Atelier Crenn Reviews

Inventive dishes and fine service make it an interesting experience, but it is definitely not worth the $325 price tag (drinks not included). Perhaps I am spoiled by the Tokyo fine dining scene which offers far better food and service quality for a lot less, but chef Crenn needs to either step up her game to keep charging these hefty prices, or lower the cost.

Got a walk in table for 2 at the bar at 6:30 on a Saturday night! Small yet creative menu and actually much cheaper than I thought - the wine menu is very expensive though, but they do sell half bottles which is a nice touch. Whatever you do you MUST order the brioche bread, it s soooooo yummy

I love this venue very much. It has a nice ambiance. The food is superb. the service is efficient and the stuff is polite. The cost is satisfactory. truly recommend.

I wish I could give this six stars. It is an amazing restaurant with transformative food. A can't miss experience.

This is a high-end restaurant full of creativity, elegant environment, comfortable and welcoming service, and delicious meals. If a restaurant uses seasonal fruits and vegetables, and even has a special theme for desserts, then dining here will be hundreds of times more fun, every bite of food is enjoyable!
Excellent value for money and worth the wait. The cost of this meal is far less than the joy of what I actually eat!

Thank you very much Atelier Crenn team for giving me a wonderful dinner, this is the best restaurant I have eaten this year, no one!

Atelier Crenn is the best restaurant I've dined at in SF; and will likely remain so. Aside from Dominique Crenn earning the much deserved Best Female Chef in the World title, her flagship restaurant exemplifies peak culinary mastery. With an intimate and boutique dining room buzzing with service, Crenn offers a culinary experience that makes you believe you are somewhere else. The food service is an exquisite balance of art, seasonally optimal ingredients and flavor. The wine service is nothing short of incredible, offering bespoke pairings and variety to suit all pallets. I was recently asked if the experience was worth the investment. My answer was an undoubtedly "Yes." If you are considering a two or three star Michelin restaurant, Atelier Crenn should be at the the top of your list for SF, and the Bay Area.

Of all the amazing Michelin-starred restaurants I've been to in the past year, this one stands out as the cream of crop.

I remember being served around 15-20 dishes, though extraordinary quantity wasn't much of any factor. What stood out the most was the decoration and presentation of each dish. They were all even more beautiful and exotic than the ones at Baume, which already specializes in that. I suppose it takes the touch of the female head chef (the only one in the world with a 2-Michelin-starred restaurant) to create such a gorgeous menu.

And it wasn't just about looks. Regarding taste, the dishes here were more enjoyable than the best ones at Manresa and French Laundry. The experience was much like that of Fleur de Lys in that every dish was delicious. There wasn't a single dish that was so exotic or detached from human understanding that a simpleton like me couldn't enjoy it.

And the service was flawless. There were 4 waiters attending our table, and we were never left unattended for long. Our wine pairing matched splendidly, and the portions were very generous.

Amazing dinner. Everything was so intricate. Loves her play on texture and flavors!

The most fabulous dining experience I've ever had! The service was impeccable and the food was incredible!!

This restaurant is by far my favorite in San Francisco. I went there with my family to celebrate graduating college and it was the perfect choice. If you want to impress a date (someone who appreciates food, of course), THIS is the place. It's not like any other restaurant I've ever been to. Open minds are necessary for this experience, to fully enjoy it and take it for what it is: A culinary journey that delights both your eyes and taste buds.

The food was so good that I had to eat slow in order to take in all the different flavor pairings.

This restaurant is pushing boundaries that too many restaurants are afraid to in this city. If you want tomato soup with croutons, mac and cheese or steak and fries- this is not your place! I'm so sick of all the new 'popular' hot spots in this city that do nothing but imitate each other by pairing fresh seasonal ingredients in a conventional way. Finally a place that can surprise and make a good impression!

The atmosphere is understated and quiet. It makes the food be the centerpiece. I can't wait to go back. Every foodie in the bay area NEEDS to try this spot, I promise you won't be disappointed :)

Possible negatives: This is by no means comfort food, it's culinary art at it's finest. It's pricey. It's not a quick in and out dining experience. But, I swear it's all worth it! :)

WOW, you must experience yourself. MAKE YOUR RESERVATION SOON FOR A GREAT EXPERIENCE!

