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Zazie
Categories: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Restaurants French Breakfast & Brunch, French [Edit]
941 Cole St(between Carl St & Parnassus Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94117
Neighborhood: Cole Valley
(415) 564-5332
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Besides our lunch, brunch, dinner, and dessert selections, we have over 15 wines by the glass (including champagne) and over 70 wines with special… read more »
1806 reviews for Zazie
Review Highlights
"The French toast Tahiti was And the coffee was awesome."
(in 147 reviews)
"The gingerbread pancakes are phenomenal."
(in 219 reviews)
"The La Mer looked absolutely delicious."
(in 104 reviews)
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1803 reviews in English
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Review from Cheri T.
South San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012 1 photo
This place was amazing!!! I hosted my mother's surprise birthday brunch here and everyone (myself included) loved it. You could tell my their empty plates by the end of the meal. The ambiance of this French bistro was very cozy and the manager and staff were very friendly and accommodating. :)
My sister and I shared the Poached Eggs Valence. It had roasted eggplant and spicy tomato-chevre sauce. DELICIOUS! Their potatoes were also really good! What's great about Zazie is they give you 3 options for their poached egg specialties (whether you want 1, 2, or 3 eggs). We decided on getting the 3 eggs so we could each have one, and so my brother could also try! My brother ordered the Une Assiette, which was a sample platter of the french toast, gingerbread pancake and a buttermilk pancake. The french toast won hands down!
I would definitely recommend this place to my family and friends. :) -
Review from Hana K.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2012 4 photos
I really really like this place.
The neighborhood is nice: it's near Haight-Ashbury, the Ice Cream Bar is a block away, and parking may be hard, but it IS possible to find it (I found one without time restrictions just a few blocks away)
When I got there on a Saturday afternoon for brunch, there were 15 parties before us. Sounds scary, but it quickly went down to 10, then 5, and then our name was called within a span of a half hour! (granted it was probably easier since it was just a party of 2)
I love the quaint atmosphere of this cafe! It's French-themed, and they had awesome posters and a cute array of teapots on some ledge above the counter. I even loved the cute tray they delivered the bill in too.
I could NOT decide what to get, and luckily, they offer the choice of having 1/2/3 pieces, so I got one of each: the French Toast Tahiti AND the Valence Poached Egg. Yes, I ate all that by myself.
Oh man, it was still A LOT of food...but it was OH SO GOOD.
POACHED EGG: The tomato-chevre sauce on top of my poached egg tasted similar to tomato bisque soup, and I loved the eggplant. I think my egg was a little too runny (I mean, I like a runny yolk, but the whites around it weren't as well done as I'd have liked).
FRENCH TOAST: The french toast won my heart though. I was surprised how big 1 piece was! The toast was fluffy and with a nice crisp. The caramelized bananas on top and the walnut-banana paste in between the half slices were sweet enough to stand on their own without the butter and syrup. Set that stuff aside...you don't need a sugar overload. Appreciate it for what it is...which is french toast goodness lol
oh, and I had 3 cups of coffee =)
The people working there are really friendly, asking if you need anything or how the food is, even telling you that you look like their old roommate haha
Wonderful place. I'll definitely come back here and take my friends/family with me! -
Review from Wally W.
Santa Rosa, CA
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Always a line here. Our wait was nearly 30 minutes on a Sunday at noon. Seems to be a really popular place. They should have more tables...
After the wait, the waitress took our order and gave us our drinks. The food did come really quickly after ordering, though. The only reason you come to Zazie is for the eggs benedict. They were wonderful, perfectly done and served with home fries. The dishes are a bit pricey for what you get, from my observation. Maybe next time I'll order the huge stack of pancakes or french toast. -
Review from Shanna T.
Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
That is a wonderful spot! While I have heard amazing things about their brunch, I have yet to make it in. I've tried several times but there has always been a long wait. That said, I finally did make it inside for dinner last week. The services was polite and attentive, we were seated right away for our reservation and the atmosphere was great.
A few other great things: 1. You can bring your own wine in and they will open it for you for descent corking fee, 2. Their french onion soup is delish 3. So is their skirt steak and potatoes. Our dinner was enjoyable and I will def go back... hopefully some day I will get inside (or outside) for brunch! -
Review from Alexandre T.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
My favorite brunch place in Cole Valley.
The outdoor patio is nice and cozy and the food is delicious.
My only (tiny) complaint is that they won't sit you down if all the people in your party aren't there yet. So if you're 3 friends and the 4th is late, you'll have to wait for that person (when there is a waitlist).
