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The Rotunda
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
Neiman Marcus150 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94108
Neighborhood: Union Square
(415) 249-2720
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 4 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 5 pm
Sun 12 pm - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
548 reviews for The Rotunda
Review Highlights
"Warm popovers + strawberry butter = heaven."
(in 76 reviews)
"My favorites are POPOVERS & LOBSTER CLUB."
(in 112 reviews)
"This is by far my favorite place for afternoon tea."
(in 87 reviews)
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547 reviews in English
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Review from Anastasia K.
Los Angeles, CA
This place is gorgeous, that's for sure. Although it's not located at the most convenient spot (Union Square parking is a pain), if you're already on foot anyway, then it's not a big deal. However, it's not as easy as just walking in and grabbing a seat. Sometimes, you need a reservation days in advance.
For Labor Day weekend, I took a trip up to San Francisco and stayed in a hotel in Union Square. I was planning on meeting a friend for lunch, and wanted a place I could walk to since I was without a car. From the Grand Hyatt, The Rotunda was just two blocks away. It's located upstairs of Nordstroms.
I made reservations through my Yelp mobile app on my iPhone but had to change the reservation due to my friend's schedule. I wasn't able to change it after all because the place was SO booked! I had to change the day and time to get the reservation. I figured ... this place had better be good!
When I got there, I was confused as to where I was supposed to go. I knew I had to go up but ... yeah, okay, no excuses. :P I found my way upstairs and was greeted by the lovely hostess. She led me to a table, and I wanted for my friend to arrive.
We sat at the outskirts of the center, open circle that looks down at the lobby/entranceway. Wow, what a beautiful place to dine. The atmosphere was more relaxed than it was pretentious, and the wait staff was friendly enough. I ordered the scallop salad, and WOW! The scallops were large, succulent, and flavorful. The salad, however, was a tad wilted. Meh. Well, at least the bread was good. ;)
I also ordered the lobster bisque and I was excited to try it. I only had a couple of spoonfuls, as I was mostly focused on my scallops. However, after my lunch companion and I finished our main entrees, the waitstaff came and took our food away. I didn't even get a chance to tell him not to touch my lobster bisque! :*( Ugh. What a waste... it was good, too.
At any rate, I wouldn't say the food here is out of this world delicious and the price is definitely NOT cheap but I'd definitely come back for the ambiance. I know, it's such a shallow thing to say but hey, if you're trying to impress a girl or a picky friend/family member, this is the place. I highly recommend this lovely establishment, and I can't wait to visit again when I'm back up north! :D -
Review from Christina G.
Walnut Creek, CA
1/24/2012
Came here for day after Christmas brunch. There were no reservations available so we started waiting in line at 10:30am with about 10 people in front of us. By the time the restaurant opened at 11, there still seemed to be plenty of room in the restaurant.
Rotunda was beautiful with the top of the Christmas tree in the center of the restaurant (which spans around the dome), overlooking the ice skating rink at Union Square.
First course: complimentary chicken soup and mini-croissant (probably not the right word for that). The soup comes in a little espresso-sized cup and tastes pretty much like chicken broth. The little pastry that comes with it is crunchy, buttery and flaky.
Second course: complimentary popover with strawberry butter. I was expecting something different of this popover. It was quite eggy and hollow for my taste. The strawberry butter added some to it, but it was not nearly as delicious as I thought it would be.
Third course: Rotunda's famous lobster club. The brioche is nicely toasted and the lobster is good, but rather dry. It was a nice meal but not worth $28 in my opinion, even with those scrumptious taro chips.
Final course: panna cotta. This was one of their seasonal offerings, with a nice tangerine topping. The panna cotta was creamier than most I've had, and it was rather sweet.
All in all, I'd come back more for the ambiance than the food. -
Review from Theodore O.
Pacifica, CA
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a lovely place! I came here for a wedding and was stunned by the lovely view of Union Square from the glass windows.
For starters we had sliders, crab cakes, and ahi tuna with wasabi. I loved the sliders and the sweet pickles on top were excellent. For the entree I had the beef pot roast (I'm not sure it's called that on the menu - i had a fixed menu) with mashed potatoes and green beans. They were all superb.