Today I went on an amazing journey of taste. Every dish had an interesting story and unique selection of ingredients. The staff was very professional. Highly recommend this restaurant.

The best female chef, the delicate layers of ingredients are mixed and matched on carefully designed tableware, presenting a pleasing gourmet art, eating in the mouth is the first experience of the taste buds, it is hard to forget this excellent deliciousness after eating, of course the service It's super awesome.

I gave the restaurant and excellent rating because the food was so overwhelmingly well prepared, spectacularly delicious, flawless I presentation and proportion, however I was less impressed with the service which felt theatrical during parts of the meal, a distraction to the food, too much talk around Chef Crenn s background while growing up in Normandy, and dizzying levels of waitstaff circulation in the dining room. That said, if you are a foodie, it is definitely worth a try, if only once. Been there, loved the food, will unlikely repeat a visit for reasons noted above.

Definitely lives up to the expectations! Beautiful romantic fancy sit down place. Don't let the door fool you! Once you step inside its like your in another city ! The food was amazing &I the service was just beautiful! Definitely recommend!

Should be on everyone's bucket list! Just an amazing culinary experience that you have to live through and encounter for yourself.

Delicious food, great experience, took 3hrs for 4 people

Wow, wow wow. No words can describe how fantastic tbe experience was.

Exquisite special occasion restaurant. The tasting menu is creative, surprising, and beautifully presented and executed. The restaurant is minimalistic but elegant and service is gracious. You will likely see the chef as she often comes into the dining room.

Fine dining on the sidewalk during a pandemic is something I did not expect to experience in my lifetime. In the spirit of celebrating Mr. Joy's birthday, that's just what we did. I always wanted to try Dominque Crenn's famed dishes. When I saw the Terrasse Dinner - 5 Course going for $165, I definitely wanted a reservation. Unfortunately it is no longer an option to book the Terrasse Dinner, which makes sense since we will approach colder months soon.
Upon arrival, we filled out a questionnaire via QR code about our state of health. They took our temperature with infrared thermometers. Of course they wear masks and require all patrons to wear masks, even when staff approaches the table, which is difficult to do when there are multiple dishes approaching throughout the meal. I definitely appreciate the precautions taken.

We started with the Cruse Tradition sparkling wine, $25/glass, a sweet, nutty taste. more price transparency would be nice
We also shared the Santos Mencia GLS Ribeira, $17/glass, such a smooth finish, with peppery notes when you sip it with food.

Kir Breton - white chocolate orb filled w/ apple cider, topped w/ creme de cassis reduction:
Good! Even though I paid attention to our waiter's description, that still didn't quell my surprise when I popped that orb into my mouth and felt the cider fill up my throat. I don't love white chocolate, but I do love the idea of freezing juicy liquid and encasing it in a chocolate-y shell. genius.

Caviar & Koji Rice Tart - mini tartlets filled with sturgeon caviar, topped with gold foil, plated in a smoking bowl, adorned with dried flowers:
Great! The nutty, tart, brine-y caviar was on top of some sort of jelly in the rice tart. So good I need to buy more caviar for my home.




Brioche & Cultured Herb Butter - buttery pull-apart rolls topped with finishing salt, a green ball of butter topped with flower petals:
Excellent! I couldn't get enough of these rolls. I pulled apart the loaf and steam filled the air. So soft, fluffy, light. It is so good on its own, but absorbs that herb butter like a sponge. They did an amazing job elevating Hawaiian rolls.


Excellent! How can I be so taken by a bowl of tomatoes? Each one had its own distinct flavor. sweet, tart, savory too, also enhanced by the sweet basil. I practically lifted up the white rock bowl to drink the tomato juices.

