Hayes Valley hot spot, Jardniere pleases the locals and folks coming in for Opera and Symphony on a nightly basis. Seasonal food menu is updated daily, French/California style dishes delight diners. Plush decor, comfortable seating in the lounge, a great place for a cocktail and a small nosh if you don't have time for dinner.
Atmosphere is great! Food is spot on, though not quiet spectacular; you're paying for the location and vibe and service. Service was great as well, though there were a couple noticeable gaps. Staff is excellent! Also, the menu we got in the restaurant had more items that the menu online did, which was a nice surprise.
I love this place!! Super nice place to eat with amazing food. Its a bit on the fancier/pricey side, but well worth the price they charge. Everything here is super fresh and delicious. They also have an amazing drink/wine menu. For all the vegans, vegetarians or adventurous meat eaters they also offer the impossible burger here... a non meat burger that tastes like meat. Im a vegetarian, and every time im in the city I have to stop here to get this burger... its to die for. The flavor is super delicious and seriously tastes just like meat. Other than that there menu has plenty of seasonal options that will please your pallet
I had a lovely meal at Jardniere and I love the decor of the restaurant. Service was friendly and attentive, menu is creative and delicious.
The lobster tajarin, lamb and bonne bouche were all delicious, service was also impeccable (note: they will be offended if you try to pour your own wine)
The lamb was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Great atmosphere and people watching.
Excellent food, service and ambience in Cali-Parisian bistro-style restaurant with a drop-dead gorgeous bar. Innovative cuisine ranges from the hyper local and organic to the Impossible Burger. The perfect spot for a pre- or post-theater dinner, drinks with friends or a special date night. Love this place!
very nice place to go, especially pre or post symphony or opera
Great meal in a wonderfully cozy space. Felt a bit like I was in France.
Delicious food, and a nice bar area to get drinks before your fancy meal.
Amazing cheese selection (paired with great wine) to start the dinner. Impossible burger and the steak were nicely done. Great ambience and view up on the 2nd floor, looking over the bar. We were also here during a post-concert reception, tasty cocktails and finger food.
Can't wait to be back for more!
The place to finally try the meatless impossible burger.
Lovely food; excellent quick service; kindly adapted to our schedule so that we could make the ballet on time.
Ever been to a restaurant where you felt you were out of place and the staff were turning their noses up at you? Jardiniere is too fancy for its own good. Go to say you've been, never go back because it's overpriced and snooty
Beautiful interior, quality professional service, inventive menu.
So-so food for the price. Especially in a city like San Francisco where almost everything is really good, it's hard to tolerate "acceptable" as a level of quality.
Experience, ambiance, delicious food and wine, and bar none service!
Friendly staff. Good prices for amazing food. I had the Charleston Golden Rice - yes as a main dish - and honestly, I didn't know rice could be that good. It was buttery and earthy without being too heavy (is that possible?). My wife had the Wagyu A5 beef - a splurge at $90 for 3 ounces - but oh my god, it was amazing. Along with the apps, salad and soup it was an amazing meal.
good upper-end restaurant. not anything to go crazy about, but a solid well above-average meal and a tempo and crowd that allows for a decent conversation.
how things can change. used to be my fave restaurant in the city, especially after a performance at the opera house. after a remodel which decreased dining space downstairs to cater to a hipper, younger bar crowd, the prices have gone way, way up and the hip crowd never showed. drinks got smaller, prices got higher and the place cleared out. the food is as good as ever, but without a step change in service or quality, it doesn't seem worth the money anymore.
Phenomenal final dinner there. This restaurant will be missed!
Good drinks, beautiful space, haven't had the food yet...
Over the years Jardiniere has usually been perfect. Our group of 4 arrived at 5:30 for an 8:30 ballet had excellent food but disappointing service. An item was forgotten, no one asked if anything else was wanted when desserts were dropped off, etc. I hope this was a one-off.
Elegent, romatic atmosphere. Food well prepare and nice wine.
Great food but very small portions and $5 for tap water
Impeccable attention to detail in culinary excellence, presentation, ambiance and service.
The waiter wasn't attentive at all. We were never once asked us how the food tasted. We were ignored most of the evening, except for when we were asked if we needed bread.
We opted cheese for the dessert, and those were the saddest microscopic piceses of cheese we have ever seen. They was more bread that cheese of the plater we got. And with cheese, it would be fantastic if one is served some pieces of fruit (like pears, apples etc) or some fig jam to heighten and take the cheese to another level. And rye crackers instead of fruit bread that was a bit stail and hard.
overblown and overrated, decor is almost a parody of itself, seems to impress the tour guides and local press, service was notably sluggish and inattentive save for two of the lowly bussing help, in french this place would be called de trop
Very tasty dinner. Very nice waiter. Great atmosphere: dark lights and beautiful surroundings.
