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Categories: Vietnamese, Asian Fusion
Neighborhood: EmbarcaderoMon-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"Hunan Home has been my favorite chinese joint since I found it while working in the financial district back in the 90s. They have a great…" read more »
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Hmmm, I'm trying to be nice to a place that charges an arm and a leg for 'Vietnamese' food that, in my humble white girl experience, is not really even very Vietnamese. In all fairness... the food was average-good but too expensive. Also, the hostess was a lil too snotty and the waiter, kind of a kiss-ass. (Oh wait, in all fairness, I've actually backpacked Vietnam and then later, roomed with Vietnamese for years... lol.)
Guess it's still 'A-OK' but I'm used to getting amazing Vietnamese food for a fraction of the cost and I try not to dock a place too much for price just because I'm cheap sometimes. LoL Guess I'm just not 'foodie' enough to deal with places like the Slanted Door.
We sat outside so we could see the ocean which was nice but it was too cold. Too bad the wait for inside was too long. What can I expect from a place in the Embarcadero?
Won't see ya there.
People thought this was:
Only gonna comment on happy hour (my bff meling gave a v. detailed food review).
I was in a sober state of mind with a few friends who were drinking a fair amount. "excuse me. can i get a water?" ten minutes later when she's bringing more drinks over "can i get that water? if it's an issue you can ask the bartender for tonic and lime" (i'm not destitute. i swear. i just want a fucking glass of water for the love of jesus) then ten minutes after that "uhhhh i asked for water" (the bitch is coming out). She's just staring at a spot above my head and nodding saying she would get it asap. finally my friend flagged down a busboy and i asked him en espanol which he promptly retrieved for me. maybe the slanted door should hire their servers outside of home depot. It would seem that my people don't have an issue carrying a glass of water ten feet.
thanks for nothing snobby waitress... my friends undertipped you for their lukewarm martinis too (you left them standing at the bar for a hella long time). I would do the one star dealie but the busboy was really nice and la raza unida and all that jazz.
People thought this was:
This is by far and away one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. Not only is it in one of my favorite spots (the Ferry Building) with a view of the bay...it is so deliciously fantastic.
You will need reservations to sit in the dining area, but if you just want to grab a quick bite- order from the appetizer menu because the bar is fun with plenty of seating. They also have a great cocktail menu (ginger limeade and pisco sours to mention a few) and full wine list.
There are a few menu items you should not miss:
crispy imperial rolls, slanted door spring rolls and the papaya salad should not be missed.
People thought this was:
I had an enjoyable evening meal at the bar. The wine list by the glass limits you to whites or light reds. The spring rolls were interesting - a bit more aromatic than your average Vietnamese spring roll with some sort of dressing inside. They were a bit large, and really make a more appropriate appetizer for two. The clay pot chicken was a bit sweet. As it is just chicken and sauce, I think it would be best shared along with a shared vegetables dish. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was great, and the restaurant itself is attractive.
After our walk from Chinatown all the way to the Ferry Building. We decided to get a drink and end up sitting at the bar at Slanted Door. Our Bartender was very nice and was attentive. He had great knowledge of drinks and made great suggestions of what we should order. End up ordering the Yellow tail with Fried Shallots and Kampachi. We had the Yellow tail before and its a great dish. The fried shallots add alot of flavor and texture to the dish. The Kampachi was not bad but on the sweeter side. Overall both dishes was great. I end up ordering there Ginger and Lime drink. It was perfect not overly sweet or tart. Love coming to Slanted Door. Its one of our fave places.
People thought this was:
Came here on a day off. A day in the city when everyone is at work is great. I think its nicer in a… Read more »
My husbands clients took us here and it was the greatest gesture ever. This place had an amazing customer service. Our waitress was on her toes at all times. The food was great.
The only upside to the restaurant is that it sits on the water and offers beautiful views of the bay.
However... the service is terrible. Our waitress almost entirely forgot about us -- she was chatting with other employees by the bar. It was a battle to get her attention and the check.
In addition, most of our meal was absolutely mediocre. The cabbage salad (I believe?) was okay, but besides that, my salmon was un-appetizingly drenched in soy sauce and everything else we tasted was forgettable.
