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Categories: Restaurants, Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Nob Hillcheck out our website for more info about the Holiday Season at the Top of the Mark.
http://www.intercontin...
Mon-Thu. 6:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 6:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
"Solid 3.5. I dig it because: - It's a Chicago Bears bar! (Probably why I rounded up to 4 stars instead of rounded down.) I've been just…" read more »
4.5 stars
It's a perfect place to indulge yourself (and your date) for a fantastic brunch. The views are breathtaking, especially facing Alcatraz.
So what do you get for $70/person? Free reign to their buffet, and bottomless champagne. There's something for everyone here. I came here at noon, and I have a feeling that the food had been sitting for some time. It was still good, don't get me wrong, but some of the food--namely the potatoes--were getting a little...crusty. The highlight was the omelette and prime rib station. The cook made it to order, and adding as many ingredients as I wanted.
Service was lacking. Our waitress was punctual when it came to refilling our champagne glasses, but it took several minutes for her to bring our check and even longer to bring back my credit card. Now, I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt and think that she wasn't taking a smoke break or anything, but still. If I'm paying that much for brunch, I expect impeccable service. All in all, a great splurge experience, which I enjoyed.
This place has a 5-star view and for dates it would be four or five star material. The night we went, the band was playing 50's tunes and the clientele were of the same era. Not exactly lively. Beautiful place but long gone are the days when the sailors used to come here to party it up (as the many historic photos on the wall show).
Go to the top and have a look at the city. Perhaps bring your gal and swing dance the arthritis away! But the place really is beautiful.
I spell DOUCHEY... T-O-P-O-F-T-H-E-M-A-R-K
I'm from the city and love to bring my LA friends to the greatest city on earth. Yelpers raved so I had to go... A Band, Great View, and Martini's, what could go wrong?
EVERYTHING!
The lounge band was alright, but no one was dancing or having fun. The crowd was so business-yuppy-stuffy that I felt amazingly awkward for wanting to have a great view, fun conversation, and good times.
The patrons were mostly staying at the hotel and I guess they want to kept it that way because it was 8pm on a Saturday and not packed at all. Yet your still getting charged to enter!?! I'm going to buy a bunch of drinks and the place is dead, how does that make sense?
The service is terrible and the business type ol' boy douche nozzles stare like you mugged their daughters and slapped their wives. Plus, the girls that were with us felt the silver foxes where "undressing us with their eyes".
It's not diverse, not inviting, nor a good time out. THIS AIN'T SF, and as a city kid I'm ashamed it exists.
Nice 360 view of the bay and SF, cool Cocktails, Live music!
Sunday brunch...eh...it's okay. Yes it's a lovely location overlooking SF but food was not as high class as the joint looked. Service was great and the presentation of the buffet table was nice but for the most part it tasted ordinary. Some items, actually, were not that great and lacked freshness (after sitting on the buffet). I suppose I'm also super critical b/c I'm not into buffet style eating but I have been to other fancy buffets internationally that outdo this place. It's $70/per person for a beautiful view. I would definitely recommend the rest. if you don't go for Sun. brunch. Oh and another thing PARKING!! It cost me $32 or was it $36 to park my car in a lot nearby. So really that was a $100 brunch....
I guess you can pony up and actually eat here but I rather just go up there and have a drink. The view is stunning and is best on the left side of the restaurant.
These days they add a $5 'cover' to each person at the table to the check. And on top of that, drinks are at a premium price. Think $10-$15 per drink.
You can usually find great parking just on the street downstairs. Beware to not park in the garages nearby since they will rape you with $3 per 15 minutes.
Great view, pretty boring otherwise. If you're visiting San Francisco, it's worth a stop. The view is quite amazing and it gives you a real feel for the town overall. Grab a table by the window and enjoy. But, if you live here... there are a thousand other place that evoke "the City", and there's no need to buy the $13 martini.
I understand that it's got to suck as a server when you're continually pummeled with out-of-town tourists and assorted gawkers. But service was slow and really rather cold. Decor is evocative of the 1980s with a lot of gold railing and pastel peach furnishing.
