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Mon-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
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Loved this place. We called to make a reservation without knowing that it had changed ownership. We decided to give it a try, even though it had only been open a week or two. We were not disappointed. Every single thing we ate was amazingly delicious. Seriously. Very talented chefs here. And very friendly staff. And reasonable prices. And cute/cozy atmosphere.
My favorite thing was probably the salmon carpaccio-- paper thin slices of fresh salmon with wasabi creme fraiche and a few crunchy greens on top - SO GOOD. We also tried the ceviche-- tender, flavorful cubes of fresh fish inside a crunchy roll of cucumber-- a mouthful of heaven, I swear. My companion got a bunch of shellfish things I couldn't try (allergic!) but he said they were really good too. We were really impressed with this place.
Come here to sample some amazing seafood, not to get stuffed beyond belief.
Yes, the portions are small but it's a welcome change for me -- after having one appetizer, some of their delicious bread, and the entree, I felt just right, not fat and gross. I wish more restaurants subscribed to this methodology -- dishes that are smaller and more reasonably priced (nothing on their food menu is over $20.)
We tried the spicy tuna tartar and cucumber spring rolls -- both were delightful. The complimentary shots of mushroom soup were to die for! I had octopus salad for my main course and loved every bite. Hubby's salmon had the most delicious spicy crust while remaining very tender on the inside.
The space is small and intimate -- those of us spending a lot of time in Europe or New York would feel right at home. Don't even think bringing a party larger than 6 here; you will not fit!
So why am I not giving this place 5 starts after pretty much professing my undying love for their food and atmosphere? When about 4 tables around us emptied at the same time, the hostess proceeded to clean them with some Windex! The good news is that there was not single germ remaining on those surfaces. The other news is that we had to smell that for about 10 minutes vs. the actual aroma of our food (and with the dining hall size of a king bed, I felt like I was inside a Windex bottle)
We will definitely be back (and if the restaurant manager is reading this, can I please buy you some organic glass cleaner that doesn't stink so much?)
Delicious! This is as close to a "Nobu SF" as one can possibly get. Well, but without the slickster decor and sexy lighting. Swell is located in the old Bar Crudo space.
First -- the service is, well, French. French waitstaff all around. Charming and yet coolly blase' in that Frenchy French way. Our waitperson was a lovely young lady who was friendly and sweet.
Second -- the space is TINY. The main dining room is upstairs, and even though all the tables were within arm's reach of each other, it somehow was not overly loud in there. A mystery. Aside from the miniature scale, the restaurant is "modern rustic," well-lit, warm, and inviting.
Third -- the food. Perfect! We ordered 4 raw dishes -- all super-fresh and expertly flavored. You MUST have the Swell oysters and spicy tuna tartare. We had just one cooked dish: the seafood bouillabaise (sp?], which was beyond words. The broth was MAGICAL. The only weak spot was the "dango" dessert which was rice flour balls smothered in a caramelly miso sauce. Yeah, I shoulda known. But curiosity got the better of me. It was downright SALTY! It would've been less freaky if it had been classified an appetizer instead of a dessert. The espresso brulee was divine and made up for the dango.
This is a great restaurant for a casual night out with close friends, when all you want is high-caliber food and not necessarily a hipster scene with expensive decor. I mentioned Nobu above and that's because the food totally reminds me of that type of cuisine -- super-fresh raw seafood, prepared with a delicate and innovative touch. Other reviewers have commented on the size of the dishes -- I must agree that these were not huge portions, BUT I suppose that's due to the French sensibility of savoring rich, fine foods in smaller portions rather than woofing down a big plate of whatever. We left feeling satisfied but not stuffed. A good thing, in my book. We are looking forward to coming back!
*Disclaimer* Please eat something before you come here because you will definitely NOT get full here. I promise
In celebration of my bf's birthday, I decided to come here since it was rated "good for foodies" on http://opentable.com. Well, it definitely is a great place for foodies but not a good place at all if you're looking to get full.