Other than that, great place! -
Review from Angel E.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here with a couple of friends for brunch one Monday. I had the Croque Madam and my friend has the Salade Betterave with grilled chicken. The salad was good, I must admit, and I'm typically not a fan of vinaigrette dressings. I've been wanting to try a Croque Madam for years. After 5 semesters of French, I was really looking forward to it. It was definitely presented well and was quite tasty. I'd say $13 is pretty pricey for what is essentially a grilled ham & cheese sandwich with an egg and a small very basic side salad though..
The restaurant itself was pretty small, but it didn't feel cramped. The service was pretty good and they seemed super attentive to their regulars. Overall, it's got a nice, pretty cozy feel to it. I'd definitely like to come back and try numerous other dishes on the menu. -
Review from Angela L.
Updated - 1/29/2012
FOOD:
1.) Sausage omelet (the special of the day) - twas good. but not amazing. With the "fries" which is more like potato squares. Not sure what the fuss or hype is about this place. Maybe it's the overly oiled n fried up potatoes n garlic cloves. But my taste is more of warm, mushy, comforting, filling - opposite of fried, crispy, oily.
2.) Crab benedict - looks better than it tastes. Everything's kind of .. bland. I've had to periodically sprinkle salt on my food just to give it more flavor.
*yar came here twice, with much fuss n hype... Sure it's good. But not great nor impressive, really. Makes me doubt the sophistication of my pallet: if everyone likes it, why don't I?? But blind sheep I am not - or rather, tastebudless sheep I am not. Will not join the masses in agreeing the King's invisible garments are wonderful. I'd rather have quantity and more taste.
SERVICE:
Good.
ATMOSPHERE:
This time got to enjoy the back patio, which was quaint cute and nice :) With a cute little feel of the neighborhood, and basking under the heat lamp. haha. As for the inside, the place is teeny tiny. Lots of character though, for instance the little toilet. lol. Very interesting. With matching sized kitchen and dishwashing sink. Walking through to the back, get to take a glimpse of behind the scenes. Four workers crammed in the little 5 foot kitchen busting out all those dishes! My background involves food business, so it's just funny n interesting to see the itty scale. The neighborhood is cute too. Noe Valley. Short distance from Haight, if you want to have a nice day to stroll through shops 211 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/12/2011
FOOD:
1.) Benedict
SERVICE:
Nice.
ATMOSPHERE:
Casual European feel, with the small dna winding staircase… Read more »
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Review from Rodney H.
This was my 4th visit to Zazie and my 2nd time for dinner. The last time I visited here for dinner was to celebrate my sister's birthday last year. It went so well with my family that I decided to come by again to celebrate my birthday. Though for my birthday, they had a special menu since it was on New Year's Eve.
We arrived there about 15 minutes early from my reservation and we got seated immediately. The two things that really stood out for us on the menu were the Steak Au Poivre and the Dungeness Crab and Artichoke Ravioli. Everyone at the table ordered the Steak Au Poivre while I ordered the Ravioli. The funny part about that was that in the weeks leading up to that night, I kept telling myself that I wanted a good steak for my birthday. Well, I had so much good beef from the Christmas parties a week earlier, that by the time it came to my dinner at Zazie, I wanted a change of pace by ordering the Ravioli, and yet everyone at my table ordered the Steak.
Fresh Dungeness Crab and Artichoke Ravioli w/ Grilled Prawns, caramelized leeks, wilted arugula, white wine, and shaved manchego
(http://www.yelp.com/us...).
The Crab and Artichoke filling was really delicious, really light, and almost refreshing in a way considering, that earlier in the day I had my Birthday Food Crawl around the city. Because of that, I was actually able to slow down and enjoy the Ravioli instead of attacking them at full force. It was a great choice!
Steak Au Poivre - Grilled Niman Ranch NY Strip w/ portabello brandy cream sauce, white truffle mashed potatoes, and grilled asparagus
(http://www.yelp.com/us...)
Luckily for me, my mom and my sister couldn't finish their Steaks and each cut off a generous portion for me to taste. So essentially I had Surf n' Turf for dinner! Their Steaks were perfectly cooked and the brandy cream sauce just made it even better!
Last Sip - White Peach Champagne Sorbet and Black Currant Syrup
This was a very refreshing and sweet Champagne cocktail and it complimented my meal very well, especially with the Ravioli.
Once again, another very satisfying and successful visit to Zazie. Even though they're more known for their brunch, I highly recommend you come and try them for dinner. I'm glad I made the decision to celebrate my birthday here and I will be looking forward to visiting Zazie again in the near future.Listed in: The Best Things I Ever Ate, 7x7's The 2010 Big Eat SF: 100…, Birthday Eats!!, I Love Brunch!!!, My Top 10 Favorite Restaurants…
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/19/2011
Came back to Zazie again to celebrate my sister's birthday. This time was a little different… Read more »
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Review from Sheeva G.