One problem I faced with was complete unfamiliarity with menu items. Was staring at this menu and had no idea what to order. When we asked waiter to explain, he explained but in his own terms... And we still didn't understand anything. So we made risky decision to order something. And we like it =)
Had the beef, permisson salad and yuzu desert. Staff are friendly, but for a top notch restaurant, I think the service was mediocre. I asked for sparking water as a cocktail drink and they brought me a lemon/lime/mint on the side and I served myself. Usually, it is prepared for me. The place was freezing and it was uncomfortable for most of my dinner. Table decorations- none! A napkin, a fork and knife. No candles, no flowers. Not what I expect especially from a French restaurant. I really like my salad, but a super small portion considering the price. My partner had the argula and I could have made it at home. I had the beef which they tell me was marinated and cooked for 3 days. If you cook any meat that long, it s going to be tender. However, it was good but it didn t wow me. Very fatty as well. My partner had the cod, it was good, but again no wow factor and I personally thought it had way too much butter. The dessert was great! Creative, in season and delicious. Were the meringues made by the chef? If so, great- they were so perfect, it looked like they were purchased. The wine was blah- nothing too exciting. Good experience but not enough to bring me back.
WOW!! Great ambiance, phenomenal service and exceptional food. One to put on your list of things to do in SFO!
twas a pretty fantastic first taste of this low-key, yet, utterly sophisticated eatery.. only had pomme fritters and a Hemingway, but the class service and elegant presentation left nothing to be desired. my lady and I visited after mentally taxing 9 to 5s and reinvigorated ourselves on splendid ambiance and meaningful conversation. highly recommended.
They serve the Impossible Burger here. Visit a SF institution
This was our first visit and what a "WOW" staircase and design that really made this an elegant setting for creative and imaginative food. We tried the tasting menu that included 6 courses. Some were a hit like the foie gras and scallops and others missed the mark. However with the fabulous decor and perfect service this is a restaurant you should try!
My Fiancee and I came here after getting engaged so the review may be a little biased I'll admit. That being said, we had the most amazing time at Jardiniere and the dinner is tops on our list. The wine is of course fantastic given the region. The food was 100% perfect. I personally had the duck and it could not have been executed better. The highlight was the decor and service. The restaurant is set for a lively feel but intimate table. Must Go.
Great food, great atmosphere and very close to the symphony. Attentive staff.
Can recommend it.
My first time here. Great food and service. Will be back for more.
Very good quality and very good service ..... be careful on weekends (Friday and Saturday), if the restaurant is very full the service is very slow !!!!
My husband and I returned joyfully to Jardiniere for our one year anniversary in mid January 2016. One year to the day prior we held our wedding party at Jardiniere, which was a hefty, well worth the memory, investment. A couple years prior my now husband and I celebrated a birthday at Jardiniere. My point is Jardiniere holds much history and nostalgia in our San Franciscan lives as a couple. We want this restaurant to be the best, for we have told everyone that it is. My concern is it may be slipping and relying on its reputation.
Upon returning in January 2016 on a Friday evening, all seemed well. We were beyond excited to relive past memories over fine wine and food. Upon face value we did. The atmosphere superb, waiter excellent, somliei a bit odd (even for SF) but, helpful though came across as annoyed that we asked him for a suggestion on what to pair with our meal.
We both had 1 bottle of red wine, bread/butter, scallops, lamb pasta, I the braised beef ribs, my husband the duck, & shared a basic dessert. We started dinner at 7:30ish, we're home about 10:30pm. I awoke at 2:30am, drenched in sweat, in severe stomach distress, and spent the next 72 hours glued to my bathroom, had to call out of work on Monday.
My husband felt fine. The only difference was he did not try the beef. We both noted the scallops had sand in them.
Things happen, restaurants can never prevent every food born illness however, they can be classy and polite.
About 4 days after, once my stomach settled and I could think clearly I wrote Jardiniere via their website, to not cause a fuss, but to notify them of my immediate, direct food posioning I experienced. I told them all that I listed above. My admiration for the restaurant, wanting them to remain an institution, outlining exactly what we ate. I asked for nothing. However at over $175/person for the tab I thought they would at least write me back with a basic apology. Two plus weeks later I have heard nothing....
For the reputation Jardiniere carries, the cost, and the perception of excellence, I am concerned it may have fallen into the folklore of once upon a time. Some things are best left as a memory.
March 1st update: I was contacted via phone and email by Jardiniere apologizing profusely for not responding to my private email to them for 5 weeks after the initial food poisoning issue. They refunded my dinner and sent a gift card. This helped restore hope in Jardiniere but, I am not jumping to go back any time soon. For their following up I am bumping up my original rating of 2 starts to 3.
We got quail and short rib with four gras terrine and fried squash and all were very good esp the short ribs. The panna cotta was very good. The staff was very friendly as well.
One of my fav locations for French food. Visited near twelve, it was not full. I had a brother come into town and asked me to take him back here. The prices are fair for the quality of food.
Worth every penny or should i say hundred not cheap but you get what you pay for top of the line cuisine
I came here on a Saturday night with two girlfriends before the ballet. We didn't have a reservation but we quickly found a lounge spot big enough for the three of us.