Awesome venue for a wedding party - great view and very San Francisco. -
Review from Kinndy L.
South Bay, CA
2/8/2012
Came here on a weekend for afternoon tea and really enjoyed it!! Loved the spectacular view, of course, and the fact that it was just the perfect place to catch up with a friend over delicious tea and bite-sized snacks. My favorite item was the strawberry butter served with the popover! Anyway, my friend and I stayed there chatting well past their closing time at 5pm and they did not pressure us to leave. Service was great!
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Review from Lewis C.
Campbell, CA
1/18/2012
Roasted red pepper soup with crab was out-of-this world good. In retrospect, if we had all eaten only that dish for our lunch, this would have been 5 stars. But the rest of the food was good, not great. Expectations are high when you are being charged what they charge. And for the price, it was average. Popovers looked fabulous, but were a little bit bland. Sandwiches and pastas were also good but not great.
Does this mean we won't be back? Of course not. It's a Christmas Holiday tradition to have lunch at the Rotunda. Come here for the views and be a little forgiving on the food. You'll enjoy it much more that way. -
Review from Blondie R.
Alamo, CA
1/22/2012
I had lunch here with my good friend, Linda the Great. How great is she? She's so great, she makes Alexander the Great, look like Alexander the Wuss! Everything was perfect! Well OK, maybe not everything; it was a little pricey. The restaurant was beautiful and the view of Union Square was spectacular. The service was outstanding, and I fell in love with our wonderful server. I asked him what he liked, and he recommended several things, one of which was the Beef Short Rib Ragout. It was soooooooooooo good!!! Her Greatness had the Turkey Lemon Salad with gorganzola and walnuts. She said it was good, but also said that she thought it would have been better with chicken; better texture and stronger flavor. Would I come back? Oh Yeah, I want to try the Lobster Club and the Margarita! And next time I want a table by the window!!!!
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Review from Thanh N.
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Setting:
The ambiance is just lovely! We came here for my birthday on a cold rainy day, and this place still looks gorgeous inside.
Food:
ohhhh my goodness! Delicious! Their popovers with lite strawberry butter and mushroom ravioli are amazing!
I've tried recreating their popovers, since Neiman Marcus has their popovers recipe all over the internet..but I can't seem to make their strawberry butter!
I'd recommend this place to those that want superb customer service and delicious food. -
Review from Anne W.
Newport Beach, CA
12/22/2011
Overpriced, bland food. Waiters that think they are God.... PASS.
Sent back my "spring rolls", that were deep fried and utterly tasteless, our waiter looked like I had punched him in the gut when I told him I didn't like them. "EVERYONE likes the spring rolls" ....um, not when the menu doesn't specify they are fried, they look like egg rolls. The food presentation was beautiful, as was the ambience, but the actual taste of the food was just "ok". I had to add salt to my ahi tuna, totally unremarkable.
I had eaten at Chez Pannise the night before and had such a delightfully unpretentious experience with delicious food, I was jaded. In any case, next time I want tasty lunch, I will pretty much go anywhere else.
On a side note, our waiter was sweating profusely throughout our lunch, VERY unappetizing. =/ -
Review from Jennifer D.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
My boyfriend and I have been dying to try this place! The host seated us near the window and it was beautiful! I love the setting and ambiance! We ordered the lobster club (of course) and chicken pot pie. Also every meal comes with fresh warm popovers with strawberry butter! Our waiter also gave us a cup of chicken soup with a light, flaky, buttery pastry that went well together.
DEFINITELY would come here again and try their dessert! Happy eats! -
Review from Denise W.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/29/2011 2 photos
I tend to think that my experiences are partly influenced by my mood. Although I thought this was the case, it wasn't so because I generally felt the same way that everyone else felt at our table. Our server was relatively considerate throughout the meal, but when I received the bill he charged us a $4 sharing fee. He did not notify us of this charge, in fact he shoved the extra plates on our table without asking if we were sharing. When I asked him about the charge, he simply said that it was stated in the menu and it was out of his control. I felt that it was a tricky move.