Part of me cries on the inside when I went to the trouble of making reservations, drop over $100 on a meal for two and afterwards I have a feeling that I could've gone to some anonymous restaurant with half the reputation and half the pretension and gotten four times the meal with better service. Forget the hype, this place is a waste of your time.
Had some clients in town who had never been to San Francisco before. This restaurant was the perfect place for several reasons: location (the Ferry Building is great and the view of the bridge is beautiful), atmosphere (elegant, but not stuffy) and a great range of menu items (we had a vegetarian in the group).
We all loved the Shaking Beek, Scallops, Claypot Chicken and Rice Dumplings. Just when I thought the meal couldn't get any better...dessert. The Lemon Tart was to die for.
The only downside is the bill. Since the plates are small and you need to order many, the total adds up quick. That being said, every now and then, you deserve a treat.
People thought this was:
The view is great, everything else is really not that special.
Reservations are definitely recommended, but they let you sit at the bar or outside without one. I went on a Tuesday night and the place was packed, including the bar. Because they are so busy, the servers aren't very attentive.
-vegetarian spring rolls ($9)- the mint was everything. not better than spring rolls at any cheap vietnamese joint
-cellophane noodles with dungeness crab ($18)- imagined japchae with crab, but instead it turned out to be just what it says - noodles with pieces of crab. couldn't taste the crab...salty...
-vegetables/corn ($10) - salty ..
People thought this was:
Man this place is packed. A reservation is definitely required or you'll be waiting. If you are of the latter, like me, then you'll be waiting for the bar, which serves a full menu, or at the tables by there for appetizers. Try not to creep out the patrons trying to hawk on their seats.
$29 Shaking beef - The beef was cooked to perfection, but the portion wasn't adequate. One would have been better off going to Harris to get a steak dinner.
Ginger Limeade - The friendly bartenders were attentive and friendly, did I mention they were friendly, and make a good drink. They do not make rum and cokes here, which could be construed as being snobby. You decide.
The atmosphere is nice, service is ok and the food is good. You can't go wrong coming here for drinks. As for dinner the choice is your's, but the food will be good.
People thought this was:
I went here for a friends company happy hour and had a great time. It was modern, clean, great food… Read more »
When my bf came to visit, I decided to take him here since everyone and his/her mom, uncle and sibling recommended this place. However, I'll give you my conclusion first before boring you with what we had: this place is overpriced for no legitimate reason and the hype is undeserving.
We had:
*whiskey smash - maker's mark, mint, lemon and a hand carved block of ice
*shaking beef served with a lemon, salt, pepper dipping sauce, watercress and red onions
*"spicy" Japanese eggplant
*cellophane noodles with dungeness crab
*vanilla creme brulee
Since we didn't have reservations, we decided to seat ourselves at the bar. We happened to have a great view of the bartenders making really unique drinks so we tried the Whiskey Smash. This is a refreshing and delicious drink.
The shaking beef was great, but $29 for it is overkill. A few days after dining here, my bf and I attempted to make the same dish following the chef's own recipe (http://sfgourmet.blogs...). Our end result was, in our opinion, pretty damn competitive, and it cost a mere $10 max.
The cellophane noodles with dungeness crab lacked flavor and had too much noodle with too little crab. It was dry, plain, and boring. I ended up asking for more of the shaking beef lemon dipping sauce so I could douse these parched noodles in an attempt to salvage a $20 dish.
The "spicy" Japanese eggplant dish is a joke. A) it's not spicy B) the eggplant was so undercooked and also had a strange potato texture and C) it didn't even taste good. Seriously, don't bother with this dish.
The one dish that I actually liked, loved to be accurate, was the vanilla creme brulee. It was so creamy, milky, thick and smooth (please refrain from "that's what she said" comments although I know it's hard). The caramelized sugar layer on top had a well balanced charred flavor. Usually the caramelized top is thin at most places, but this one definitely was not. Great contrast of textures and flavors!
Anyways, don't come here unless you feel like being dissatisfied after blowing money or if you just want the creme brulee.
People thought this was:
I never would have expected that the best thing at Slanted Door (for me) would be the dessert. Brown butter pound cake with raspberry coulis and homemade creme fraiche ice cream...yes!!