2/5/2012
What a yummy brunch spot! The food is great and the place is so darling, but the wait is super long if you don't come right at 9:00 when they open. We finally got in and ordered mango mimosas right away. They were pretty strong, but yummy. Then we ordered the french toast tahiti with caramelized bananas and walnuts, the Mexican scrambled eggs with chorizo, cheddar, peppers and salsa, the the Pierre Noir poached eggs with bacon and tomatoes. The french toast was absolutely amazing; so moist and delicious! The scrambled eggs were yummy too but I probably would have liked them a with a little more spice. The poached eggs were delicious and each bite with bacon and tomatoes was heaven, except I kind of expected the eggs to be hot (they were luke warm). Everything was so yummy and I can't wait to bring my boyfriend here. It's definitely worth the wait in line!
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Review from Chris L.
Simi Valley, CA
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Hehe. I recommended my parents come here on a nice date. Ya'll need to check this place out. Eat brunch. Go to the C.A.S. Done DEAL! :D
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Review from Rachel H.
Seattle, WA
1/29/2012
Brunch spot of those in the know. AND everyone else (hence, those lines!)
More doable for a weekday brunch, the breakfast at Zazie has it all going on.
Location. (Quaint Cole Valley.)
Great food. (Gingerbread pancake w poached pears. Tasty scrambles & perfectly rendered benedicts. Gigantic lattes!)
Backyard patio! (Yes, Virginia. There IS sun behind that fog!)
Zazie is worth the wait! -
Review from Todd M.
Washington, DC
2/5/2012
Was my absolute favorite brunch spot when i lived in SF. You must have the gingerbread pancakes. I still dream about those, and everyone I took there to try them loved them. The back patio is the place to sit if the weather's nice. And Mario knows how to look out for regulars.
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Review from Ying F.
1/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wow what a great place brunch place! The line is kinda crazy but the best part is that you can put your name on the list and mark that you are next door at the bar and they will come get you.
Brunch:
Le Mer Poarched Egg - WOW it was wonderful. Generous with the crab. You have the choice of ordering 1-3 eggs. Great flavors! It's served with garlic homefries which I absolutely love! The big cloves of garlic was very delicious! Huge fan of it.
French Toast Taihiti - Delicioius. Fluffy French Toast with banana on top. Wonderful dish. Probably good by itself. I ordered too much like always :)
This place is definitely worth the wait.Listed in: Best Brunch
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Review from Laura F.
San Francisco, CA
You have to go here! I bring all of my firends from out of town to zazie because its that amazing. i'm not even exgeraing how good their food is. i always get an omelette with their amazing chicken apple sausage and the french tahiti french toast with caramelized bananas, its heaven to say the least and their breakast potatoes are sooo good!! i love this place they have an indoor and outdoor patio in the back. it's just awesome so if you havent' been and want some godo breakfast GO!!!!!
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Review from Jeanine W.
Irvine, CA
Oh my gosh, it's every breakfast lover's dream come true. At Zazie, I truly felt like I was swept away to a little piece of France within the hustle and bustle of the city.
My one amigo and I experienced about a 15 minute wait time on a Saturday afternoon. There's a sign-up sheet in front of the restaurant to write down your name, and the paper also thoroughly explains how long you can expect the wait time to be. We opted for the patio or inside option, whichever was faster. However, this is one restaurant where I would actually recommend sitting outside. It's so GREEN, and with heat lamps you will still be comfortable even on a chilly San Francisco afternoon.
The tables in the FRONT are first come, first serve. I guess sit there if you don't have a lot of time on your hands? But why you would choose to rush through an experience at Zazie is beyond me.
Onto the food. Being in a breakfast mood, I ordered the Mexico scrambled eggs, which also came with a salad and toast for around $13. The scrambled eggs were perfectly seasoned that complimented the chorizo inside it. I heard their gingerbread pancakes are good but I'd definitely recommend the Mexico scrambled eggs if you're looking for something on the lighter side!
Our waitress was exceptionally smiley and seemed like she truly enjoyed what she was doing. AND she pointed out that she too had the same spelling of Jeanine, which I've yet to come cross. Who knew.
However, one star off for that weird bathroom situation! It's an itty bitty room with nowhere to keep your purse or other belongings and right next to the kitchen/walkway. A little unsettling. Other than that....
Ambiance: 5...Bienvenue mes amis.
Service: 5...Nothing better than people who love what they do and show you too!
Taste: 5...Perfectly spicy and savory in the brunch-time hours.