Trout Mousse - smooth trout topped with squid ink bark and buerre blanc, with warm spring salad of vegetables from Bleu Belle farm:
Excellent! The trout mousse had a creamy texture and crispy squid ink that resembled fried salmon skin. The savory flavor and the smooth almost meaty texture makes it taste like a hot dog, albeit a very fancy one. The mini bowl of greens, zucchinis, and roe were served lightly warmed up, which brought out the flavors of the vegetables.


Good! The cheese shavings were topped over greens, like another warm salad, over creme fraiche.


Good! more impressed with the presentation than I was with the taste, as I am not a big fan of caramel.

Lastly, there was a bday cookie for Mr. Joy, and it was covered in gold foil and a Crenn seal.

I wish I could have visited Atelier Crenn sooner before the price hikes over the years, but I'm glad to have dined here now that I'm older and more appreciative of vegetables, which Crenn does a great job elevating. Plus service was amazing and Antoine was very friendly! Overall, 9/10!

Stellar service and food. Well worth the money for the experience.

goodfood
well manner

We were the first guests to complete the new tasting menu in the remodeled space. I expect to see a third Michelin star in the near future, but that's not why you should go. You will experience two tasting menus, a savory and a sweet. The first tasting menu is extremely well balanced and, light, and full bodied all at once. However, the highlight of the experience is the desert course. It's another tasting of its own, and it is also well balanced, light, and full bodied. You will not be served a typical end of course desert that might be heavy or chewy, or light and sugary, but instead it's a whole new experience, one that might change how fine dining approaches the last course.

To some degree it reminds me of how Gen, the cocktail bar in Tokyo, is approaching cocktails in the form of a tasting menu. Well done Atelier Crenn.

A culinary and sensory delight: beautifully crafted plates (technically, molecular gastronomy) and one-of-a-kind presentation. Expensive, but a must visit -- the kind of place you may only visit once, but you'll remember it for a long time.

Everything you heard about Atelier Crenn is true! The staff is world class, refined, at ease and a bit sexy. There is a palatable yet palpable sensuality pulsing through Atelier Crenn which I ve rarely noticed in a restaurant. The passion is genuine but homogenous and the experience is singular and celestial.

Best meal in San Francisco. Friendly, attentive staff, and delicious and beautifully presented dishes. Great spot for a romantic birthday.

Amazing food. Five star service. Many thanks to Irina for the tour of the kitchen and the memorable family photo with the kitchen staff!

This meal is quite the journey. Whereas a lot of high end restaurants are gunning to out-crazy one another with molecular gastronomy, Crenn is fine with creating pieces of art for each dish. The meal was amazing, the staff was extremely accommodating (separate wine flight and tasting menu for my pescetarian wife), and the wine pairing was poured incredibly heavily.

After seeing the Netflix Chef's Table featuring Dominique Crenn, we decided to visit her restaurant in San Francisco and we started next door, at Bar Crenn. The ambiance of the bar is very old school French with warm green/gray walls, antique furniture and bright chandeliers. Gorgeous. We were escorted from the bar through the kitchen (what a clean and bright space) and into the small eight-table dining room. The room is stark with beautiful natural wood tables, comfortable chairs, and gray walls-a perfect backdrop for the 16 course tasting menu. Service is superb. One of us had the wine tasting (regular and not the rare wine pairing) and another had the non-alcoholic drink pairing. Both were well paired with the tasting menu and very inventive. The non-alcoholic drinks were garnished with fresh flowers and were an assortment of juices, shrubs, elixirs and herbs.

Unbelievable! A walk in the forest, only deliciously edible. Service was beyond and yet casual. Amazing!

Deliciousness revisited (3rd time, different season) . . when a trip to Paris takes too long and you just gotta have fine French cuisine.

You have walked past it a hundred times and never noticed it. You open the door and are greeted by a friendly young host, who turns out to be an uncharacteristically young sommelier. Atelier Crenn is small, with tasteful, subdued decor that suggests a certain rustic quality.

You are seated and greeted and receive a menu containing a short poem on one side and a longer poem on the other. Each line will describe the inspiration for one course in the adventure of touch and smell and taste you're about to take.

Without spoiling any secrets, inventive presentations and beverage pairings will create one of the most interesting and delicious meals you have ever had.