The cocktail (ginger, lime-infused vodka, lime juice) was also stellar, making me think that next time I go I'll stick to apps, drinks, and sweets. The entrees were okay, but not worth the high cost when I could be just as satisfied with nibbles and a view of the bay.
People thought this was:
A wonderful restaurant that will provide a great experience. Follow these instructions:
Reservations need to be made far in advance for prime dinner time seating. But don't do that. My preference is to avoid the dining area - it is noisy and somewhat overbearing. Instead, sit at the bar where they serve a full dinner or lunch menu. To make all this happen (bar seating) either get there early (before 5) or late (after 9) as it is first come first serve. A lot of snagging seats at the bar is really luck.
Once seated, try a cocktail - they're great. Everything I've ever eaten at Slanted Door has been very good. The hamachi is incredible and the imperial roles are worth trying. Try also: dungeness crab with noodles, shaking beef and ahi. There's a fairly substantive vegan menu as well.
If you follow the no reservations route you need to be prepared with a back-up dinner plan. This requirement for spontaneity isn't for everyone, but I find it almost always results in the best of all possible worlds - at least that is, for an evening out.
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I think I have personally contributed to the overfishing of Chilean sea bass -- but I blame it on Slanted Door. Whatever they do to it is so damn delicious. Someone should make them stop serving it, because I can't stop ordering it. The following are really great: the view, the scene, the service, and of course, the food. It's a tad noisy. Want to take guests from out of town somewhere special? Bring them here.
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I am sorry, guys to have to give you one star, but the experience I had here was not good at all and I tried it several times.
I still remember the days of Valencia location and the melt-in-your-mouth sea bass, the casual, airy atmosphere, the place was all about food and what magnificent food it was. Then, of course, it became so very popular that a move was necessitated. The move was to a waterfront location. Parking was not so bad here. The food remained good, but the noise level increased. The level of service decreased. Larger location followed. The parking is terrible. The noise level precludes any reasonable conversation. The service became non-existent. The food became all one flavor - sweet. Why did all change like that? The place became a tourist trap, it lost its flavor and its soul. Why did everything become sweet? Where did the melt-in-your-mouth sea bass go? Why go so heavy handed on the cabbage salad? Guys, please, is it possible to recapture the incredible flavors of the Valencia street location. I wouldn't recommend this place and especially if you are planning to have any kind of conversation during your dinner. If you do go, get spring rolls and stick with beef dishes. Desert was not good.
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Beautiful view! Amazing food!
We knew we had made a mistake as we entered the restaurant on a sleepy Sunday evening at 7pm. The shops and other restaurants in the Ferry Building were either closed or closing but the Slanted Door was bustling with people drinking, lounging and dining. It was a full house but we still decided to give it a try.
Upon inquiring for a table for two, the hostess told us that they were totally booked till 9:30pm and that we should have made reservations. So we decided to take a rain check for our next trip to SF. But as we were walking by their patio, it seemed warm enough with their heaters that we went back in to get a table on the patio.
We were given a table for two on the edge of the patio which was a bit cooler for our taste but we decided to take it. The waiter was prompt to take our drink order. He also notified us of the menu's family sharing style which was nice since we each had had a clam chowder in a sourdough bowl 3 hours ago and we had sharing an entree with some side dish in our mind anyways.
As we were sipping our Pinot Noir, I noticed a cozier table of four that was occupied with two people who were about to leave and asked our waiter if we could get the table after they left. The waiter responded saying that he wouldn't be able to do that without the hostess' approval. So we decided to check with the hostess. She said that the table was reserved for somebody else. It didn't make much sense for somebody to make a reservation for an outside table while it was 50 degrees and windy outside but still we decided to stick to what we have and tried to shake our cold off by sipping into our Pinot's. The table stayed unoccupied for almost 30 minutes before somebody was finally seated to it.
When our $29 Shaking Beef entree came, we were appalled. It had shrunk into an appetizer size with 6 chunks of beef seasoned with some lame soy sauce vinaigrette and some onions. Thank God, we had ordered a $9 bok choy dish and an order of brown rice, otherwise even with two bowls of chowder eaten three hours ago, we would have left the table hungry.
If we had known we would be paying for a family sized portion of this junk $29, we could have been a bit more happier. But serving an appetizer size dish with a lame taste at $29 to me is robbery.