Value/Price: 5...Standard restaurant price for food that is wayyy above the standard. -
Review from Kailyn G.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2012
Like the rest of the top brunch places in SF, the line for brunch is so long. You write your name on a list and then wait, and wait, and wait. Unless you get lucky to grab one of the two tables in front that are first come first serve. My group of 6 waited almost an hour to get a table.
Seated in the super cute patio, we ordered coffee and Bloody Marys and mimosas. Around the table we got both french toasts, the fountainbleu scramble, the Albert, the St. Trop and the Valence.
Overall:
Bloody Marys/mimosas: ok. Bloody Marys had too much pepper taste for my liking. Mimosas were good but stick with the original.
French Toasts: the two are essentially the same, so get the one with walnuts and bananas. Delicious. It leans toward the bready rather than eggy side of things.
Albert: Exactly as it sounds.
St. Trop: great combination even though it sounded weird.
Valence: the tomato-chevre sauce was so good.
Of the three poached eggs we got though, I felt most were overdone. Not quite runny enough for my taste.
Environment: Patio is adorable. And the heat lamps make it perfect when it's a bit cold outside.
Service: The server mostly just leaves you alone. They were pretty good about coffee refilling and he did come back and check on us. -
Review from Marvin M.
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
During my weekend stay in SF for NYE weekend, a few of us got the chance to check out one of the many cafes in SF. Zazie happened to be walking distance from our apartment. It took us about half an hour to be seated but I feel it was well worth the wait. I ordered the lox benedict with hash browns. This was a great dish. The potatoes were of the chunky, pan roasted kind with cloves of creamy, roasted garlic. It was delicious. The lox benedict was just as you'd expect. The hollandaise sauce was the right consistency and did not overpower the lox.
One negative about this place is that it is a bit too small. It felt congested. -
Review from Harriet W.
San Francisco, CA
It was Christmas Eve and my boyfriend and I found Zazie on yelp. From all the reviews and pictures fellow yelpers provided, we assumed that it was breakfast food served the whole day. Wish we researched a little more :(
But since we already sat down, we decided to stay anyway. We were seated in the heated outdoor patio, which is prettier out there, and thoroughly heated throughout the area. I ordered the Braised Niman Ranch Beef Shanks and my boyfriend, the Cassoulet Piallat (duck leg) both which our server recommended.
The dinner roll were pretty good, but they only served one per person. I didn't ask if we can get another serving, but I should've since we were starving waiting for our food. Our dishes came and it looked delicious, my beef melted in my mouth and the sauce was to perfection. But I wish the food portions were bigger, for the price of $21~. I was fine, but I think my boyfriend was still hungry :(
Would definitely come back here to try their famous breakfast :) -
Review from Petri y.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2012
This place was really delicious, but a really long wait, i'd say about 40 + min on a Sunday.
After fighting for parking in the area, we finally made our way over to the place to find there was a long, long waiting list. We wrote our names down and scooted down the block to walk around the neighborhood to kill sometime.
The place isnt really big, but they have addtional patio seating in the back..
Since I don't drink but everyone around me was getting the bloody mary- I decided to get a virgin one- this was very tasty and had the perfect amount of kick to it.
There are many tasty treats on the menu, but I decided to try the crab eggs benedict-with hollandaise sauce served over two english muffins. It came with a good portion of fresh crab, nice and hot, on top of a overeasy egg. The gooeyness of the egg dripped onto the english muffins and sauce which made it over the top rich, but still all the flavors were really good and well worth the calories =). the highlight was the side of the potatoes- I dont know what they put on them but they were really good too!
The husband decided to try something sweet since I had savory and his choice was the french toast tahiti after being torn over the gingerbread pancakes and asking the waitress her preference, so we rolled with the french toast.
It was an excellent choice! The two of us are not huge sweets fans but man this was sinfully rich, sweet, ,moist, with the carmelized bananas oozing out between the two large syrup drenched slices of toast. A true winner in my book and complimented the salty rich flavors of my crabs benedict.
Food came fast and service is friendly, tables are really close to each other so don't expect any privacy with your neighbors, restrooms are crazy small and only (1) unisex...ewww..
overall a cute date place to go to for brunch, albiet the crazy line.......wouldnt recommend for large groups. -
Review from Stephen S.
San Francisco, CA
1/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
I first discovered Zazie in a Runner's World article asking world class runners where to go for the best post marathon carbo recovery. Ryan Hall, American wunderkid marathoner and Stanford alum, recommended Zazie as the spot to hit up after spending several hours running the hills of San Francisco. I figure any guy who runs 26.2 miles for a living has to know his carbs and quickly put Zazie on list of places to visit. Fast forward to a couple of years later, here I am living in San Francisco and Zazie has become one of my favorite brunch spots.