For the food, it was not as spectacular as I had other times. The avocado in our salad was barely ripened and the popovers were slightly burnt. As a critically acclaimed chef, this certainly should not be allowed to be served to customers. We don't come here to pay more for less.
Maybe it was the busy holiday season and the two hour wait list that contributed to lowered quality food and service. Or maybe we just expected too much. All I can say is that I left in a mood worse than I came with.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/31/2011
The food at the Rotunda is amazing. I am officially addicted to the popover with strawberry butter… Read more »
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Review from Latte G.
Burlingame, CA
1/3/2012
The main feature of this restaurant is not their food, it's the stunning glass rotunda (remnant of the 19th century City of Paris building) that gives this place its lovely ambiance. You can also enjoy beautiful view of the Union Square. It is perfect for a cup of tea after shopping or mellow weekend brunch.
My sister& I stopped by for late lunch,
had their popovers&strawberry butter (the best feature on the menu!),
Grilled Lemon Shrimp and Romaine Hearts Salad&Mahi Mahi.
Food was unremarkable.
Our waitress Ellen was very attentive&courteous&when we asked her for affogato (not on the menu but easy to make: just pour the espresso over little bit of vanilla ice cream), she was happy to entertain our request. -
Review from Denny C.
San Francisco, CA
12/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ive never really had a bad meal here and because my lady shops at Neiman's quite a bit, we almost always eat for free here.
So, my review only factors in the food and not the cost as it's never been an issue.
I wanted to give 5 stars but a few small things bother me... the complimentary chicken consomme is not always consistent... sometimes it's divine... other times, canned chicken broth. I also order the lobster bisque quite frequently and have found large amounts of lobster meat, a few small pieces or none.
Quality has never been an issue but consistency has. And I believe that consistency is one of the main attributes that a 5 star joint should have.
The menu is seasonal but items ive eaten regularly are the lobster club which is always good and a steak sandwich which is also well prepared. There is always a steak, pasta and fish of some sort available.. and also a lot of salads and low calorie choices.
Ive done their English Tea service as well and wasn't really impressed.
Definitely worth a visit but a bit pricey -
Review from Lindsay H.
Roseville, CA
1/26/2012
Love stopping in here every so often for afternoon tea. It's a nice environment and fun experience for out-of-towners. Plus, it's not everyday you find a mainstream restaurant that serves traditional English afternoon tea. Love it!
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Review from Zen M.
San Francisco, CA
1/23/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The setting is beautiful, the service is excellent, and the food is delicious. It's a great place to have lunch for a special occasion.
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Review from Michelle Q.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2011
Honestly, I could care less about Neiman Marcus as a clothing store. I'm pretty certain I will never be able to casually shop there, although I could remain reasonably content wandering the floors, ogling at everything with longing.
What I DO care about is The Rotunda. True, I will never drop $2000 on a pair of pants, but I will fork over $200 for an incredible brunch. What's not to love? You're eating the the top of a glitzy, high end department store, under an incredible dome, with a view of the city. Not to mention you're surrounded by fabulous people who make you feel equally as glamorous. If this isn't a recipe for feeling like royalty, I don't know what is. The Rotunda gives me my Blair Waldorf moment. I milk it.
The food is fantastic! The lobster club is my all time favorite and it is DELICIOUS. I could sit here, have a cocktail, and throw back lobster clubs and lobster spring rolls for hours. And the popovers with the strawberry butter are great. And free.
Four stars for this place, simply because I can't afford to come here often and because I've had better poke for half the price, but I this spot is such an amazing treat! -
Review from Nick B.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2011
Expensive and yet well worth it. That is the best way to describe this lovely spot. Service has always been top notch. It is exactly what you would expect from a restaurant that charges what they do per item. It has always annoyed me that in some nice establishments, service suffers when you are paying over $100 for a meal with two people.