Thank God we have Little Saigon down here in OC and we don't have to deal with snobby hostesses at crappy places like these to have decent Vietnamese food!!!
Family style Asian Fusion, my butt!
Methinks not.
Place was packed, we asked to be seated.
Response?
"If you can find a place at the bar, feel free to sit down there."
Excuse me, douche? Why don't you see if there is a place at the bar for us? Customer Service 101 repeat class.
Sheesh.
Peace out.
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This past Saturday was the first time since the restaurant relocated from Valencia Street to the Ferry Building that I went back for my friend's birthday celebration. (yeah, I know it's lame) It was every bit as good as I remember. The joint was jumping at 5:30p with folks lining up for their dinner reservations, so if you manage to get a seat at the bar, do not give it up.
Six of us sat at the bar to drink, nosh and chit chat. We shared 2 orders of shaking beef, cabbage and jicama slaw, glass noodles with crab, perfect tightly wrapped veggie and spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce, and a luscious raw oyster and lamb sausage combination that was out of this world. Our bartender was fantastic and friendly, he patiently went through the wine list with us and even comp'd us shots and a big order of shrimp before we took off. Slanted Door makes me appreciate Vietnamese food more than I ever have before.
So, I had really high expectations of this place since I had heard nothing but good things from friends in the past few years. I was very excited when my friend told me that's where we were going. I ordered a virgin cocktail which was basically cranberry juice and my friend got a beer.
The first thing we ordered was the "grapefruit" salad that was supposed to have jicama and red cabbage. Notice I put grapefruit in quotes. What we got was a heaping plate of nothing but red cabbage, a few little slivers of jicama and literally 4 tiny slices of grapefruit. So we paid 9 bucks for about a big plate of red cabbage. It should be called red cabbage salad instead of grapefruit salad.
I will now move on to the chicken. I ordered the stir fried chicken with dates, raisins, walnuts and cashews. I stupidly assumed the dish would be white meat. Boy, was I wrong. The dish arrived and I could tell it was really cheap dark meat. Huh? Dark meat for $17? I took a bite and the chicken was so incredibly rubbery I could barely chew it. I ended up spitting it out in my napkin. It was atrociously bad. The waiter could tell I wasn't happy and offered to get me something else. I asked him if they had any chicken dishes with white meat and he informed me that they only use thigh meat for their chicken dishes. This place must be making a killing. They use the cheapest cuts of meat and charge twice as much as anyone else for it.
I will now cover the fish. My friend and I decided to just split the whole branzino because it was $32. Again, I assumed the fish would be boneless. Again, I was wrong. The fish itself was OK. And here I highlight OK. It was bland and as I mentioned, NOT boneless. I spent the better half of the meal picking bones out of the fish to eat it.
When we got the bill it was $75. We paid 75 bucks for a plate of red cabbage salad, ok fish, a glass of cranberry juice and two beers. Wow. Can you say rip off?
Never ever again. That's all I can say. The one star is for the awesome bartender. He was very friendly and accomodating.
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I've been going to Slanted Door since they were on Valencia street (oh strange Mission zoning group, why wouldn't you let them come back? Wouldn't it have been better than a giant empty storefront for 8 years?) but I digress. The first time I had Shaking Beef it rocked my world, I didn't know flavors like that existed?
Last night, not so much. Went with clients (who begged to be taken there), the place was packed to the gills and so loud I could barely hear the people right next to me. The service was adequate but . . . don't expect to be made to feel special. The spare ribs appetizer was great, had two of those and really appreciate the hot towels for clean up, but the spring rolls were mediocre. I've definitely had worse but these were not the spring rolls you expect from The Slanted Door, even an out of town guest commented that he'd had better from a hole in the wall local place. But the real disappointment was the shaking beef?? No fabulous spicy, tangy, oh it kind of hurts but I want more saucy flavor and the beef itself was undercooked or something. Sadness.
And the bathrooms. Full disclosure the clients were from the midwest and have a history of being off put by SF's unisex bathroom trend but they were really confused by these. And really, I don't need a guy to open the stall door for me? It's just strange.
So next time the clients ask to be taken there I'll tell them we can't get in.