The best part of the menu, many dishes are a la carte allowing you to choose exactly the size you want, 1/2/3 pancakes, eggs, french toast allow infinite customization for your brunch table. I'm a huge fan of the Gingerbread pancakes topped perfectly with lemon curd and bosc pears. I don't even want to touch these things with syrup as I think they're perfect just the way they're served. -
Review from Dee Tail G.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Zazie is great. I came here for brunch/lunch on a weekday, and it was pretty busy at 11:30am but I got seated right away. The staff was running around, but they were sooo incredibly nice. I had a group of 3 and most places try to squeeze you into a 2-person table, but they were all about pushing two tables together and giving us a 4-person space. And while this might seem like a trivial thing, it's the sort of stuff I really appreciate.
The brunch menu is mouth-watering. I am always torn between a protein-filled egg dish or a sugar-carb extravaganza. This time I chose the latter and had the 3-pancake sampler. Of the 3 pancakes, all were delish but I liked the miracle and buttermilk the best. Surprisingly, the gingerbread pancake was my least favorite. I thought it lacked flavor and was a bit dry, in comparison to the other two. Also, on the sampler, they just have the pear compote topping which I actually wasn't a huge fan of - a little too sweet for me so I took most of it off. I wish they did another fruit topping option for the sampler. I had the regular coffee which was fine. My friend had a cafe au lait that looked great. I would love to try the egg dishes and poached egg specialties next time.
I'd be fearful of the weekend brunch line, so a weekday brunch/lunch is ideal if you can make it. Street parking is also much easier on the weekday, or take the N-Judah. -
Review from Rob O.
South San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
Damn I'm glad we found this place... Huge bonus points to our friends who recommended it! Both my wife and I had the La Mer (poached eggs over crab), which was finger-licking good. In the past it's always been a hit or miss when I've ordered poached eggs (undercooked vs overcooked), but this place hit the nail on the head for both our orders, which tells me that the chef is very consistent. I also ordered a side of bacon, which came thick-cut, and cooked to perfection. Not surprised that there was a 45ish minute wait, but we would have waited twice that. Definite upcoming return visit!
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Review from Lauren W.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2012
Setting: Warm and rustic feeling french bistro in chilly cole valley. Has a lovely back heated patio.
Menu favorites: Cream cheese coffee cake! Divine. I hesitated adding this to the review because they make a limited quantiy each weekend. Just save me a warm slice of this rich cake with sweet crumbly topping. For the indecisive pancake fans, try the pancake flights. You'll get to sample all three of thier specialty flap-jacks.
I also enjoy Zazie for dinner. I am not one to opt for burgers on a diverse menu like Zazie's but the roasted tomato on top sold me.
The damage: I've spent $15-$30 here.
The weekend lines are long, which is to be expected. But, it's also a great place to go and spend a leisurely weekday morning if you can. It's very cozy and the servers are friendly and helpful. -
Review from L. S.
Danville, CA
1/6/2012
Mmmmm, ate for brunch today. The La Mer eggs benedict (poached egg, hollandaise crab, cheese, and avocado) was fantastic. There was enough crab and it was fresh and sweety. No old fishy taste like from the frozen stuff. The hollandaise was delicious and creamy and eggs were poached to perfection.
The boyfriend had the mushroom ravioli which was very flavorful. Threw us off though cuz it comes in a broth so it looks more like a broth. I was expecting a cream sauce.
My only gripe is I wish they had fresh squeezed orange juice. Also, my boyfriend's chai was really watered down tasting and not sweet at all. But the food itself was delicious! -
Review from Sara G.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
Love the food, love the staff. Fantastic restaurant.
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Review from Andrew K.
San Francisco, CA
1/21/2012
Had an extremely good brunch here. Can't believe it took so long. Reminded me of Sarabeth's in NY's UWS. The Challah French toast was really yummy with its liquor center. The soft eggs were luscious. The coppa coffee was delish. And the bacon was memorable. All in all: HOORAY!
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Review from Kris L.
1/2/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I've only been to Zazie for brunch. The first time was a few months ago and it was one of those extremely hot days in San Francisco. We had to wait about 30 minutes for a table. We got an indoor table, which was nice and cool and a relief from standing outside in the hot, hot sun for so long. A and I both ordered mimosas. I ordered the Fountain Bleu and A got the French Toast. Super yum.