I have been here several times to enjoy a nice cocktail, however it was my man's surprise destination for a special dinner to celebrate our 6 years of togetherness that really knocked my socks off.
I don't believe Top of the Market is typically a restaurant (they do have a great app menu though)- however they currently offer a Sunset Dinner prix-fixe menu that is absolutely phenomenal.
Two mouth-watering selections each for appetizer/entrees, but only 1 option for dessert- pumpkin cheesecake. As there is nothing I dislike more on this planet than pumpkin, our waiter was able to make me an excpetion and brought me with the best creme brulee I've ever had.
Perfect way to celebrate a momentous occasion!
It is located on on top of a luxury hotel,in a luxury neighborhood. Nice city view .It is a Great place to go to for drinks and a view.They have live JAZZ music.Keep in mind there's no cover before 7:30PM.
My friend, who lived in San Fran for 7 years, said that when I visit... I should definitely go to Top of the Mark. It's a nice stop for tourists so you can get a 360 view of the city and get a stiff martini at the same time.
My boyfriend and I decided to go there for drinks before dinner and a show. We hiked up from Sutter to California, and boy... was it a hike. 45 degrees of non-stop incline. I think we were panting and sweating by the time we were at the elevator. It was hilarious.
Once we finally got up to the top the vibe of the joint was very mellow and low key even though it was really swanky at the same time. We were immediately seated, which was nice. I ordered a Blue Velvet (couldn't resist a David Lynch reference) and was glad that they didn't skimp of the vodlka and blue curacao. It was pretty cool to just chill and watch the fog roll in as the day turned to night.
Things to note:
1. Strong martinis. Limited in selection despite their vast menu. I asked the waiter if they had absinthe so that they could make an absinthe martini. He didn't even know what the hell that was. I would think for a $$$ bar... you would have EVERYTHING.
2. Service. We were seated quickly, but once we noticed a free table next to the window we asked for it. He kinda shrugged it off and didn't even try to get the table.
3. Snacks. We got a complimentary oriental style chex mix. Wow... I guess it's a step up from stale popcorn. But still... chex mix? At a fancy place like this? You could try a little harder.
4. Take a cab up there. Or... make sure you take a muni that'll drop you off at a point where you can walk downhill to it. Or... just enjoy the hike! It'll make ya feel like you earned that martini!
5. Come before 7:30 PM and you can avoid the $10 cover charge.
6. Definitely cool to do this once, but it's not an everyday thing. I'd rather stick to a dive bar.
Patty at Top of the mark was great! We went there Saturday night and my honey proposed to me. She made the experience wonderful. Her and the manager were very accommodating and made us feel great! It is beautiful there with a very friendly staff.
I can see this place as a very romantic place to go with a date. I found out about this place since I stayed at the hotel and saw a flier that said Jazz band playing at the top of the mark so why not check it out.
Take the elevator to the top, and once arrived, we immediately get to see the view of SF. The hostess told us we wouldn't get charged cover since we were guests at the hotel. The jazz band kept playing lots of wonderful tunes and people started dancing on the floor. The only complaint was that the waitress took forever to come to our table. Once we ordered we told her that we were guests and she still managed to charge us cover. On top of that, our drinks took like 20-30 mins to arrive.
I think it's a great spot to enjoy the view of SF and some wonderful music with a date, but I was out with my boss, who is also a guy, so the only romance we shared was a dirty martini.
Not impressed. Band was hella loud - like crazy stupid loud. The crowd was Cougar city. And the service was pretty bad. Didn't help matters that my $13 martini wasn't very tasty. Seriously... the views were not even THAT great, too. I feel bad for the people that had to pay cover charges to get in. We were guests at the hotel so we didn't have to. Woop woop.
The only bright spot was the company I was with and watching the old people dance to horrendous covers of Fleetwood Mac and KC and the Sunshine Band. Hysterical...
love Sunday brunch here, a little on the expensive side but well worth it. You get an amazing view of the city, all you can eat, and the champagne just keeps on coming. I celebrated 2 of my birthdays here and I had a blast. I would def come again.