Service: 2 (for speed) 4 (for friendliness)
Food: 4.5 (for actual quality) 1 (for actual size in comparison with the price)
Décor: 3
Okay those are pretty skewed ratings but this restaurant get a 4 because in terms of quality of food, this is probably one of the best tasting places I've gone to, despite how ridiculously small the portions are. Some (not all) of the dishes absolutely blew my mind haha so for that, it gets a 4. Even after reading reviews about the small portions and seeing pictures, I was still surprised by how small the portions are, especially when compared to how expensive it was. If money is not a factor to you at all, then you should definitely come try the food.
However, that aside, the food itself was pretty damn good. The oysters and miso black cod brulee were my absolute favorites. Personally, I thought the bouillabaisse was overrated and the ceviche and beef tartare, although both really good, didn't really live up to my expectations. We ordered the chef's sampler, which was pretty much 2 pieces of 3 different selections from the raw specialties. It's good to get if you're not sure where to start. Lastly, I tried uni for the first time in my life and I am now a fan. If you've never tried it, it's either gonna be a hit or miss for you (that's what I've been told) so proceed with caution.
The restaurant itself is pretty tiny. I think there is (literally) about 5 tables upstairs. Good if you want to have a nice quiet date but not good for big groups. The service is pretty slow (I think there's only one waiter for everyone in the restaurant??) but our guy was very friendly nonetheless.
I probably won't come here again since I don't particularly enjoy nimbling at my food BUT if you're looking for quality food then I think this place is definitely worth a try.
I love this place. The food is amazing, the atmosphere is fun/cozy/hip and the service is awesome. The last time I was there our waiter poured us a half glass of a certain wine in addition to the wine we were drinking because it went better with one of the dishes we ordered (short ribs). Small courtesies like that are missing from most places these days, and yet do so much to make you feel welcome.
Swell is not just a neighborhood gem, but a city gem. Swell offers a perfect combination of fresh seafood and French flair. Everything we ordered was delicious! Our table of six shared about eight plates of food plus two desserts, and while no one was stuffed, it was a lovely dining experience at a reasonable price.
(As a disclaimer, I love small plates because they slow down your eating and give you a chance to try more items. Small plates are not for the starving, but they're great for a lighter dinner where one is more interested in savoring each bite than rolling away from the table.)
A few of the highlights:
Salmon carpaccio -- paper, thin slices of some of the freshest salmon I have tasted topped with wasabi creme fraiche and tiny greens
Scallops roulade -- smooth raw scallops with tiny spears of apple and parsley topped with a hint of wasabi
Crab cakes -- a classic dish done so very well
Short ribs -- a larger portion than some of the other dishes, the short ribs were not only tasty, but filling. The meat was incredibly tender and seasoned perfectly to accentuate the meat's flavor, not distract from it
Trio of creme brulees -- a WONDEFUL end to the meal with three small creme brulees (ginger, miso and chocolate). I loved the ginger with its crisp flavor, but the rest of my friends said that miso was their favorite since it was unique (and yummy).
Other notes:
-- The service is great. Friendly French servers who take care of your needs without interrupting your conversations.
-- The space is small, but never loud. Intimate without being dark or oppressive.
-- The bread is wonderful! (And our server never left our basket empty for more than a moment)
Added Swell to "For All You Cuddle Sluts" List :) http://www.yelp.com/li...
I have to admit, I wasn't that impressed when we first walked in. I was super sweaty (EW!!) and hot from the walk to Swell and it felt like a sauna when we waited inside! Especially since the first floor seating was also where the open kitchen was. We had a reservation but unfortunately, all the tables on the 2nd floor were taken so we sat at the bar on the first floor.
Needless to say, Swell is Cute, Classy, Cozy and perfect for Couples! We asked to keep the door open for a bit and things quickly cooled down. The menu consists of tapas-style Japanese/French dishes, with emphasis on seafood. The wine list was decent, but each wine was available by the glass!