You can even greet and thank the chef afterwards, and observe the cooks at work piecing delicate concoctions together in the kitchen.

If you are looking for a splurge, I can not recommend Atelier Crenn more highly.

Beautiful presentation with nicely decorated, lovely environment with good service except in suggesting to serve wet tower in the beginning for picking up food to eat!

One of the most interesting and challenging meals I've ever eaten at a michelin-starred restaurant. Worth every penny.

Amazing creative dinner with top quality food and ingredients

Dominique has been downstairs from me for several years now. I believe she is quite possibly the 1st Woman to receive TWO Michelin Stars in the United States.... The THIRD Michelin Star arrived last Summer!
She is a visionary and has an amazing team that shares the qualities required for a restaurant to achieve such accolades

My reservation to dine at San Francisco s Atelier Crenn this past February coincided with chef Dominique Crenn s newly awarded (and long-awaited) third Michelin star. It s a reservation I tried to make on several occasions, and somehow it never worked out until then. It was worth the wait.

Driven by childhood memories, chef Crenn created an elegant dining experience for the guest, inspired by the past and presented ahead of its time. The care, thought, and detail behind every unbelievable bite shows why she continues to soar.

The restaurant, intimate with only eight tables but still spacious enough for the staff to float around, shows off some Crenn s personal collections including childhood art and a prominently placed poem she once wrote to her father. Straw nest details strategically placed on menus, walls, and lighting signal the constant change and rebirth, sort of speak. Each table is isolated within the space with its own area rug placed underneath.

Service throughout the almost three-hour dinner was expertly orchestrated and included multiple tableside presentations per course: some more complex than others.

Dinner opened with a beautiful rustic floral vessel holding the menu. Not just any menu, but an ode to it. Every line poetically described each course and allowed for the element of surprise within every dish and bite. My favorite: A wild dance together, to the memories of a devotion unspoken. Sensual. Mysterious. Alluring. Fire. Crenn. A menu with the actual main ingredients was gifted at the end of the night.

Crenn excels, not only with her combination of flavor profiles but by also successfully layering texture after texture and awaking curiosity in the diner. Every course seamlessly flowed into the next. I sat feeling honored to experience it, and secretly not wanting the night to end.

Given the seasonal menu, I hope to return and give the other stages a try as well. For now, I remain forever in awe. #inCRENNible!

Two Michelin stars. San Francisco. Dominque Crenn. This amazing chef grew up in the French countryside and brings both her love of nature and art to all of her complex dishes. On the menu are two prix-fixe options available in six courses or 11. If you can only visit once, then opt for the Chef s Grand menu, an 11- to 12-course dinner complete with wine pairings. Everything looks like art that you shouldn't touch but eat it and be happy.

Fabulous dining experience, a must do in California. Great flavours, service, and hospitality from Dominique

I was lucky enough to experience Atelier Crenn with my girlfriend. This is the type of place that needs to be shared. Google's description is perfect. The atmosphere is very welcoming and helps you feel at home. The service is some of the best in the industry as are the chefs preparing the delightful courses. I would highly recommend the larger of the two menus so that you may experience the wide variety of flavors, textures, aromas, and beauty presented over the evening. This review does not do Atelier Crenn justice. A must try when in the Bay Area. Make reservations and prepare for an amazing evening.

Worth it... , One of the best experience I had in my lifetime . Presentation hospitalality and of course the musical notes on the palate are exquisite and unforgettable

Incredibly creative and delicious meal. Lovely staff.

One of the best meals I've ever had. Fresh, innovative, and beautiful.

No review can do justice to the experience we had here. Unforgettable.

The food is really refined and its experimental side works most of the time. Always pleased by a well thought tasting menu. The restaurant has a nice sleek modern decor in tune with the overall theme. Good use of the space but some of the tables are a bit too close (could be useful though if are the curious type and would like to ear drop on your neighbors for the upcoming dishes) The service is up to the task. They try to be really accommodating if you have some reservations on certain foods. The meal took over 4 hours but it didn't feel like it at all.