After seeing "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Nightman COmmeth" live we trotted over here for after drinks. Of course the day I decide to go here and I'm in the area, it's foggy as all hell (and certainly not always sunny in SF). That however did change the coolness factor of a trio playing some Louis Prima plus some old time jazz standards. Can't go wrong with the old school bar menu either even if they are on the hefty priced side. If Snob Hill wasn't such a pain to park in I'd probably explore more of it but there are some other places I want to see in the area and hopefully will be back on a sunnier day.
Tony Bennett left it right here.
High among the glow of San Francisco's towers, and the reflecting bay, you know it fell right here.
Top of the Mark is a SF Institution, and while history has flickered by, the remnants of a classic era of multi piece bands and midnight serenades still roam this enchanting floor.
Life has a funny way of placing you at the right place at the right time, and last night's detour from original plans ended up bringing us to the perfect Thursday evening cocktail loft.
We were able to snag a gorgeous table looking out over the TransAmerica building and the sweeping bay view stretching from the Bay Bridge onwards.
With a martini menu that had a life of it's own, picking one's poison turned into a choose your own adventure complete with a $ sign.
The blue velvet went down nicely, but the Lychee Martini she had will most likely be the one I travel with next time around.
San Francisco has a way of pulling you in, and when overlooking the splendor of the city complete with building height stars spread across a limitless horizon, you know why Tony left it right here.
The view across the table was pretty spectacular as well... ;)
Yes, the view is amazing... but that's not a reason to pay the outrageous prices for the quality/quantity of food provided. If my lunch wasn't paid for by the seminar I was attending, I would have given it one star.
Was there for lunch, my seared tuna salad had 3 tiny pieces of tuna, with a less then a handfull of salad leaves, for $19. We ordered deserts, had to wait full 20 minutes, they finally came out. Both of Apple Tart Tatins were frozen inside, and barely warm on the outside, so we only ate a few apple pieces, same with another person's cholocate pyramid - I guess it was taking 20 minutes to defrost their previously deep frozen deserts. Oh, and each of those was $12!
This review is a long time coming. I took my BF here for his 39th birthday, we were on vacation in the City and he really wanted to go... so on a lark we headed out, no reservations....
when I told the lady at the front table it was my BF's birthday they promptly took us to a fantastic seat overlooking the bay. You could see the GG bridge on the left and the bay on the right, it was beautiful.
our waiter, I wish I remembered his name was amazing and the bar to which I set my own personal standard of service since this experience. He treated us (and his other tables that I could overhear) as though we were the only people in the whole world he had to attend to. He was unobtrusive, incredibly observant, and just the most incredible waitperson I'd ever met.
When we ordered caviar (we came late, the kitchen was closed so no dinner, only some menu items available) he went so far as to come back and say that it was "not excellent tonight" and he "could not recommend it". Like we ever would have known! He recommended the much less expensive (!) oysters on the half shell and even arranged a fruit plate for us not on the menu because we had not had dinner.
This place treats you like class. And it's not overdone, where they are fawning over you like they can't wait for a big tip...but class, like you are just as important as any celebrity or old money millionaire that happens to be there.
My BF and I still talk about that night, and I am so grateful to the Top of the Mark for turning what could have been a simple drink with a view into an experience to remember for a lifetime.
Two years (or, rather, 23 months) is a long time, and I figured Top of the Mark deserved another chance. That's me: burned and burned again, and yet willing to try, try again. It had been a beautiful day in SF: bright sunshine, slight, cooling breeze. Wifey and I had gone for a stroll at the Zoo (we're members, so it's free, and yet we hardly ever go. Plus, it's great birth control, being at least 33% populated with screaming children), had a nice dinner out at our favorite Indian restaurant, and were in the mood for drinks. Typically, this would involve the Tonga Room, or Elixir, but we were feeling experimentative, so we thought we'd give Top o' the Mark a try. After a de minimus wait (10 minutes), we were seated at a window table with a view stretching from almost Potrero Hill to North Beach.
We sat down at about 7:30, on the second-longest day of the year, and proceeded to drink until after 11:00. In that time, the sun slowly set over the Golden Gate, as I sucked up a few bourbon drinks that weren't really martinis, but were really good. By 9:30, darkness had enveloped the City, and the lights outlined the hills on the southern horizon. Wifey had moved from champagne to something that looked like Smurf juice but packed enough of a wallop to make my company tolerable.