We ordered:
+ salmon carpaccio: delicious!! The wasabi mascarpone was full of flavor!
+ beef tartare: lots of jalapenos! Very, VERY good but almost overwhelming taste of jalapenos. I especially enjoyed it.
+ lobster bisque: not as thick as I thought it would be. Tiger prawns were a great substitute to real lobster. Saw a server order it for dinner. Ask for extra bread so you can soak up every drop:)
+ ankimo: SOO good!! Slightly cooked with a sour sauce. Melt-in-your-mouth creamy.
+ miso black cod brulee: Very tender and juicy. 4 pieces.
+ crab cake: Perfectly cooked! Not too oily.
+ (2) pinot blanc: perfect! fruity and crisp; I had 2!
+ poilly fume: clean and crisp; lacking a bit something but still very good
+ sancerre: always a favorite of ours!
=$120 with tax and tip
The French servers were adorable and friendly. The setting was intimate and perfect for us. The chefs did a fantastic job on creating delicious dishes, presented beautifully. I highly recommend coming early so you can order whatever you want on the menu, since they do run out of certain dishes! Though prices are on the expensive side, I would definitely keep Swell on your list of possible date places!
One of my new favorite places to have a nice, relaxed dinner!
Walking around the area looking for a place last min we walk into what appears to be an empty Swell. Hostess/waitress tells us the tables upstairs are full and we can do the bar dining downstairs which was fine.
Prices seemed reasonable until we saw how ridiculously small they were. You are getting straight ripped off, $9.50 for a teeny tiny appetizer and 18.00 for a tiny entree it really should not be called an entree, I was appalled. The food quality was ok but not as astounding as other reviews imply (if you are a foodie) and the presentation was nice.
The place filled up and they only had 2 waitresses who were overwhelmed they really need one more, the service was slow and mistakes were made. The decore is meh, the art is meh, and the music was pretty bad. I'm marking the price as spendy due to the fact that they make the price seem reasonable by giving you an unreasonably small amount of food relative to what you are actually paying.
We came here when the place first opened. I feel like a lot of other reviewers, the size of the dishes are a joke compared to the prices. It's insulting. I agree with another reviewer who said we cannot continue to accept this as "fit for foodies" or whatever the quote is, or else it will become the norm. These guys are laughing all the way to the bank. We spent several hundred dollars between two people and then got corn dogs because we were still quite hungry.
After the incredibly condescending response from whom I suppose is the chef at Swell posted below, I feel the need to update my review from 3 stars to 1. Not only will I never return to Swell but now I will encourage others not to as well. And to clarify, we got corndogs because it was very late, we had already spent a great deal of money and it was still open on our way home. And I stand behind my statement that food costs aside, the portions are to small and the dishes are no where near exceptional enough to warrant those prices. The chefs response was juvenile and catty and certainly uncalled for. My review was not much different than several others so I'm unsure why he felt the need to jump on me. Not a great businessman.
i love this place, the food is great, always fresh and tasty... the place is cut and the staff very friendly...
my favorite...the chef selection, the lobster bisque and the crab cake..
Loved it. We ate at the bar downstairs so had fun chatting with Stephan through several courses and a couple bottles of wine. Everything was beautiful and delicious. My favorites were the miso black cod brûlée and the uni. Oh god the uni, so fresh and dressed up just enough, topped with a dab of "secret recipe" aioli. My only reservatation is that it's pretty expensive ordering enough for a full meal.
This past weekend, my husband, myself and 2 other people had a late dinner at this restaurant.
We ordered a dozen oysters on the half shell, sea urchin, ceviche, kampachi sashi, miso black cod brulee, a green salad with walnuts and roquefort (they were out of the ahi nicoise, as well as being out of about 4 other dishes we wanted), beef tartare, crab cakes, bouillabaisse and baby octopus.