Gotta say, I don't get it... at all. I've been here a few times for lunch when working downtown. I've sat at the bar and in the dinning room. Eh, the food is the same no mater where i was sitting and it's just not worth the price. I enjoy good food and I have no problem paying for something I really enjoy, but this misses every time. If you're not in early there is a massive line (I don't know why)
They do have good service, and that's refreshing. I hope not to go back.
People thought this was:
It's tasty. It's not bad. Service is good. I've definitely had better viet/fusion food for a better price.
Just go to the TL and get it for half-off. Yes, replace the beautiful bay for beautiful, animated characters of the TL. But if you're taking a date or some clients sure. Or if you're going with some friends who aren't that well-versed in Viet food or don't like to venture out and try something exotic this would be a safe bet.
Otherwise, if you want the real deal go to the TL and get Viet food or make the trek out to Man Jose.
Slated door is great. The wait staff are nice and very friendly. I didn't wait long to get my table, even though it was very bust Friday night. I was a bit disappointed that the ox tails were sold out when I arrived, so had to pick other items on the menu. The great part about that was the item I did choose was comped and so was my first glass of wine for my inconvenience. The wine section was great also. Good to taste some other wines not from California. Best time for me to go is the lunch rush.
I have to say I had VERY low expectations for this place since my husband and I are picky eaters. However the location was great, great view of the Bay and bridge. Nice contemporary place.
The food was REALLY GOOD!
The only bad part was the NOISE. It's REALLY loud in there when it's busy.
But I would go again - maybe better on a sunny day for lunch and eat outside?? Yeah!
Wow! Talk about knockin' it out! I'm obviously way late in the game on The Slanted Door, having heard about this place for years now. And evidently thanks to this expansion, I could sit down w/o a reservation. So it was a beautiful day yesterday and a colleague and I took seats at the bar.
Started with a glass of Austrian Rose. The menu said it was dry but it was definitely sweeter than it was dry. Regardless, it was very nice. I ordered the carmelized prawns and my colleague ordered the lemongrass chicken. Hooray for family style so it's like 2 for the price of 1!. Also had brown rice on the side.
Bartender/waiter was quite professional. friendly, attentive w/o being annoying. Place was packed as I'm sure it always is so the place had a good buzz about it.
Onto the food: wow! The prawns were slammin'! Slightly crunchy goodness! Carmelized onions and other veggies, including peppers. This was unbelievably delicious. The chicken was also killer. The meat wasn't dry, which is always the first hurdle for me with chicken (and pork for that matter). Delicious spicy sauce and wonderful veggies.
Perfect amount of food, though I was a little on the stuffed side walking out of there (it probably wasn't a 50-50 split on the "share". I've had their takeout a few times and it's also good but I definitley noticed a significant jump up the ladder with the quality of the sit-down experience.
So IF by chance there's anyone left out there who hasn't been to The Slanted Door (*crickets*), check it out!
People thought this was:
Fresh Hog Island Oysters served raw in the shell with rich butter sauce kicked off the evening. A bottle of light crisp Sauvignon soon gave way to a succession of redder vintages whilst Cali-Viet seafood dishes spiraled onto our table from attentive, experienced waitstaff.
The view is impeccable San Francisco. The Bridge holds the view up while the ferries boom their various farewells below. The dinner-hour shakes with vibrant devil-may-care consumption (and conversation) and this catalyzes the biz deal.
With a finite supply of restaurants in SF the Slanted Door makes a great gateway getaway... & since it's not a big secret join the pilgrims. Go east.
Got talked into going here very last minute and the staff was nice enough to still seat us even though we were 10 minutes late for the reservation and added another person.
We did have to wait for a few minutes, but that's what a bar is for!!
We got the scallops, shaking beef and a corn dish. Everything was amazing!! Yes the portions are small plates, but whenever i dine out i feel as though the portions are WAY too big. So I'm fine with that aspect.
We also ordered the crispy imperial rolls. SO TASTY!
The total split between 3 people ended up being $45 each. Not too shabby especially since we got some beers.
I will definitely return and can't wait!!!
Go early or else there will be a fatty line .
The food is good, but I think it's too hyped up . Also, I can get really good Vietnamese food for half the price elsewhere .
The location is just perfect though, especially on a beautiful San Francisco afternoon .