We ordered a cheese plate right before the kitchen closed, and were pleasantly surprised. A Mt. Tam, a Point Reyes, and a third that I sadly can't recall, served with candied pecans and two large dollops of some kind of pureed fruit (two dollops of different kinds). It was around this time that I made my one mistake of the evening and ordered a mint julep. What I got resembled a mojito, poorly-done. The waitress admitted that the bar staff doesn't do so well with drinks that aren't on the menu. That's okay, but maybe tell me that before you muck up my drink.
By the time Wifey and I stumbled out shortly before the stroke of midnight, a large quantity of alcohol had been offset by a decent quantity of cheese, and a good time was had by all. I'll definitely come back, and I won't wait another 2 years. BUT, I think I'll work on my timing, and not tempt fate when there are a number of other people waiting.
This review needs to begin with several caveats. I'm not homeless. I bathe regularly. I am… Read more »
Lovely view, great drinks!
A very fine diner that has a great view over the bay and elegant food to eat. Located at the top floor of the hotel, this place is great for a anniversary on weekends where they have music and classic entertainment. The people are very nice here and fun to talk to.
There is no beer on tap, and 12 oz bottles range from $6 to $7.50.
Situated on the 18th or was it the 19th floor of the Mark Hopkins Hotel. The view is definetely Top of the Mark! Spectacular!
I had 3 martinis that really did the job, the wife had her usually Merlot. Ordered some food as well, I had the short rib platter which was served in 4 portions, very very tender and just fell off the bones. Wife had an alaskan king crab with avacado dish presented in 4 portions also, sort of like a crab cake. For dessert a chocolate cake with a granola topping, with blueberrys, raspberrys, blackberrys and 1 strawberry sliced in half with a cream sauce streamed decoratively on the rectangular plate.
Martini's- $13
Provinance Merlot- $12
Short ribs- $22
Crab dish- $21
Dessert - $ don't remember
Service - Excellent
Food- Loved it
Dinks- Fantasticly strong
View- TOP OF THE MARK!
Went there for lunch this past weekend. The weather was absolutely beautiful, not a cloud in the sky. The view from the Top of the Mark was absolutely remarkable. You could see alcatraz, the golden gate bridge, the transamerica building, everything all at the same time.
The lunch menu wasn't overly impressive and was really limited. We were looking for an appetizer but they don't have any on their lunch menu. I asked the waiter and he said that they don't have it because the kitchen is closed?? Well then how are they making the rest of my food I wondered?
Anyways, we both fared well with our selections. I had the prawn wrap thingy ($19) and he had the turkey club ($17). We both had the soup of the day which was tomato bisque with goat cheese. Each cup was $9. When the tiny cup of soup arrived I told the waiter that this was the most expensive soup I've ever had. He laughed and remarked that everything at Top of the Mark is expensive. He wasn't kidding. I must say though, that the soup and the food was quite tasty.
Overall, this is a great place to bring a date or someone you are trying to impress.
The view is absolutely beautiful. Oh yeah, Alcatraz and Transamerica was cool too but I'm talkin' about the buffet table. Now that's a sight for hungry eyes. Every dish had a gorgeous gold lid on it so for me it was like unwrapping a present on Christmas morning anticipating what goodies lie beneath. And goodies there were! I wouldn't call myself a foodie or a woman with a refined pretentious palate but I went back numerous times for the caviar. Dad whispers, "Skip the potatoes and dim sum. Eat the expensive stuff!" Shakes head, "Oh Dad." You can take the Chinaman out of cheap, but you can't take the cheap of out a Chinaman. Wait, that doesn't quite flow so well.
Anyway, thank god I didn't eat dinner the night before which allowed myself to go back for a 5th and 6th plate. I knew my Sphincter muscle was gonna hate me later but it wouldn't be the first time and we've known each other what seems like forever, good ol' Sphincter and I. It's more of a love/hate relationship, really. But we've forgiven each other in the past so I wasn't too worried about it.