The maitre d' (a French chick who's probably an owner since she had one heck of an attitude) was completely lackluster, whereas the other French dude who's probably her husband or something was a heck of a lot nicer.
What brought the rating down to a 2 star for me? Well, the food was just so-so, nothing spectacular. The maitre d', once again, we really could have used without the attitude. The atmosphere, really, really cramped and run down. We had reservations, and still had to endure a 45 minute wait at the bar, to bolster up liquor sales, I guess. Between all that, I didn't mind paying around $230 before tax and tip, I think. That's ok considering the restaurant is in downtown San Francisco, albeit right next door to the rolling drunks at Chelsea Place, I think it's called. Bottom line, it just wasn't up to snuff.
dinner is always a succes in this new restaurant .
this is where you find the most innovative and fresh seafood dish in town , and for others the steak tartare is the best i got this year. great service too, beautiful new place
Seafood, more specifically "raw" seafood is my favorite type of food.
I had been to this location when it was Bar Crudo, and when I found out that there was a new restaurant here with it's speciality being raw seafood cuisine I had to try it.
Taking a look at the menu, it sounded like this place was going to be terrific.. Well, I wasn't all that impressed. It was okay.
The Miso Black Cod Brulee wasn't all that I had expected, the fish taste like it may have been a few days old and the overall taste wasn't appealing.
The ceviche, which was wrapped in small pieces of cucumber somewhat zero on taste.. the cucumber was the main flavor..
Mackeral bruschetta was tasty, I did like the flavors..matched nicely.
The Bouillabaisse was good, but it taste like something I could prepare here at home.
The Scallops Roulade were fresh and the pairing of the granny smith apple along with the scallops was inventive and very good.
When I dine out, I want it to be special... not just okay.. I want the flavors to pop and be memorable...a place that makes me want to come back.
I probably won't be back, for the simple reason that this restaurant isn't a 9 or above.. There are too many restaurants in SF.
Make the flavors pop!
I was staying across the street from Swell for almost an entire week before I ventured in.
The specials board beckoned with each new item but I resisted, too busy visiting other restaurants, in this staggering land of food fabulosity.
On the night we ate, the special was a warm lobster salad that causes a slight buckle in my knees as I recall the succulent simplicity of it all. White beans, arugula, fresh lobster and pure love united to make my tummy a warm and happy place.
I could talk about the perfect wine, chic setting or skillful service but all that mattered was that plate, so nectarous it was almost spiritual.
I don't think the name does it justice, perhaps Swellegant?
Great for (esp raw) fish. Scallops roulade was the highlight, but it was all delish. You won't leave hungry if you order a couple of the warm plates as well. Service can be scattered (despite two waitresses for five tables, my water glass was empty for most of the meal). Tiny place!
I really liked this cute little bar that has replaced Bar Crudo. If you want to get some wine and a little bite, it's a really comfortable place to hang before a little theater action on Union Sq. My friend and I each had a glass of wine, and shared the salmon carpaccio. It was yummy. The waitress also brought an enjoyable amuse bouche of potato soup, which was really nice touch.
One thing they could improve upon is the service. The staff is super friendly, but it is little awkward having the waitress reach over my entire body to pour a glass of wine as I was seated at the bar. She could have easily taken the wine glasses, poured, and then served the glass. Not a big deal, really, but a small oddity that could be easily improved.
Alright, couple things:
Ambiance - Cute and romantic without being pretentious.
Service - Our waitress was a bit socially awkward but sweet. Service overall was good.
Food - If you love fish, definitely come here. We ordered:
- Chef's Platter (Raw) which included Spicy Tuna Tartare, Miso Black Cod Brulee & Kampachi Sashi - All 3 were amazing. Definitely order this dish.
- Lobster Bisque - Delicious. Perfect texture and consistency. Also a must order.
- Alaskan Halibut - Not as good as the other two but definitely a solid dish.