The style is very 'proper' and somewhat elegant. They have stunning decor that is very nice to just look at while you chat. Of course you have to order tea and drink with your pinky up or you are not getting the full experience. I recommend the Lobster Spring Rolls and the Lobster club. My girl and I split a club and cheeseburger. The burger was very good, but not quite up to par with the lobster. After lightening my mood and my wallet I was ready to get back to purse holding duty while my girl shopped. -
Review from Eddie T.
San Francisco, CA
1/23/2012 Seated via OpenTable
it's been awhile I visited the Rotunda, the decor is very relaxing to lunch with friends, I order the lobster bisque and lobster club, the lobster bisque is probably one of the best I ever had, the club is also as good as I remember them, with lots of fresh lobster meat in them. Overall a very delightful lunch spot with great food.
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Review from Anna P.
West Hollywood, CA
11/11/2011
I left my heart at Rotunda...
Every time I visit my hometown I come here. My parents love this place! I would recommend making reservations since it gets very packed on the weekends!
You start with the famous fresh popover bread with strawberry butter. WOW i cannot stop eating this EVER.
I have also tried: Lobster Spring Rolls, Crab and Shrimp Louie, Grilled Lemon Shrimp and Romaine Hearts, Lobster Club, Hummus Wrap, and the Cheeseburger!
I can go through every dish, but I don't even have to because all of them are excellent. The Lemon Shrimp salad is a diet option. It's light and will leave you full with little calories. I would also recommend to share the Lobster Club because it's a generous portion. The cheeseburger is to die for! The Spring Rolls are perfect for the appetizer round. They're warm, crispy and come with a side of a sweet chili sauce.
I have also tried the famous Afternoon Tea! It is not to be missed!
So if you want to enjoy a slice of posh San Francisco this is your spot! -
Review from Umilia M.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011
The venue is stunning, the stained glass beautiful, the service impeccable...
And now, for a public service announcement:
I couldn't help but notice that several other Yelpers referred to the Rotunda and Neiman Marcus as "bourgeois." Perhaps because the word is French and refers to class, people assume it means "fancy."
Nope.
Bourgeois refers to the middle class, with conventional, materialistic values and attitudes. Aspiring. Are those frequenting Neiman Marcus materialistic, guilty of conspicuous consumption? Probably. Middle class? Not really. In Marxist terms it refers to the class of owners of the means of production--again, nothing to do with popovers.
Please, if you must use the word "bourgeois" (or, god forbid, describe things as "bourgzy"), please do so correctly. -
Review from Lisa S.
11/22/2011
The view, of course, is beautiful. During our trip they were working on the subway (which, I hear, is going to last for quite some time), so it was a little loud and busy, but still pretty.
The Rotunda is gorgeous and service is great. The amuse bouche left something to be desired, and the strawberry popover that everyone loves left me saying, "eh?" It's a big piece of hard bread. Yes, the inside is airy and croissant-like, but the dark brown outside flakes all over the table and makes a terrible mess! The strawberry butter is mild. Halfway through I started to enjoy it, but I had to get over the lowering of my expectations.
We shared the warm seafood salad and the beef tri tip sandwich. The seafood salad was a bit fishy. That sounds dumb, I know, but it was. It needed something else, maybe lemon, to liven it up a little and cut through the oil.
The sandwich was very good, and we enjoyed that immensely. The potato salad was also surprisingly delicious.
I really wanted to try the chocolate bread pudding, but I was so full that I had to pass. That was disappointing. :( -
Review from Nancy C.
1/3/2012
Yawn. Their famous popovers with the strawberry butter are good but I wouldn't make a special trip here just for that. Their food is decent but uninspired. There are much better dining options in the area in the same price range. The service is okay. When you come here, you're really paying for the quiet ambiance and the elite feel. If you don't care about that, go somewhere else for better food.
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Review from M P.
Encino, CA
12/1/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Beautiful ambiance, great service, really lovely experience. Highly recommend the Lobster bisque (served with warm, fresh popovers with a berry butter that was delish). I wouldn't recommend the Asian Chicken salad. It was a very sad, sad salad, to say the least.