Champagne, orange juice, coffee, water. How many drinks can one drink at once? At times it felt a little indulgent but hey, this is America and that's what we do. I walked by the piano lady who was singing and there were wads of $10 bills in her tip jar. The piano lady! I was tempted to take a couple walking by the pate table and leave it for our waiter because he was like Walter Matthau in Grumpy Old Men but I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt that he was just having a rough morning.
Top of the Mark hit the mark. I actually may have downplayed the view of the city in the beginning. It was breathtaking :)
I celebrated my first anniversary with my husband here last night. We let them know we were celebrating, and they were sure to put us in a romantic nook with a great view. We even had a lovely note commemorating our visit to this historical restaurant.
Our server, Robert, helped make our experience the best. We couldn't have asked for a better server. His friendliness and attentiveness on our special night was much appreciated. And The food he brought us was delicious.
Dinner service at Top of the Mark is a set menu choice ($59/$79 with wine pairing) and we choose to enjoy the zucchini bisque, followed by the salmon on a bed of seaweed rice. The soup hit the spot, it was creamy and rich in flavor.
After reading through the 8 page martini menu I decided to sip on a Mambo King and champage, finishing off the evening with an espresso and a few spins on the dance floor. The band (starts at 9pm) was fantastic. Throughout the evening we enjoyed views of the San Francisco skyline, and seeing the sunset beyond the Golden Gate. The experience was fantastic, and I am lucky to have such wonderful memories of my first anniversary.
Note, if walking: Walking north on Mason you will encounter a long, steep climb. Take a cab, or a different route.
Nice view but not spectacular. Bar has very limited beer and wine selection. Wine very overpriced. Food items are not bad: charcuterie was quite good and had plenty of share ($21). Breakfast buffet is quite good, but overpriced and a significant service charge is automatically included.
Stopped in for an after dinner drink on a Thursday night and the place was busy but not packed. We were greeted at the elevator but a slightly snobby hostess who informed us the because we were not guests of the hotel we would have a $10 per person cover added onto out bill. We say ok and find a nice table for 2 with a beautiful view of the city.
We are really interested in drinks only after a big dinner in North Beach. Upon looking at the drink menu I find that the wine list leaves a bit to be desired but since I was leaning more towards a cocktail that seems ok. The list of martinis is several pages and really overkill in my opinion. I don't mind a specialty cocktail or two but a list that size really makes them all start to sound the same and makes me loose interest in even reading all the choices. Martinis are each $13 and served in a rather skimpy sized glass. I can't even remember the catchy name of the one I drank but it was nice even though it was pretty sweet after I discussed with the server that I did not want a very sweet drink.
All of that aside, the ambiance was nice. The swing band was good and got many couples out on the dance floor. There were a large variety of age groups but mostly couples rather than larger parties. It was a fairly clear night and the view was worth the trip alone. In the end they did not end up charging us a cover charge so I felt that what we walked out paying was pretty fair for the atmosphere, drinks and view.
A venue of elegance - I think that says it all. Grab your partner and be ready to get your groove on to some mellow jazz tunes. The live band is amazing and will play anything and everything to get the crowded out of their seats and onto the dance floor. It's a place for the classy crowd, so don't be bringing your club head posse up in here.
You'll instantly fall in love with the view, so try to get a seat by the window with a cosmo in hand. There is a $10 cover if you arrive past 10pm, but you can most likely sweet-talk your way out of it. The bouncers are more like doormen here than bouncers, so no need to feel intimidated. Come dressed to impress. Perfect date spot.
"Wait? Why the fuck am I being treated like a prostitute? "
That's what was going through my head the whole time I was at Top of the Mark. Yes, I'm young. Yes, I was wearing a super cute dress that the old men were drooling over.
But give me a fucking break. I didn't bat an eyelash when I was told about the $10 cover (which I didn't have to pay for because I was a hotel guest, but of course no one assumed I was) or when I saw that the drinks were no less than $15.
So blah blah blah, long story short: I got a little drunk and ended up leaving my coat at Top of the Mark. This is the conversation I had the following night with that fucker at the rope:
Me: "Hi, I left my jacket here last night...."