You get the show and the place has excellent service as expected in a two star restaurant. However, it appears that the show was more important than the food and as a result the food looked better than it tasted. Two groups of friends described similar experience.

Utterly fantastic dinner. Each dish was exciting and thoughtful and of course immaculately executed.

Easily the best meal of my life. Brilliant chefs, comfortable decor, knowledgeable staff, wonderfully paced courses. Obviously great food and wine, but they also had a surprisingly awesome coffee selection too.

I'm very conflicted writing this. I've watched the documentary, I enjoyed making friends with the staff and I loved that Dominique Crenn came out to chat to us several times. I wanted to love this meal. But I can't quite bring myself to recommend somebody go.

The food was creative but hit or miss - a few courses were oddly sour and acidic. There were highlights too - the cider aperitif was lovely and surprising, the steak great and desserts we're some of the best I've had in a tasting menu. The bread was also incredible.

Something didn't add up though. The desserts - traditional Mexican themed - didn't fit at all with the rest of the menu and felt like a bolt-on. There was nothing tying the menu together aside from a poem that was quickly forgotten about.

I would recommend this place if the price was lower. But when you're paying that much, and you set the expectations that high, then you've got to deliver. And the food fell short.

Came here for lunch with hubby and we absolutely loved iit!

Beautiful premium experience all around. Tasty food and attentive staff, great for a special occasion. Thank you!

Chef Crenn is the most gracious. Food is fantastic.

I wish we had the same experience everyone else did. We were so disappointed and such a waste of money fir our anniversary. We live fancy restaurants but the food was just awful. The service and atmosphere was wonderful. Wine pairings delicious. But the food was one note and every course SMOKEy!!! At the end our mouths were like liquid smoke. I can t think this is normal right? We ve been to several 3 Michelin star restaurants and this was just not good. I want to support a female chef but I would NEVER return and am contemplating complaining to the restaurant directly to get a refund. GO SOMEWH3RE else and save your money- so sad we had this experience on our anniversary:(

Fantastic seafood preparation, but the other dishes are not quite memorable because there is smoked gelee in a few of the in between dishes

I had a wonderful birthday dinner here they really took care of me and the food was unique and delicious

Hands down the best meal and wine pairing I have ever experienced. Save up your sheckels and go here.

My husband and I had the pleasure of dining at Atelier Crenn on our most recent trip to San Francisco. What a truly unique experience!

From the minute we walked into the restaurant, the service was excellent. Great attention to detail and the food was extremely inventive. Chef Crenn weaving an intricate story through her dishes, a fine balance between art and flavours. A few of the dishes did miss the mark for us though, one being too salty and the other being too acidic. But otherwise, all the dishes were beautifully presented and the flavour combinations left me wanting more!

Highlights of the night were the geoduck with sea urchin, spiny lobster with seaweed and whey, abalone with cabbage and smoke creme, and the Mt. Lassen trout. Favourite dessert of the night, coconut and pineapple.

Definitely a pricey dinner, but worth the experience!

Amazing food, wine and experience. Chef Crenn's unique menu and the intimate setting of the restaurant made for an amazing meal. A must visit when in San Francisco.

Atelier Crenn and Coi are now my absolute favorite (notably high-end) restaurants in San Francisco. Outstanding meal, and superb wine pairing

Atelier Crenn was one of many stops on a ten day SF - LA food trip, and probably the most anticipated. Let me start by saying the food was incredible - there was so much love and attention to detail in every bite I never wanted it to end. I loved the Japanese elements used in the savoury courses, the tomato melon trout row and the caviar kohlrabi koji was a stand out for me. In addition to the delicate food, it was lovely to hear the little stories of what inspired the dishes and match them to a line of poetry which was presented to us before the meal began. The Mayan inspired desserts were fantastic, especially the masa crisp. It truly shows that the pastry chef and chef have been a team for seven years. We chose the non-alcoholic pairing which was unique and well thought out; not overally sweet, just like the desserts. The space was comfortable and the servers were polite and knowledgeable.