Just remember that, if you do place a reservation for the window, they cannot guarantee a window seat, and you may have to wait to be seated, reservation or not. -
Review from Zayka Z.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012
Giving it a 4 star but wouldn't say I'm fan. It's a nice place for a girlfriends' lunch to hang out after a busy day of shopping, sip on some yummy drinks and maybe have a few bites to eat. Pricing is high but reasonable, considering you are dining inside the NM. Overall I had a good time - from the service to the food - everything was pretty nice.
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Review from Tanya N.
10/23/2011
Every time I search for high tea in SF, The Rotunda always pops up so I decided to give it a try when a friend from back home came to visit.
Afternoon tea seating is from 2:30pm to 4:30pm so we had the first seating. On a weekday it doesn't seem like many people go for tea so there were a number of tables available. Regardless, it's probably best to make reservations just in case and so they are prepared.
High tea is $35/person which comes with a two tiered tray of sweet desserts and finger sandwiches. The selection of teas is relatively small (only about 9 teas to choose from). I had the Anji White which is apparently only harvest for two weeks of the year. It was good - a light tea.
The finger sandwiches were pretty good but none of which made us go crazy. One in particular had a really heavy herb kick to it which neither of us could appreciate it. It was a herb pastry puff with a herb cheese in the centre. I really enjoyed their seafood tart and chicken sandwich.
As for the sweet desserts, the chocolate brownie was delicious and rich.
The raison scones were way too crumbly so it feel apart to the point in which we couldn't spread anything on it (it came with strawberry jam, devonshire cream, honey and whipped cream). This was disappointing since scones are the main item I look forward to during high tea.
Their raspberry tart's crust also was too frail. Both of the tart's crust broke when we picked them up. Tart itself was good but again, crust was too crumbly. Nothing else was all that memorable.
The restaurant itself was beautiful and service was attentive. Overall disappointed with afternoon tea but it's worth going at least once to check out the restaurant. -
Review from Eve L.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Lobster club sandwich - FREAKING AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! WOW. i am not a lobster person but i got to say this sandwich blew my mind. i cant wait to take my boyfriend there.
my friend had a mushroom ravioli - 6 pieces, it was a 3.5 out of a 5..
my other friend had a chicken pot pie. he said it was good. but i didnt try it.
around $150 for 4 people including tip
Great service and great view of union square. Take your tourist friends here. -
Review from Karen X.
San Francisco, CA
10/5/2011
My boyfriend brought me here for a Sunday lunch. The ambiance is great here, but I think I expected a little too much out of this place. I mean $28 for a mediocre lobster club? And the spinach mushroom ravioli was drenched in oil. Enough said.
But I do want to come back here for afternoon tea. It just looks too cute to pass up. -
Review from Dru C.
Pinky way up in the air when you drink that tea, baby! When a relative invited us to have lunch inside a restaurant inside Neiman Marcus, I was immediately intrigued. First off, I don't shop at Neiman Marcus. Second, I chuckled when I heard that the name of the place is "Rotunda." Is this place popular with rotund people?
Not unless they have a fat wallet. Of course, this place is super expensive. But not only expensive, but a bit on the "stuffy" side. I mean that in a nice way, of course. When you look up, the decor is absolutely stunning, as if it belongs in a museum. There's the urban view of Union Square and nearby high-rise buildings, with the sun shining through on a clear day.
We tried the following items on the menu:
- Chicken consommé w/ mini puff pastry
- Popovers with strawberry butter
- Crispy lobster spring rolls
- Ahi tuna poke
- Char siu smoked sea bass
- Crab and shrimp louie salad
- Apple cranberry galette with cinnamon ice cream
The tiny cup of chicken consommé was a warm touch to start things off, a nice compliment to the oversized popovers. Apparently they are known for these popovers -- baked to dark golden brown on the outside, but light and airy on the inside. They are best when eaten piping hot and smeared with their delicious strawberry butter. You could slather that butter on an old leather shoe and it would taste good.