So, if you like the nice view, chic decor and decent food, go to Slanted Door. You'll get what you came for .
A-OK!
I really hate giving mediocre reviews. Usually I only bother if I really like a place or really hate it. But the mediocrity of this place was a surprise in itself because I expected to love it.
It's good - but not great. The service was ok. The decor is lovely and if you get lucky you can get a great view. The food is overpriced for what it is. The portions are small so family style is recommended.
That said, if you're going, get the oysters. The only other dish that we really really liked was the Niman Ranch flank steak noodle dish.
I won't go on but simply add my hand to the many raised when asked, "Would you recommend Slanted Door"?
Go. Enjoy. Bravo!
It was a Tuesday night and my friend and I ducked out of our boring convention to have a little fun. We ended up at Slanted Door right on the waterfront.
Everything on the menu looked amazing and we started off with the "daikon rice cakes with shiitake mushrooms and shallots." I know it sounds weird and healthy, but I'm a huge fan of daikon and was happy that my friend was willing to experiment. Let me just say that I am an avid bar eater. It's part of my new adventure to be more independent and bold.
When you eat at the bar - try everything, share everything. Eating should be a communal experience. The daikon cakes were amazing. Very flavorful and authentic. We followed with the "salt and pepper quail" and the "wood oven roasted manila clams." They were good, but nothing to write home about. Then came the pork belly...
Of all the Asian restaurant dishes, pork belly is the one I'm most skeptical of and the one I order most out of curiosity. It's not difficult to prepare, but I find that it's often made overly complicated, overly sweet and not cooked slow enough. This dish was a "wood oven roasted becker lane tea smoked pork belly with roasted organic grapes" and it's one of the best I've had - simple, tender, and slightly crispy on the outside. The grapes were gently baked and chilled so they're light and sweet - a perfect compliment to the fatty pork belly. It was a happy occasion.
Not knowing much about San Francisco, I asked our bartender Tim for some recommendations for night life and he invited us to an after hours party. Meanwhile, my friend had struck up a conversation with Francisco behind the bar. Their topic of conversation? Tequila of course. Francisco turned out to be quite the tequila expert and gave us a tasting of his favorites. Keep in mind, I'm 5'1 and 95lbs...I can usually hold my own, but tequila shots after 3 glasses of wine? Still...it would be rude to not join in, right? And there we were: me, my friend G., Tim and Francisco...all drinking tequila together on a beautiful summer evening in San Francisco. Good bartenders LOVE bar eaters. (We also know how to tip.)
The thing about Eat at the Bar pros is that they never fall out of their element, they always meet new people and no matter what happens, they have fun. A few tequila shots later, Tim and Francisco were bringing us all kinds of desserts on the house. Browned butter pound cake with raspberry compote and créme fraîche ice cream. Vanilla bean créme brülée with hazelnut financier. Oh my...I've GOT to do this more on my own!
But, it's harder for women to have that kind of presence without drawing unwanted attention. Isn't it? As much as people judge the lone male bar eater, they're judging the lone female bar eater far more...aren't they? Well F*** them. We ate too much, drank too much and didn't make it to the after hours party that Tim invited us to. Se la vie. There's always next time. Was this the best Vietnamese food I've ever had? Certainly not...but that's not what this place is about. It'd be like comparing potatoes to pineapples.
In short, Slanted Door is great. Great food, lots of booze, cool people. So for all you "Yelpers" (you know who you are), who complain it's too expensive and that they've had better food at the hole-in-the-wall by their house...Shut up. Go home. And order take out!
People thought this was:
The food is just OK. It's totally overrated and overpriced!!!
I've had much better asian or vietnamese fusion food for the same price.
Yes the location is good, but it's so noisy and crowded in the restaurant, you can't really have any decent conversation or enjoy the environment.
I think it's a total tourist trap or for round eyes who doesn't know any better.
People thought this was:
We had a 25 person work dinner last night at The Slanted Door and it was amazing. They sat us outside under the heat lamps with a great view of the Bay Bridge and the bay. Even once it got dark it was beautiful with all of the lights. We did the prix fixe dinner, which was way too much food but also so GOOD! Everything was great but the major highlights were:
1. Niman ranch shaking beef cubed filet mignon, sausalito springs' watercress, red onions and lime sauce - I was so full when this came out but I tried a bite and then had to eat three more pieces. It literally melted in my mouth.