They definitely have a European vibe going on upstairs so get a table there. In all I'd say visit this place on a date or with a good friend order a bottle of Malbec (they've got a great one there) and expect a quiet, relaxing evening and some great seafood dishes.
Inhabiting the former "Bar Crudo" spot next to Tunnel Top and keeping with the jellyfish chandelier, "Swell" I am told is a new restaurant venture that does, well, what you'd have to do in a kitchen of that size. Small bites of items that mostly do not require cooking (except maybe a quick run with a blowtorch for their ankimo and black cod plates). Don't worry, they also have cooked items for those that suffer from "raw-food-phobia".
To get a good grounding, go for their sampler platter ($15) that features 6 to 8 pieces of their raw specialties, and just explore from there.
My favorite was the "Miso Black Cod Brulee" with shiso and purple potato. The fish was lightly sweet and melt-in-your-mouth creamy. Curious was the "Kampachi Sashi" with lightly picked cabbage salad on top that reminded me faintly of kimchee and the "Salmon Carpaccio" where I could only taste the wasabi in my last bite of mascarpone, and the small dense round of cheese rather rough against the delicate salmon slices. The "Mackerel Bruschetta" was a great concept, but the naturally salty fish which is usually my favorite, seemed too salty after the fried capers and seasonings. The S.O. and I also disagreed whether the crisp bruschetta's texture helped or hindered the mackerel.
Now, you can't head towards the same concept as the previous occupant without making yourself fair game for comparison. In which case, I must say "Bar Crudo" seems to provide smoother and more refined combinations, but then again they've had years to do so. As a newbie on the block, "Swell" does quite swell. Given a couple more months to play around and hone their skills, I have nothing but high hopes for this place.
Swell is located at Bar Crudo's old location, and all the decor and lighting are kept the same. i would say Swell is trying to follow the foot steps of Bar Crudo. We ordered 4 items long with our drinks:
Chef Sampler Platter (very small, it should be called sampler, not platter) - Sea Urchin, Ceviche and Mackerel Bruschetta. I like the first two, but the macherel is too fishy for me.
Ankimo Torchon "Sea Foie Gras" - Its' light and tasty
Poha Halibut - very good and well prepared, but not the best i had.
Bouillabaisse - VERY TASTY, i loved to soak bread in the soup...so yummy.
Service - Excellent!!
In conclusion, Swell has very good quality of food. the menu is a little small, but maybe because they just opened. If you want a light seafood dinner, i would recommend Swell, but not for my hubby, after happy hour at 5A5, and dinner at Swell, he still came home hungry....LOL
I ate here with a work friend on a recent Tuesday night. We went at 830 and were promptly seated upstairs. I've been to this space before when it was Bar Crudo and knew to expect a VERY small aka cozy restaurant. Don't bring huge ppl here... they will be distressed.
In general, the food is pretty good but very small. The experience was ruined by our abysmally slow waitress. It took 2o minutes for her to bring the wine, and we had to watch her chat with friends/eager patrons the whole time while she warmed up our white bottle. We ordered a number of items (it's been a couple weeks, don't remember now) and each came out 30 minutes apart from each other. It took 2 hours to eat four appetizer-sized plates (pretty yummy), and when we finished our last one and realized we were still STARVING, the kitchen was closed.
I think the waitress was related to the ownership since she was French and seemingly the only person on staff (no, she was not overwhelmed). She was unkempt and lackadaisical. I'm sure she is a nice person, but she alone ruined the entire experience and I blame her for my hangover the next day since I practically drank on an empty stomach!
Loved the champaign and tuna tartar YUM! Would go back and sit at the "bar" area downstairs and have just that with a date anytime!
Only draw back is sitting upstairs when it is a full house. The waiter seemed overwhelmed at times and the stairs a long and take time to climb. If it is only 2 of you, eat downstairs! :0)
However, like i said, I will be going back for sure.