Everything else was okay. Nothing we ate were absolute duds, but neither memorable. My personal dish was the char siu smoked sea bass, which was nicely cooked and tender to the bite. The char siu flavors came through, unfortunately a bit too strong that it seemed to overpower the delicate fish. The accompanying side of cabbage slaw or salad was a joke. Unless you're a rabbit, there's way too much bland cabbage for any one human being to eat.
My wife's crab and shrimp louie salad didn't seem too exciting. I did enjoy the warm apple cranbery galette, which was warm and inviting on the inside -- a nice compliment to the cold cinnamon ice cream. Service was excellent. Overall, a good place to try once but I'll probably never dine here again. I'm going to have to retire the services of my stuck up pinky until further notice. -
Review from claudia y.
South San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/12/2011
the food here is excellent but the attitude not so great.
we waited about an hour for a late lunch (like 2:45pm on a sunday) you could tell the hosts and hostesses manning the counter were getting annoyed that everyone was asking them when they would be seated. they have a pager system now so you can put your name down, then walk around inside neimans. they told us one hour, then it was another 15-20 minutes after the hour. its pretty ridiculous for a restaurant inside a department store. they kind of have a bad attitude here. the hosts, hostesses, and even waiters and waitresses act like they are way too busy. have no time, and annoyed at your request or question. the only nice person there was really the bus boy who got our popovers and cleared our table.
the food on the other hand, is awesome. fresh ingredients, rich sauces make the food delicious. ive had high tea here a few times and the best thing in the set is probably the scone. all the other stuff you can probably skip. the shrimp and crab louie salad is also fresh and delicious. not too much sauce or dressing. the warm seafood salad also yummy.
if the service was better i could give them more stars but the way they treat guests makes me angryListed in: union square places
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/6/2008
ive come here for afternoon tea several times. i love broth so i like that they give a little cup… Read more »
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Review from Cam H.
Chapel Hill, NC
12/17/2011
Super elegant, gorgeous lunch spot, popovers are to die for, make a reservation for lunch!!! I had a salad special and my sister had the Asian chicken salad, both were absolutely delicious. The service was great, the seating was too comfortable to be true, and the atmosphere was, while upscale, generally comfortable, social, and enjoyable.
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Review from Mang Y.
Concord, CA
12/31/2011
Really delish panna cotta. Light, smooth with perfect flavors and texture. Weak latte.
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Review from Stephanie A.
Milpitas, CA
1/5/2012
Food is okay, but it's not great. The waiter for my table once came over in the middle of the meal and asked if I needed anything but in a really weird teacher-like way that made me feel like I was in elementary school and that I was in trouble. Anyway, the drink pourer guy was always really quick to refill our waters. I almost felt like they were just staring at us from up above, waiting...
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Review from Candy C.
Fremont, CA
10/14/2011
The Rotunda in and of itself is astonishing. Atop Neiman Marcus, this restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and the perfect spot for brunch, lunch, or afternoon tea. We came here on a beautiful Sunday; perfect Fall weather, clear skies, nice view of a bustling city.
Our waitress was ever so polite and sweet (but was later replaced by a man whom I didn't quite enjoy as much while our waitress took a not so quick break). The busboy did not clean off our table with that crumb cleaner thingy which I imagined a place like this would do, but nonetheless he was polite in clearing off our table.
We were given little cups of chicken consomme alongside an itty bitty pastry. I sipped slowly while taking a teeny bite of the pastry. It tasted cheesy. The popover, big and empty inside, was divine slathered with the delicious strawberry butter. I used up all my share of the butter. There is no doubt in my mind that I now have clogged arteries. I don't know why I ordered the butternut squash ravioli when I should have ordered the NM chicken salad. I was disappointed with my poor choice. Pasta Pomodoro serves a better version of the same dish. The Man had the Caesar Salad and he said it was plain.
The lavatory was just that. I guess I expected something more lavish, something grand. But a restroom is a restroom and that's all it was.
Overall, I had a lovely experience. This place is really special and would like to return for afternoon tea (and that Balenciaga bag on the second floor!). -
Review from Elena L.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/30/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Went there the 2nd time for lunch. Lobster roll is absolutely delicious. Seafood stew is great too. Complimentary popover, and little chicken soup were good. Will definitely be back again.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/30/2011
Two things I like about this place are the restaurant's setting and the complimentary popover. But… Read more »
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Review from B. Y.