We just came again last week with my brother and my mom. Totally opposite from our last visit, it was freezing cold and we just missed the first seating. We were first on the list and were told the wait would be about 20 minutes. When the first group of eaters left, the hostess called someone else (also a group of 4) in to sit. Okay, seriously? What's up with that? We were first on the list and also a table of 4. We asked the hostess about it and she said they had actually gotten there first. Seriously, we were there first.
Anyway, a few minutes after that she announced they were opening the back patio, so we went back there. Sure, they have heaters, but it was still so chilly! They were nice enough to provide some blankets to keep us warm though.
A and I ordered hot chocolate while my mom and brother ordered coffee. The hot chocolate came in giant bowls. They looked like bowls of hot chocolate soup! Although they weren't really hot. They were lukewarm.
I ordered the Fountain Bleu again - still as good as the first time. My mom and brother both ordered the La Mer, which also sounded good but I decided not to order it. I don't remember what A ordered. I think he ordered the day's special.
Service is good. Food is excellent. Wait sucks since you can't make reservations for brunch. And it was hard to walk out afterward because our feet had turned into popsicles. It was sooooo chilly peppers that day! -
Review from Vinh N.
Providence, RI
1/26/2012
I have lived around here for a while now and finally had the pleasure to drop in. Probably the best poached eggs I have had in the city and the outside patio is a great place to sit on a beautiful day. If you Cole Valley and looking for a place for great brunch or to bring a date, I would totally recommend giving this a look. Make reservations if you can. Trust me.
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Review from Kristian M.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
The only down side is long wait for brunch. So go on off hours and have a delightful time. Every thing is great. Really rich decaf coffee. I have breakfast and lunch there for a few years. Always good. Croque Monsieur is a favorite. I take guests and they love it. This place is a San Francisco gem.
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Review from Manda S.
Orange, CA
1/10/2012
Are you kidding me Zazie?
We waited for almost an hour to be seated, but we realize its because this place is fantastic. They were great at getting people in quickly, incredibly friendly service & the food is insanely good. This place is great for groups of friends looking for a place after a night out. Delicious mimosas! -
Review from Pauline L.
San Francisco, CA
12/31/2011
We got here in the misty morning and only the throngs of people in front of the restaurant showed us where Zazie was located. The wait wasn't too bad, compared to Mama's or Outerlands, about 35-40 minutes.
OOOOhhh...I ordered 2 sunnyside up eggs with Aidell's Chicken Apple sausages, a side of wheat toast with the house fries. It was a lot of food and it was goooood. The house fries were quarter cut potato-lings with the skin still on interspersed with quarters of garlic. Wow, it was seasoned really well and not greasy! My eggs were fluffy and the toast were thick. Their jam wasn't runny but super thick.
Eduourd C. had the special of the day omelette, maple ham with half an avocado, stuffed with mushrooms and cheese...he deemed it excellently seasoned. Andrea C. had the banana french toast, and it was super yummy (*and normally I hate bananas on my bread).
The decor is reminiscent of old style Parisian cafes with their brick interior and classic french posters. There's an exterior patio with heated lamps in the back that I didn't get to see what it looked like, but the more the merrier! Service was brisk, but don't lose your cool if they don't come right away to refill your coffee.
Kudos for lots of vegetarian options, that's always a good sign the chef knows how to cook. Parking is metered in the front but go to the other streets and there's 2 hours free parking. -
Review from Dhiraj S.
San Francisco, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, only beaten by brunch because, well, its later in the day and usually implies i've gotten to sleep in. So I'm a fairly harsh critic, having tried a lot of places, but Zazie is EASILY in my top 5 brunch places. This review is based on the poached eggs, potatoes and excellent service.
Ill start with potatoes, or 'home fries, since usually I can judge a brunch place on the potatoes alone. Zazie were pretty unique, a kind of fried country potatoes with whole cloves of garlic in the mix. The potatoes were a perfect combination of crisped on the outside, but still tender. And the garlic was surprisingly pleasant to eat whole. Usually i prefer crispier potatoes since country potatoes aren't seasoned well enough and lack flavor, but these were really tasty. 4/5 stars.
The poached eggs were served sort of eggs benedict style. I ordered the one with bacon and white cheddar and my brother the one with smoked salmon. Both absolutely delicious and easily the best eggs I'd ever had prepared that way. 5 stars.
What really confirmed the 5th star for Zazie was the waiting staff. The restaurant is fairly small and decently long waits outside every weekend. I was late coming to meet my family and in the midst of catching up, we probably sent the waiter away a couple of times before ordering. But throughout our time their he was really courteous, attentive, and made the whole experience great.
Con - No fresh squeezed OJ, which was extra disappointing since I was hungover on holiday party wine and its my brunch drink of choice. -
Review from Cecilia W.