Fucker at the rope: *Condescending smile + stupid accent* "Are you sure?"
Me: "Am I sure? What? Yes, I'm sure!"
Fucker at the rope: "Ok."
The guy told me how he had worked that night and no one found a jacket. The jacket mysterious was found once my friend pointed out that we were hotel guests.
I never want to spend another second at Top of the Mark. I don't deserve that shit. And I told my rich parents to tell all their rich friends how lame this place is.
Stayed there this weekend and went up to the top for drinks when we had nothing to do. They were surprisingly expensive, but very strong. They didn't charge us the cover because we were staying at the hotel, that was nice.
The view is awesome, go before dark and get a window seat...pray for no fog, and just stare out the window.
The couple in front of me walks up, "Are you a guest in the hotel?" the greeter asks... No, they aren't. "I'm sorry, there will be a 15 minute wait."
I walk up and hear the same question asked to me. "Would it get me in faster if I were?" He gives me a wink. "Very good sir, right this way."
You have to love service like that. And the view is the second best in town. Overpriced champagne never tasted so good.
This is a review for the Holiday's Buffet Brunch Only.....
Golly for the last 5 or so years we go as a family for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day.... We always go for the brunch and honestly I was getting a little tired of it... However my mother remembers the Top of the Mark when she was in the Navy during WWII and she and my dad who was also in the Navy use to go there for drinks and dancing. So I sucked it up and go to keep her happy. Sometimes I could talk her in to going to the Crown Room at the Fairmont, but she just loves the Mark.
Yesterday was Mother's day so I guess you know where we were for brunch. I have to tell you that it was the best buffet brunch I have had in years. We did a later seating and I was worried cause you know how brunch food can get when it is being served later in the day. Not this at this place. It was fantastic and well the views and service were spot on!!!
The selection of food from a wonderful caviar station, sushi, salads, curry sea bass, prime rib of course, the list goes on and on.... something for everyone.... it isn't cheap $95 per person... but when we go we plan on taking our time and enjoying the people, food, music and we stay at least 2 - 2 1/2 hours.
If you haven't tried it before... I hope you have a chance to. Treat yourself to something special.. And don't eat for at least 12 hours before your reservations... Make certain you are very very very famished!!!
Happy belated Mother's Day to all of you Mothers on Yelp.
Just a heads up: The view from the restaurant is not panoramic. The bar splits the semi ovular room into two sides. If you are facing the bar once you get off the elevator, you want to be seated on the tables to the left of the bar.
I don't need to repeat how spectacular the views are, because they are amazing (try the bar on the top floor at the Marriott on 4th St. for comparable views).
The pre fixe menu sounded well crafted. Unfortunately, the food flavor was only a smidge above average. I liken the menu to foods that are "safe" - your 21 year old brother will eat it and so will your 90 year old grandmother.
Waiter was nice, we were a tad rushed and we really wanted to extend our dinner to be able to see SF's city lights come on (I know, every server's nightmare). The city lights did not disappoint.
When I made a reservation, I made it a point to tell them it was my anniversary and they graciously sat me at the "best table in the house". The table had a card wishing us a happy anniversary (nice touch!).
Go because it is a landmark and nice views. I wouldn't do dinner, but maybe get in later for some drinks.
I came with my father, his wife and a female friend friend of the family. We got a few looks ('What man comes to a bar with 3 women?!?') and I believe there was a cover charge to go in where the music was a bit loud for an evening conversational drink. We ended up going over to the Fairmont. That ,the view is outstanding and it is definitely a place to go if you live in the city.
Great place to go to for drinks and a view, if you have the cash.
Saturday Night: 3 people + $10 cover each + one round of drinks + tip = $82. YIKES!
The Mark Hopkins located at the top of Nob Hill in San Francisco is a delightful traditional hotel. And the Top of the Mark has been a treat since 1939, even for us locals. It is a great place to take that someone special for a drink and good conversation on a week night.