San Francisco, CA
12/26/2011
Came here for a welcome respite after shopping on the morning after Christmas. While the sales at NM weren't so great, the lunch we had at Rotunda was. We started off with the trademark little cups of chicken broth and popovers with strawberry butter. Then, after a cheese plate and the ahi tuna poke appetizer, my friend and I split the lobster club (which she has been raving about). The lobster club was delicious - big chunks of lobster, not too mayo-ey, big chunks of avocado and just the right amount of bacon. The kitchen was a bit slow with our food, but other than that, it was great.
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Review from Valerie E.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011
Once you get past all the retail, you get to enjoy the good eats of The Rotunda! Had complimentary chicken consomme with crouton and a BIG popover with strawberry butter--YUM. By then, I was already getting full for lunch! Tried their turkey melt on focaccia which came with a salad and fruit. The sandwich was pretty huge, not to mention full of flavor! Delicious and pretty well priced for being at Neiman Marcus. If you really want to know the spots in the city, this is one place you should at least try--even if you're not into you know...shopping there.
And if you ever happen to bring flowers and would like a vase so you can display them on your table while you dine---you can! One of my girlfriends brought a bouquet of flowers for my sister and they provided 2 vases for our table! And even gave us a bag to take our flowers home! -
Review from Cherylynn N.
San Francisco, CA
8/29/2011 8 photos
*PINKY UP*
I'm not rich nor will I ever be unless I hit the jackpot one day except I don't play the lotto (there goes my chances). But for the two hours my friends and I were at Rotunda, it sure made me feel like an elites brunching among some San Francisco's finest sitting underneath a beautiful stained glass dome in a room curved around a breathtaking center atrium.
On Sunday, 8.28.11, my friends and I came to The Rotunda for brunch. We had reservations (highly recommended) and were seated within 5 minutes.
F O O D /D R I N K S
*BLOODY MARY ($12) - 4 STARS
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The bloody mary packed a great punch and was rich in tomato flavor with a fiery kick. Several sips is all I needed to clear my pounding headache.
*COMPLIMENTARY POPOVER w/ Strawberry Butter - 5 STARS
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Fresh out of the oven, the popover was lightly crisp on the outside with a flakey softness on the inside. The strawberry butter melted into every nook and cranny of the popover giving it a delicate creamy sweetness.
*COMPLIMENTARY CHICKEN CONSOMME w/ Petite Cheese Biscuit - 4 STARS
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Simple and comforting, the chicken consommé was rich in chicken flavor great for the morning after. The petite biscuit was the perfect small bite of buttery flakiness with a hint of savory saltiness from the encrusted cheese.
*TUNA TARTAR: Truffle-seasoned Ahi Tuna, Hawaiian Seaweed, Tobiko w/Crispy Cassava Chips ($17) - 3 STARS
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The tuna tartar was very bland and the texture just seemed off; not as firm and tender that I'm used to. I wasn't keen on the Hawaiian seaweed as I think avocado would have been a better complement adding a butteryness to it.
*LOBSTER CLUB: Applewood Smoked Bacon, Avocado, Arugula, Lemon Aioli on Toasted Brioche w/ Taro Chips ($28) - 4 STARS
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Toasted buttery brioche is layered with chunks of lobster, ripe avocado, fresh arugula and smoky bacon with a smearing of lemon aioli. Everything was well balanced in texture and flavor. You get a sweet tenderness from the lobster and creaminess from aioli and avocado which is offset by the pepperiness of the arugula. The bacon was the icing on the cake adding a crisp rich porky richness to the lobster club. The lobster club was very good but not as spectacular as I thought it would be.
Taro is my favorite root veggie and though the chips were perfectly crisp, they were on the oily side.
S E R V I C E
Our waitress was friendly but lacked attentiveness; she was MIA most of the time. The busboy on the other hand, was on top of his game making sure our water glasses were always filled and our empty plates were taken away promptly. The Rotunda is meant for a leisurely brunch/lunch so food did take a while to come out; not sure if that was their intention or not.