Okay, Dear Reader, I have wrestled with the star-itude owed to this humble establishment, and there are no ratings for two-and-one-third stars, just like there aren't up in the firmament. Ultimately, "Meh. I've experienced better" is dead on.
I struggled mightily to not let an annoying taxi ride gray my view (do not all of you in the yelpisphere hate those moments in life where a cabbie first tries to size you up for whether he will take you are not -- your devoted writer does not suffer such inappropriate/illegal behavior, just jumps in, then responds -- texts on his cell phone when he could make a turn, misses lights, gets to the stop, leaves his meter on, and pleads no change, trying to extract, thus, a 30% tip on the running meter? but I digress...).
Unfortunately, that set the karmic theme for the evening's service. "Gracious" does not spring to mind for the staff's handling of reservations and arriving guests. The restaurant's seating of guests is poor and cannot be written off to Gallic hauteur. They just do service really badly here ... even by San Francisco's laid-back, super-tolerant attitude. Water glasses are unfilled, chairs are bumped every three minutes, tables have nowhere to hang a coat or hat, soup goes without spoons, bread must be requested, tables next to you are sprayed and wiped with ammonia by your waitress while you are waiting for her to bring your wine to accompany your cooling dish, servers are unaware of many items on the menu, dessert menus never arrive, bills must be requested and then take too long to come ... this all being said, the people in the restaurant are pleasant and seem well intentioned. But I would be embarrassed to bring an out-of-town guest here.
The food was good to very good, though hot items were not hot enough. But the main problem, as others have already noted, are the portions. I do not need the American potlach each time I eat out, but four 2" x 1/2" long, translucently thin slivers of mackerel on microscopic toast for twelve dollars? People, this is the two-buck-chuck of ocean swimmers! Three tiny, albeit very good, wedges of common cheese for the same price? Good but uninspired cups of tepid soup? Small bottles of laughably bad French beer for $7? This is the worst recession in 80 years, restaurants up the street are empty or advertising on the sidewalk reduced prices, and this place is "fit for foodies"? C'mon, Yelpers, if you keep praising places like this, places like this will become the norm. Or worse... When the country pulls out of its doldrums, restaurateurs will think "Anything goes." In our beloved, food-destination San Francisco? Demand, politely, for more and better.
Great service from a friendly Frenchman, and a very interesting menu which was somewhat out of the ordinary for me.
Complimentary soup shots were a nice touch, but should have been something more interesting than potato.
Good company, overall a great evening.
Excellent service. Nice beer list.
The crab cakes were very good. We ordered a second one. The tuna tartare wasn't what you usually get in the city, but was pretty good. I love the scallops, and the ceviche was okay.
I do think it's important that a seafood restaurant not smell like fish, and Iw as a bit put off by that.
Date & Time: Friday May 15, 2009 @ 7:30pm Opening Yesturday
Location: Former Bar Crudo which has Moved to Divisadero
Company: Michael
Crowd: 20-40 Something Couples- Ladies in True Religion Jeans w/ Miniscule Alice+Olivia Tops(Not Me)
Atmosphere: Charming
Music: Contemporary Jazz & Beats
Decor: Intimate, Split-Level Space. Pale Yellow Walls & JellyFish Chandelier. Raw Bar w/ Open Kitchen on Ground Level. Up a Flight of Stairs are Cozy Wooden Tables Tucked Away for Deux, Trois, Quatre.
Service: Extremely Charming & Attractive French Owner/Host, Sweet Female Server & RockStar Chefs
Imbibe: Belgium Pilsner Beer & Sauvignon Blanc
Devour: Raw Oysters, Uni, Ceviche, Scallop, Salmon, Hamachi Crudo, Chef's Special Platter, Lobster Bisque, CrabCakes, Akimo Torchon.
Total: $127.59
I was distraught when Bar Crudo left my neighborhood; upon discovering that another seafood restaurant would be filling the space, the bf and I made a note to check it out.