2. Slanted Door spring rolls with shrimp, pork, mint and peanut sauce - they also sell these to-go at Out The Door and they are great for lunch.
3. Caramelized tiger prawns with garlic, onions and chili sauce
4. Crème Brule - Every single person who tried this loved it. It was fantastic!
People thought this was:
Beautifully designed restaurant...for beautiful people. Very chic. Food was excellent...especially the pork chops, with artful presentation and exquisite flavor. A" bit" on the expensive side....so going will be a rarity. Friends took me here on my birthday as they knew I've always wanted to come here.. Everything we ordered was delicious, even the vegetables -- mom would be proud I ate my spinach! Dessert was the best...would love to try the browned pound cake again.
People thought this was:
We had drinks here for our very own early happy hour at 2pm on a Thursday afternoon. Had three rounds of drinks and tried their yummy liquid concoction of lime goodness called the Ginger Limeade. Very refreshing although this was a creeper.
Francisco, our bartender was a bit charming but a little alarming with his very forward advances to let me and a girlfriend know he can get freaky and down&dirty. o_0 *gag*
Drinks are expensive here so be forewarned. Felt like we were overcharged and they're pretty good at upselling more drinks than what we really should have. Although, Francisco comped us a free dessert.
Still, I'm on the fence if I want to come back here again.
People thought this was:
It get 3 stars for the food...yes it was very very tasty
BUT ...BUT ......BUT.
The place is TOO LOUD, its IMPOSSIBLE to have ANY CONVERSATION..you cannot even hear the waiter talk about the menu.
The tables are too BIG & too CLOSE so there is NO PRIVACY for any intimate conversation.
The attendant in the rest room felt like an after thought & who takes there wallet with them to give the poor guy a tip ??
If you like the noise level at Chunky Cheese you would LOVE this place & it does come with an incredible view too.
HORRIBLE Service
PRETENTIOUS
Hostess with the red hair who wears converse was the biggest B ever. She told us to check back in half an hour for a table. Hellllooo - you're suppose to come get us when you have a table ready. Who tells their patrons to check back??!! Then she seats people who arrive and wait after before us.
The food was ok. The view was nice but NO THANKS.
This is SF, not LA
People thought this was:
I really don't understand the appeal. This place is overrated, overpriced and way too loud & crowded. I've had better Vietnamese food at much better prices. I only gave it a second try because I had a gift certificate.
Food: The tamarin lobster was the best thing I tried on their menu. I also tried 5-6 other items on the menu from the green papaya salad to the catfish claypot to the cellophane noodles with dungeness crab. You can definitely get better quality and flavors at more affordable restaurants - try Vung Tau in San Jose.
Atmosphere: As I mentioned earlier, this place is loud and crowded. All the tables are right next to each other like you are sitting in a cafeteria. As much as I like cozy places, I'd rather not have to yell across the table to talk to my date. I'm pretty sure I lost my voice after having dinner here.
Service: It's fine. Nothing to rave about. They forgot to bring out a dish the last time we came so we ended up eating there for 2.5 hours. That's probably why I lost my voice. Did I mention this place is overrated?
Price: $10 for crispy imperial rolls? Really? Give me a break. I feel the same way about everything else on the menu. Overpriced.
People thought this was:
We took our friends here on Sunday to sit at the bar and have lunch. Everything was great as usual, except I think for the first time in dining there many times I found one dish that I probably wouldn't care to order again... their Pho Bo. OK yah, Vietnamese staple, how could you go wrong right? And it wasn't BAD or anything either... except, their rice noodles were about twice as wide as the typical noodles you see in a Pho. It reminded me of noodles they use for some stir fried dishes in Thai food... or the Kishimen noodles in Japanese cuisine. Anyway, this is one of my pet peeves, when restaurants change up an important element in a very popular dish like that. So while it was flavored ok, I wouldn't order Pho at this place again.
I'll just stick to my beloved items : D
People thought this was:
I friggin love this place.
I've come here several times in the evening when I only had 30 minutes…
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Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Vietnamese
San Francisco, CA
Category: American (New)
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