Berkeley, CA
It's not easy for me to find a Brunch place that I love. So far my favorite would probably be Cafe Aquarius in Emeryville, or Mama's in North Beach. But man, this place might have to replace Mama's long wait every weekend morning.
I arrived at Zazie's at around noon, found street parking right across the street, SCORE! Hubby and I signed our names on the list, there was a sign on the door that says "Do not ask how long the wait is." Alrighty, we don't want to get on their bad side already. After about 20 minutes of a wait and a big cup of latte, we were seated in the back on the patio. Let me tell you how much I regretted not bringing a thicker jacket ... but fortunately they turned on the heater, +1 point for Zazie! The waiter brought us another cup of latte while we ordered.
Pancakes were just enough fluff, poached egg were just runny enough, and my scrambled egg was made to perfection.
Did I mention they have grape fruit mimosas? -
Review from Danielle P.
Redwood City, CA
1/2/2012 1 photo
For 2 weekends in a row now, my husband and I have driven up to San Francisco from Redwood City to have brunch here. For people living in the city, parking is not an issue as this restaurant is very close to an N Judah stop. For those coming in from out of town, you may need to drive around for a while to find a decent parking spot. Be prepared to walk a few blocks.
If you are super fortunate (i.e., you arrive with perfect timing and the SF weather is actually nice) and a table out front is available, you can just sit down and avoid the long wait. Otherwise, you put your name on a paper list on a clipboard attached to the glass window and wait for your name to be called. There are not many places to sit while you wait unless you're okay sitting on a large wooden planter, and if the fog is gone, you may have the sun right in your face the entire time, so be sure to have sunglasses handy. Do not stray too far away, because they will not call your name for very long before giving up on you and moving on to the next guests on the list. You also will not be seated until your entire party is present.
Once you get inside, you will learn that the food is well worth the wait. It is a bit cramped and noisy, but that's part of the restaurant's charm. Zazie makes it clear on their menu that they allow absolutely no substitutions, but you'll discover that it really won't cramp your style, as they have tons of great choices. I've had the french toast with banana and walnuts which was incredible and I've also had a poached egg dish with eggplant. The home fries are delicious. My friend got the dish with a buttermilk pancake, a gingerbread pancake, and a slice of french toast. She said it was really really good, too. The food comes out super fast and the server staff is very friendly.
Both times we've come here, we ordered the table build-your-own mimosa kit. Be aware (as we weren't told this the first time by the staff or didn't read the menu close enough) that you are entitled to 2 juice choices with the order. Based on my personal preference, I would like them to serve more juice with the champagne so that I can make my mimosas a little bit weaker without hogging all of the juice for the entire table. Being able to get 2 mini-pitchers of juice does help with this predicament, though.
The restroom is located in the back of the restaurant and the waiting area is in a hallway that is the only exit to the patio seating so be prepared to squeeze to the side to let the servers in and out. Also, be careful if you decide to stand directly across from the bathroom door because you will likely turn on/off up to 4 wall power switches which are unfortunately located right in this area. The bathroom was clean, although I couldn't find seat covers. -
Review from Lily R.
El Segundo, CA
12/19/2011
My friend who is a bay-area native had planned us a San Francisco outing, starting at Zazie for what she claimed was the best brunch in the city. I met up with her about 9:30 and we were dropped off in front of the restaurant to put our names on the list so we hopefully wouldn't have to wait too long. It was a crisp 48 degrees out and we checked the "first available" box to insure we'd get a table within a reasonable time period. We were a group of five and, miraculously, were seated within about 10 minutes of putting our names on the list. We were seated inside and ordered our dishes, a build-your-own mimosa and an order of the cream cheese coffee cake.
Surprisingly, the food came out also shockingly quickly and was shockingly good. I ordered the monaco, which is eggs benedict with proscuitto and tomato. The hollandaise wasn't overwhelmingly rich but was delicious and the potatoes were crisp and savoury as well. The mimosas (which we ordered with orange and mango juice, which was truly spectacular) were great and just enough for the five of us. The coffee cake was moist and crumbly and just the right amount of sweet and tangy. A truly great dining experience and suitable service to boot. A bit of a splurge but surely the way to go if looking for a slightly formal weekend brunch experience! -
Review from Grace C.
12/20/2011
J and I were worried about the wait when we went on a Sunday around 12:30, but we were seated (party of 2) inside after only a ~40-minute wait. Shorter wait than we expected!
I loved the Croque Monsieur -- the melty cheese is delectable.
J got the La Mer & said it was tasty -- it's basically 'eggs benedict' but with crab & avocado.
Oh, and the cream cheese coffee cake was unique. Unlike most other coffee cakes, it's not crunchy, but if you like cream cheese, you'll love it.