But the best thing about the Top of the Mark is their Sunday Brunch. Talk about decadence. This brunch is an all you can eat Henry the VIII type of affair. This includes all you can drink champagne, caviar and a big breakfast buffet up in the sky. Sort of like buffet heaven with lots of desserts. Its all there on Sunday's. Yes it costs 59 bucks a head all inclusive. But when you figure everything this entails, it is actually a good deal. This brunch would make even Robin Leach all hot and bothered.
The Top of the Mark sunday brunch has that eighties decadence vibe and provides a perfect setting for any special occasion. Come here and close the deal.......Did I mention the 360 degree views of SF? Yes Winthorp, indeed I did....
My boy-friend and I came here last night for our special date night and we could not have had a better time!
When we arrived around 9ish, it was pretty crowded in the lobby area-- it seemed like a long wait. We just wanted to have cocktails and enjoy the Friday Night Jazz (from 9 p.m. onwards) and we were told we would be seated in 15-20-- and we actually were, which was impressive!
The ambiance is beautiful in this bar-- it's sleek, modern but in a classic, not trendy way (this joint has been around for a long time!) The best part is obviously the 360 degree view of the city, but even the inside of Top of the Mark creates a wonderful atmosphere to be savored and enjoyed.
The energy and the crowd was great-- totally unpretentious! Last night there was some sort of wedding or engagement party, so people were really getting down on the dance floor to the live band, which was a blast to watch and made getting out there ourselves totally do-able!
On top of the great live music (a 6-piece jazz band with an incredible duo of lead singers!) the service was friendly and speedy, especially considering how many people were there that night.
We were so pleased. We danced, we drank, and we'd go back again-- of course, not too often considering we spent about $75 bucks on 3 drinks and a shared dessert (not to mention the $10 per person cover charge). But for a nice or special occasion, it is absolutely worth it!
Loved it!
This is from what I hear the place to be in San Francisco . . . back in 1939. It has a lot of history even though judging by the numerous pictures of ages past it has gone under some remodeling over the years. There's nothing new to say about the Top of the Mark and I can agree with everybody's reviews that the view is a 5 star one, the drinks aren't cheap and the servers while accommodating don't seem to be loving life. The band on Friday night wasn't too great but many of the people seemed to be enjoying the times had. We just talked and ha a couple rounds of Martinis while looking out over the southern part of the city.
Most of the excitement came while we waited about 10-15 minutes for a table in the small lobby; it was an example to impatience of people. Some things I overheard were:
"You can't expect me to pay $10 just to come in!"
"You have to be joking; you want me to wait 10 minutes for a table!"
"You mean I can't just come in and look around?"
Maybe I'm old fashioned but waiting a few minutes isn't a big deal and neither is paying cover for entertainment. I felt bad for the hostess but I'm sure she's heard it all before.
All in all we had a nice time but would have enjoyed it more if it weren't for the other people and the music.
This place has the feel of something expensive (I wonder why?) and really exclusive, but what it definitely has is the most beautiful view of my favorite city!
Today I decided to sip cup of macchiato and enjoy sunny, cloud free day and my choice fell on the Top of the Mark.
I grabbed my laptop, and drove to the Nob HIll, easily found parking spot, and went right to the top.
The breathtaking view of the city and the bay gave me so much inspiration!
I will be back, and next time I'll get a small bite, I hope it will be delicious as the view.
The last time I was this close to God I was staring at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Pretty sure the pearly gates opened up and some ethereal angels played trumpet fanfare as I ascended to the top floor of the Mark Hopkins one rainy Sunday. Or maybe that was just my post-night-out-on-the-town stomach growling...
Either way, I was stoked for a marathon champagne and grub session on the parents' tab, those old booze hounds... It goes without saying, the view is lovely, and the waitstaff is nice too. This brunch has everything you could ever want and many things you never knew you wanted...
Caviar? As a hangover cure? Yes, please.
Bread pudding so heavenly I'd gladly slap your mother for the last bit? Indeed!
Crab cakes at 10AM? Bring it!
And the very fact I didn't need to eat again until Monday dinner made it all worth the price.
I may not know much, but one thing I do know: if there is a God, he/she/it frequents brunch buffets. And word to the wise: Keep your mother away from my bread pudding.
www,sorrentocatering,com
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