We ordered cocktails and food to share. I had the bee-side, which was delicious and refreshing with lemon and mead from the rooftop bee garden. We shared the avocado salmon toast, kale chips, fava bean salad, burger, and charcuterie plate.
Avocado/salmon toast - by far my favorite of the bunch. Just really perfectly done. Citrusy salmon, creamy avocado, crunchy toast.
Kale chips and goat cheese - really interesting dish. The kale chips weren't single leaf chips like I've seen before but seemed to be made from some kind of puree instead. They had the texture of a popped rice chip. They were delicious, and paired really well with the whipped goat cheese they were served with.
Fava bean salad - tasted like spring. The fennel was a great touch.
Burger - I didn't have any of the burger but the other two girls seemed to like it a lot, and the french fries served on the side were super crispy.
Charcuterie - pretty disappointing. Not a lot of meat, not particularly flavorful options, and the bread served with it overpowered the lighter flavors of the meat. Not something I'd order again.
Overall, this was a nice place to stop with solid food and drinks. On the pricy side, so not somewhere I'd go all the time, but a great option before a show.
Actually 4.5 stars, but they're about to close, so what the heck. Very nice food for the higher-end but reasonable price. Attentive, friendly, helpful staff. Minus half-star because the timing of the service was a little off
Great place to go before the symphony. Monday prix fixe and amazing.
Good food and close to the opera house and Symphony
Fabulous place to have sparking wine before or after a symphony or opera performance.
Pretentious restaurant that takes advantage of its proximity to opera, theater and other entertainment venues to charge overpriced, modest prix fixe pre-theater menus: $55 or so for a salad and small slice of trout over a few vegetables, along with slow service with an attitude, really??
Ah, and no bread, olive oil and basic condiments/dressings whatsoever.
Afraid to write that it has to be the now established and commonly acknowledged San Francisco madness for locals to accept that and keep restaurants like this in business. Sad.
Service was excellent. Food was really good value for money.
Came here for the monday $49 set meal. The menu was east meets west so the food was paired with Sake instead of wine.
My girlfriend and I enjoy the Monday prix-fixe dinners here. It's a fun, affordable treat - the food is awesome and the staff is pleasant.
The atmosphere is so lovely you never want to leave and the service is great. The food is wonderful too.
I had the steak there during a business function and it was ungodly good. Really small little bistro with excellent cooking.
OMG! Everything it was good! The service excellent! Michael was a very nice person. I had a great birthday there.
great french food with complex textures and tastes in a beautiful setting.
Dark chocolate panna cotta looked way better than it tasted, and it wasn't really a panna cotta, some sort of version of chocolate mousse. The biggest draw back - during performance nights they only serve very limited prefixed menu till 7pm. I think this inflexibility of their chef is not trendy now days. Try something else on the performance nights, plenty of good places around. Service was great otherwise, our waiter and sommelier were super nice and helpful!
Perfect balance of tender beef, whole peppers, baked potatoes and string beans.
Cute restaurant and bar. Good wine and beer and cocktail selection. They also had some Impossible Meatballs that were delicious, tastes and feels just like real meat. Good place with great staff, would come again.
Amazing dinner after the Ballet to crown a memorable evening! the food was delicious, specially the boar never eaten it in such a way, can't remember the german name :( Schnitzel I think... kind of breaded which made the meat very soft and juicy, cooked just perfect! but the best of all was the service! everybody, from the patience of the hostess (we didnt' know if we wanted to be in the lounge or the dinning upstairs, different menus, what are they... bla bla...and still smiled and joked with us :) to the fantastic server, a sweet and so helpful guy from Alaska who spoke excellent Spanish with a sweet Argentinean accent! adorable! and even the bus guys were memorably nice!
It's been 30 years since I got married, and I became a sci-fi memory. I stayed for 4 days. Last night I booked jardiniere with my husband's suggestion. Mainly vegetarian food, but it was very delicious. The baby carrot side menu hit us and taught me the recipe to make it at home. I am making carrots at the charm farm, but I can't cook another one! I am very happy to solve my problems. We were told that the sweets were delicious, so we, who are not sweet tooth, challenged us. Already! It was so delicious!
Had a really great first date here; the dinner was phenomenal and I greatly enjoyed the wine - a lovely Pinot Noir. Staff is very attentive, and the attention to detail and plating of the food itself was beautiful. Pairing of food flavor and texture was unique and enjoyable. The dessert was very good as well. Highly recommend; a wonderful experience overall.
Great French romantic restaurant! Hi priced but worth it
Hands down THE BEST KEPT SECRET in San Francisco. The most amazing blend of flavor and textures I have ever experienced from a restaurant. And if you are adventurous, ask for a chef's tasting menu. They'll make you as many courses as you'd like of the most delicious artisan food you can imagine. Expect a 3 hr dinner for the chef's tasting menu. Our 6 course meal was only $78 per person!
Short on time or no reservation? Hit up the bar for a seriously delicious burger and fries. Cocktails are incredible too. Never pass up dessert here!
jardiniere.com