A M B I A N C E / D E C O R
The Rotunda is architecturally stunning and you would expect nothing less at the bourgeoisie Neiman Marcus. It's the perfect place for a ladies day, high tea or if you want to impress that someone special if you know what I mean. *wink wink*
Rotunda is not easy on the wallet as brunch set us back about $50/person but it's a little price to pay for a day (ok, several hours) in the life of one of the Real Housewives.Listed in: Oh you FANCY huh?, Nouvelle (NEW) American…, THE "SEEFOOD" DIET!
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Review from Sevasti S.
Fremont, CA
10/31/2011
Delightful experience! High tea with my niece. Reminded me of Harrod's of London.
Charming room. Attentive, accommodating staff and so close to home. Tea was just right. Sandwiches were tasty. Desserts were decadent. We had their popovers too...just cuz we asked. Ask and ye shall receive!
Had such a great afternoon! Can't wait to do it again! -
Review from Jennifer Y.
San Francisco, CA
8/26/2011
As bourgie (or "booshie") as Neiman Marcus can be, The Rotunda is a special treat. And I'm not just talking about the complimentary popovers with their strawberry butter accompaniment. The oval-shaped restaurant with gorgeous natural lighting during the day brightens up the entire room and my mood. The ambiance is a fresh awakening for a great lunch with girlfriends. Tempted to try the afternoon tea lunch minus the boyfriend. I think this restaurant is slightly feminine for him, not that I'm passing judgment on guys who have or who plan to dine at this fine establishment. The gentlemen waiters are knowledgeable, attentive, and if they read this review I'm sure they'd disagree and voluntarily drop trou to show me what feminine really is.
Like I said, I'll probably be back for high tea and if all goes well I'm hoping to leave with a bloody awesome English accent.Listed in: My favorite places to eat
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Review from Natalie G.
San Francisco, CA
8/13/2011
Did a tea lunch here on a sunny Saturday afternoon and it was just divine dahhling. Its such a pretty setting under the rotunda and sets the mood for a fancy pants lunch.
We did the royal tea (starts at 2:30pm) which comes with your own pot of tea and tons of nibbles. The popovers they start the meal off with are AMAZING fluffy goodness. We also had mini egg salad sandwiches, chicken salad toast, cucumber toast with cream cheese and many many more snacks. You also get a tray of desserts like mini cupcakes and chocolate. Things that are small are just fun to eat. Small things just taste better. They have this thing figured out.
It's not cheap to get the tea (they have three levels cheapest being around $30/pp) but its a great treat! I loved going to tea time at The Rotunda. I want to go back when they have the Christmas Tree lighting. -
Review from Gemma J.
9/1/2011
I'd like to preface this by saying that I've never shopped at Neiman Marcus, to a great extent because I refuse to support their AmEx-only policy (has that changed yet??), but I'd heard great things about The Rotunda and was eager to celebrate my birthday lunch (well, one of them... birthday weekends, you know) there.
So that Sunday we waltzed over to Union Square and up the million escalators to find ourselves in the very spacious, very grandiose upper floor of NM, amid a rather eclectic crowd of elite, tourists, and everything in-between.
Although it took a while to be seated/noticed -- we lingered awkwardly at the entrance, salivating over other people's delicious-looking food -- service was consistently friendly and attentive thereafter. The waiter was chatty and warm, and the busboys were all efficient and polite... Customer service-wise, they're running a pretty smooth, impeccable operation.
The food was likewise top-notch. The ahi tuna was good, though not the best I've had, but the lobster bisque was legitimately spectacular and the crab cakes were close to sublime (especially the sauce).
Sure, it's expensive: most starters were barely under $20, while all entrees were above that... but, if you're able to get a table by the windows, the Union Square views, the luxurious atmosphere, and the overall experience make up for the steep prices. At the very least, it's definitely an ideal place for special occasions (and special budgets)... and I'd go back to splurge on the lobster bisque any time.
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