I was thrilled to get the chance to walk through the kitchen with Dominique and meet her team. She is a genuinely passionate person, as were all the other staff, and I truly had the feeling that they were happy to have each guest dining with them. I would highly recommend Atelier Crenn and can't wait to return to be wowed again. 2 stars cannot describe my experience here. Thank you for the excellent meal.

This is possibly the best restaurant we have ever eaten at. And we have been to most of the Michelin starred restaurants throughout the bay. The food was inventive and delicious. The service impeccable. The length of the meal was just at around 2 hours, which we appreciate for a meal with so many courses. Go to lazy bear and you are committing to a 3 hour event (although well worth it). French laundry, 4 hours (not so worth it).

The only thing I wish would have changed, was knowledge that I would be eating a few courses with my hand. If I would have known that, I would have made sure to wash my hands first thing upon arrival (took public transit to get there).

A total hyped place.
Expect huge bill for tiny portions (plan for pizza after spending $300 for two)!

Food is tasty and artful, just not enough. A little stuffy environment, do not recommend it for a relaxed dinner.

Artfully delicious! Awakens all of senses with masterfully created dishes that are not only beautifully but have multidimensional flavors.

Dominique Crenn "cooks from her heart" at her namesake Cow Hollow atelier turning out extravagant , cutting-edge molecular-gastronomy inspired modern Californian tasting menus that take guests on a "fantastic journey , from the poem presented to each guest in the beginning and generous wine pairings down to the last dessert ; the stark decor and bare tables underwhelm, but even jaded diners are impressed by the "artistic" presentations, "impeccable" service and suspense that precedes every course, all of which understandably comes at a price.

Learn more about Atelier Crenn.

What to order

Tasting menus only (pictured)

Insider tip: Order signature courses for $140 or splurge on the chef's grand tasting menu for $220.

Words can not express. The atmosphere, service and amazing food all work as one to provide a wonderful eating experience.

5 stars for:
- the food (taste, originality, composition, presentation)
- the service (attentive but not hovering/intrusive)
- location (in our neighborhood!)

Beautiful poetry on paper and on our plates. This was a meal my husband and I will still be talking about decades from now, never quite finding adequate adjectives to accurately describe the experience.

The Crenn Kit to go meal is delicious!!
-Bleu Belle Farm Vegetable Soup

-Sliced Brioche
-Chocolate cake from Pastry Chef Juan Contreras


Easy reheating instructions. Fine dining from the comfort of your own home!

Incredible, incredible food - imaginative, nuanced, emotional, gorgeous. The poem, personal story etc added an extra layer of artistry. Every member of the team came across as warm, knowledgeable and passionate about what they were doing. The chef's table made for a unique and memorable night out.

Certainly one of the top restaurants in the city for prix fixe dining. The menu is meant to be surprising, and it often is.

OMG yes! I've been wanting to come here for years and finally had the chance to make it here and it was definitely well worth it. I was pleasantly surprised at the Japanese influence but it worked really nicely and can't imagine the experience without it. And experience it definitely was! Their attention to detail was immaculate and starts when you come in the door with the coat rack and the decor. This place felt like I was dining in Chef Crenn's house and not in a stuffy restaurant. The menu is in poem form with a very visually stunning display. The additional caviar was well worth the cost and was a nice contrast to the caviar dish they had on the menu. At the end, we had an opportunity to visit the kitchen and say hi to the staff that put all of those hours in to make such a wonderful culinary experience come to life. My only regret was not being able to meet Chef Crenn herself as she was hosting another event that evening.

The takeaway brunches are amazing and it s a short walk to Alta Plaza Park.

Dominique Crenn gave me one of the most interesting Michelin dining experiences I have ever had. The 15 course tasting menu we had was full of intense yet simplistic flavours in odd but harmonic combinations that were graciously bound together with Mrs Crenn's unique presentation method of having a poem as a menu. Truly unlike any other Michelin guide dining experience I have ever had. Though certain details in the staff's behaviour is obviously keeping them from their 3rd star (serving sometimes from the left and sometimes from the right for example), based on previous reviews they do seem to be making steady improvements with their service. Overall I was blown away by Crenn's dinner, despite my expectations being very high to begin with.