
I loved the large space and ambiance. It felt like a NY place more than SF. Our server was excellent but I wasnt impressed with the host. The food was in general very good but a notch below the top places in the city.
We'd probably go more if it wasnt so damn popular.
I'm a little bit torn on giving a full five stars, but I have to pull the trigger. I had the duck w/foie gras and it was excellent. The decor and atmosphere were also great. My wife's dish was underwhelming, but I'll just assume that to be an aberration. Finally, I have a soft spot in my heart for a well executed cheese plate and we really enjoyed ours. All in all, this is a top 5 SF restaurant in my book.
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Decided I'll add my two cents to the hundreds of reviews already. The four stars are for the impeccable service without the stuffy feel. Food was good too, not orgasmically memorable but good. Went for a friend's birthday and since I was the first to arrive I was able to tip off the hostess who had a signed birthday card waiting on the table in a matter of minutes, really nice touch. And with five diners, our food came out at exactly the same time, literally! Four servers swooping plates down like kamakazis! And they made some great wine suggestions as well. Overall, a great restaurant with all the swank of fine dining and the approachability of a neighborhood joint.
Wow. Wow wow wow. I can't say enough about this place. Really chic decor, friendly staff, and my taste buds were actually blown away by the cuisine. I'm a sucker for Foie Gras & Lobster (talk about decadence) - and these were two of the best preparations I've ever experienced. It's been awhile since I've enjoyed a meal that was aesthetically pleasing as it was delicious. It was purely art on a plate. Portions were on the smaller side, but the food had been rich and I was definitely left satisfied. Great place for a business luncheon, celebration of any sorts, or simply a way to impress a hot date. Highly recommended on all counts. Just be prepared to spend a pretty penny. But you won't regret it - that's a promise :)
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