It's a struggle to find parking (what else is new?).
Ambience was bleh - the restaurant is tiny, and if you happen to be sitting near a walkway, expect to get bumped & rubbed against by busy employees rushing by you. -
Review from Sujan J.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2011 1 photo
What a cute cute place for brunch!
One sunday morning, my lucky parking karma allowed me to park literally outside the restaurant (literally) which I was very happy about. This was a good start. (However please note parking in the area is generally DIFFICULT so you should allow at least 15 extra minutes to look for parking if you are coming here for a meal).
My friend arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes prior so we just had to wait another 15 minutes to be seated. The line on a Sunday morning at 11:30 was long. There were a lot of people waiting! (always a good sign)
Menu looked extensive. My friend said that their buttermilk pancakes was really good. So we ordered this to share. (cos Im' not a fat of eating just carbs for a meal but still enjoy pancakes as a taster.)
I was looking at the menu trying to decide and when asked what she was having and she said La Mer (eggs benedict with crab meat). Do I need to look further? That's what I was gonna have.
She also said that their buttermilk pancake was really good so we decided to share one. (I never order pancakes as a main - it's carb, and more carb without any protein!)
We got seated at their heated porch at the back of the restaurant. It was like a little sanctuary in the middle of SF. Sooooo cute!
It wasn't as noisy as the inside of the restaurant and on a beautiful day I was just happy sitting there.
Food was exceptionally tasty. Service was very pleasant.
Definitely coming back!
Oh and the line was still as long if not longer when we left at 1:30pm.
Advice: Get there early and put your name down. Big groups may have a harder time being seated. -
Review from Cathy S.
11/24/2011 2 photos
Wondering where to dine on this beautiful Monday morning, we stumbled upon this quaint little French Bistro in the this quaint little Cole Valley neighborhood.
Absolutely no line when we arrived at 9:00 this Monday morning and found parking directly in front of the restaurant! It was truly meant to be.
Ahhh... coffee. We were in dire need of this magical liquid and we were promptly presented with it.
Sipping the coffee and transporting myself to France with the help of the decor which consisted of brick walls and various French items, I was in European bliss.
After scouring the regular menu, I then noticed the specials and quickly decided on the Eggs Divorce - Poached eggs with crispy bacon, avocados, and melted fontina and home fries http://www.yelp.com/bi....
The hubby ordered the Eggs en Fonte Grilled polenta cake with spinach, wild mushrooms, spicy tomato chevre sauce and two over easy eggs baked in a cast iron skillet with home fries http://www.yelp.com/bi....
The Eggs Divorce was sheer happiness in my mouth, and their interpretation of my dear friend Eggs Benedict rocks!
Ok, hubby didn't ask if I wanted to sample his dish. He is quiet and looking quite content. I can't take it anymore! So, I quickly stole a bite and was in polenta heaven. The spicy tomato chevre sauce tied all of the components together into a heavenly explosion in my mouth! I also thought the presentation of this dish was appropriate and quite homey with the cast iron skillet.
I was truly impressed with this warm, calming bistro as I am sure everyone lining outside was as well. I tried to ignore the growing line as we finished the last of our lovely breakfast and savored the last drops of our coffee.
Truly a gem in Cole Valley and all of SF! Shhh... don't tell anyone else, l really don't want the line to be any longer the next time I am here.
Food - 5 Stars
Service - 5 Stars
Ambiance - 5 StarsListed in: Comfort food, Date night, I left my heart in SF
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Review from Kristine Y.
Santa Clara, CA
2/5/2012
Came here for brunch on the weekend without a reservation, something I would not do again! We had to wait over an hour to be seated, but luckily, there is a Pete's coffee next door! However, the breakfast was delicious; we ordered the french toast and and the salmon scramble, both of which were a hit. I would definitely come back (with a reservation!).
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Review from Rosalind S.
San Francisco, CA
12/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
You gotta get in here before they even open so you can get a table at a decent hour. It's strange to me how they open relatively later than other breakfast joints. is it worth the wait? I'm not exactly sure yet since I've only been there once. Why 4 stars then? Because EVERYONE loves this place and I want to love it more than I did a few weeks ago. (3.5 stars get's bumped up to 4.)
The crab benedict which I got a sample of was good, not great but definitely good. I got the special which was some omelet with chicken sausage, avocado, etc. Pretty much something out of the Squat and Gobble, Crepevine type menu. There's something to be said about food that gets cold shortly after it has reached your table. Service was great, decor not memorable and the line atrocious. But, it's good enough for me to give it another go.
Read more reviews for this business:
French (2),
German (1)