Swell has mostly maintained the aesthetics of the interior: it's warm and cozy, with some sexy cove lighting on the second floor. The funky chandelier in the back has stayed too.
The French owner is trés charmant, although a bit harried when we arrived - we came in with two other couples at the same time, which pretty much packed the foyer. However, we were all seated fairly quickly.
Oysters are $12 for half a dozen - plump and satisfying morsels. The salmon gralax caprese was addictive, the miso black cod brulee a well-executed take on a near-ubiquitous dish. We also indulged in the ankimo torchon - I'm a sucker for ankimo, and Swell's was luxurious.
While we enjoyed everything, our one note would be that the portions seemed a little small. $12 for four barely bite-sized pieces of fish means you shouldn't come here starving, or you might end up ordering their entire menu - well, you might be tempted to anyway.
Bf the beer snob also notes they have kept the same excellent beer list that Bar Crudo had.
I love me some good seafood. My co-worker and I came here a few days ago and we ordered an assortment of appetizers, cold and warm plates. I liked their extensive selection of beer and wine from around the world. They have a huge by the glass wine selection. Everything here is "small plates" style so it's a good idea to come with 2-4 people. My favorite was definitely the crab cake, 100% crab meat followed by the Miso Black Cod Brulee served over a purple potato slaw. I look forward to coming back to try the spicy tuna tartare.
Yes, the dishes are small, but with that size, you can try more things than usual. The dishes were fresh and the uni was the best ever! The wait people were not spectacular. When we asked for tea, the guy gave me a look as if I expected to grow the tea himself.
I came here with a group of friends a few days after they opened and was really disappointed with their food. The crudos were either over-seasoned or under-seasoned (we tried about 75% of the menu items) and the service left much to be desired. We waited forever for our drinks to be refilled and for spoons they forgot to bring along with our soups. Granted we were sitting upstairs so the waitress had to walk up and down the stairs but frankly, the restaurant is not so big as to justify the delay. Maybe things have improved now but I wouldn't come here again unless someone else was paying.
GREAT time! Stopped in memorial day- when a few other places were (closed) - party of 5 having all sorts of yummies- rose and beer- very nice owners/staff very cute - fun- i am allergic to shell fish- they were totally completely accommodating - we ordered almost everything on the menu; and they made sure my plates were not crossed with the others
will totally return!
woo whoo
The food is decent, but we weren't wow'ed by it to want to go again given there are so many great food in the SF. We had reservations and still had to wait more than 45 minutes before we got seated and there's no waiting area. The owner gave us each a glass of champagne on the house, which was nice, but such a long wait was not right.
Let's say 3.5 with room for improvement + a little bias....I miss Bar Crudo!!!!
Where to begin....the service is impeccable, the french owner is the sweetest, and so attentive- it almost felt like I was in his home as his personal dinner guest. The decor is pretty much Bar Crudo, the gorgeous jellyfish lights are still there, and the romantic setting is still a definite edge over many other seafood places.
The food, well, again, I am biased, but it seems to me that it is a cheaper version of Crudo. Dozen oysters for $22....I'm there...the selection was excellent! However, the lobster bisque pales in comparison to Crudo's chowder....not that it was bad, but it wasn't that creamy delicious amazingness that is Crudo's chowder. The sea urchin crudo was all wrong in my opinion. With sea urchin, you want gentle flavors that enhance the urchin, not strong flavors that overpower it....and sadly, the dry seaweed and radish wiped out most of the delicate flavors of the urchin. I did however enjoy the thinly sliced pear around the urchin, so...room for improvement. The baby octopus salad (a special) had excellent flavor, but was on the chewy side.....needed a little more beating for my taste.
I did appreciate that Swell had more than just seafood....for my meat loving friends, as well as a dessert option (which Crudo never had). I did miss the amazing beer list Crudo had....Swell only has wine...again, room for improvement.
I'm sure I'll be back, because the food is good, and it is SO convenient....but Crudo still has my heart.
Recently tried Swell. I had heard about it and decided to give it a shot. It's in the space previously occupied by Bar Crudo. If you haven't been there, it's a small, but quaint space that has character. We shared the Lobster (which was a special), Lobster Bisque, Salmon Carpaccio, Spicy Tuna Tartar, Crab Cakes and Halibut. I have to say that it was all good. I particularly liked the Lobster (what's not to love about Lobster), Salmon Carpacio and Tuna Tartar, but it was all fresh and tasty. They also had a good selection of beers, including some unusual Belgian beers and a huge selection of wines by the glass (not just by the bottle, which is somewhat unusual). Prices were not outrageous and the service was attentive. Glad we tried it.
It was just okay. I wasn't impressed by most of the things on the sampler. The food was very similar to Bar Crudo but a little cheaper and not as good. The sea urchin was disgusting.
We made reservation without knowing that they switched owner, but we still gave it a try. The seafood was fresh. We wanted to try their oyster, unfortunately, they were sold out.
Here are what we tried:
Raw Samplers (Salmon Carpaccio, Spicy Tuna Tartar) - salmon is average, we like the tuna tartar.
Another raw fish appetizer - we both like it a lot.
Snapper seafood soup - soup is not good, too salty and flavor is not good. The seafood is fresh though.
The price is very reasonable, and the seafood is fresh. We will come back to check out their oysters.
Unique menu and friendly service. A little more affordable than Bar Crudo. Even though they serve mostly seafood, the steak tartar was our favorite. It had just the right amount of spices and was very flavorful. It's worth trying if you ear meat. We tried the Japanese pale ale and the Canadian beer called La Fin du Monde. They were both great. The only thing I didn't like was the way they prepared the mussels. The sauce was too heavy and overwhelming. My friend who ordered them thought it was ok.
I consider myself a pretty good and fair reviewer of seafood places- mostly based on the quality of the fish, which is the top review criterion.
Positives, the place was small and intimate (very much a date restaurant), with pretty attentive staffers. However, this did not make up for the food unfortunately. Perhaps we went on a bad night, but the tuna and salmon orders were subpar, to the point of suspecting they were last week's catch with spices to mask it.
Also, portion sizes are really unbearably small compared to price (even by gourmand restaurant standards). A $15 order is literally 2-3 small sashimi type bites. So, dont go hungry.
Again, I dont want to hammer the place if they had a bad night (and seafood is notorious for quality consistency), but overall, be wary. For a restaurant that specializes in raw seafood, bad fish kills it (just like sushi).
My guess is, reviewers that are oohing and awwing about it were probably getting bowled over by the ambience and the little sushi plates on a Saturday night out. The service and ambience really are wonderful, but the food here is acceptable, not good or great.
I love fish, and raw fish at that...
Swell specializes in tapas-style, creative raw fish dishes. They were very good. All the dishers had a very fresh and crisp taste.
The waitress and host were very friendly. I think they may also be the owners.
I'll definitely be back.
We actually came here looking for Bar Crudo, but liked the menu so decided to give it a try. It was definitely a great decision. The menu is basically small plates divided into two sections, raw and cooked. The majority of the items were raw, and almost entirely seafood, except for the beef tartare. Upon arrival we were given a mushroom soup shooter as an amuse. Nice and rich, deep fresh mushroom flavor. The oysters were delicious, a selection of pacific oysters from Canada, the pacific northwest and kumamotos. Our favorite raw dishes were the tuna tartare, sea urchin, and scallop roulade. Each of them incorporated crisp fruits and vegetables, for a punch of flavor and texture, like asian pear and granny smith apples . For the cooked dishes, my favorites were the grilled baby octopus and seared halibut. Dishes ranged from about $10 to $17. For three, we shared about 8 dishes, and with a bottle of wine, only spent about $160. That's a bargain for fine dining in my book. We loved it so much, we went back two days later. Don't miss it!
Places with booths so you can cuddle with your…
