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Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF, San Francisco, CA

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

4.8
4.8
7343 Reviews
$31 to $50
French
A photo of Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF restaurant

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

4.8
$31 to $50
French
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 40 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
We are currently accepting reservations for lunch, brunch, and dinner.


Effective 09/26/2022:
Outdoor seating will not be available.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French, Californian
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Wed–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 551-1590
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Ian Begg
  • Area
    Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
  • Cross Street
    Gough
  • Parking details
    No valet. Street parking and nearby public lot located on Grove between Franklin and Gough.
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 7,343 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco

    French

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Absinthe Brasserie and Bar in San Francisco is a timeless gem offering an authentic French bistro experience. Known for its "fabulous atmosphere" and "superb food," it's perfect for pre-theater dining. Guests rave about the "friendly and attentive service." The eclectic menu features standout dishes like steak tartare and sole meunière.

7,343 Reviews
  1. sfmelani

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A pre-nutcracker dinner with my daughter. Food and service was excellent and, we even had time for a peppermint ‘s’mores dessert. .

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  2. Peter

    San Francisco

    23 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful, as always! I’ve been a big fan for decades!!

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Our meal was very good but overly expensive. We shared a meal and salad, as well as 4 oysters and 2 martinis each and it was $200. If we each had a meal and salad the bill would have been well over $300. It was just too expensive for what we got. but we did enjoy it.

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  4. Lewis

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    3.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 2 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Disappointing. The Kumamoto oysters were excellent but the Petrale sole was basically mush and the pot de creme was heavy. The featured champagne was unappetizing and undistinguished and the Loire white was mediocre. Service was also disappointing. It was really just the waiter who took more than ten minutes to bring a menu after I was seated; the busboys and the kitchen staff who brought and removed the dishes were brisk and efficient. Also, this seemed as if it was supposed to be a white-tablecloth, fine-dining establishment, but I left feeling that it was kind of working-class. Maybe it was the preponderance of men dresssed in grubby or stained clothes who kept their hats on while dining - what’s up with that?

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  5. Kimberly

    San Francisco

    20 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is fabulous. The service is superb (thank you David). It’s always a treat to have dinner at Absinthe.

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  6. Gary

    San Francisco

    21 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Everything you want in a French restaurant. Only ding is that the alcohol prices were higher than average even for these days.

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  7. Deborah

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 30 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My experience at Absinthe was outstanding. The ambiance is beautiful. Wonderful music as well. The food was exquisitely prepared. Lovely appetizers and I had the vegetable Quiche with a very fresh salad. The quiche had a lovely crisp buttery crust and with a wonderful squash to compliment it inside. The pumpkin cheesecake dessert was so delicate and perfect. All in all, an outstanding experience at Absinthe. I highly recommend it.

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  8. Ruth

    San Francisco

    158 reviews

    5.0

    158 reviews

    Dined on 24 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love this reliably delicious restaurant. I just wish that this and other restaurants in the area were open later. We were able to go after the symphony this evening only because it was a short concert, but usually the opera and symphony conclude too late for us to have dinner here. I realize restaurants are reluctant to commit to later hours given concerns over demand, but I think the ones in this neighborhood would do better business if they did so. We love to eat in this area after a performance, and this is one of the better options. The food is decadently delicious, the atmosphere is cozy and elegant, and the service has never disappointed. They know what they're doing.

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Paul

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 24 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service were phenomenal! We had a wonderful anniversary celebration!

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  10. Victor

    San Francisco

    26 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on 24 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As expected, fabulous meal, service and ambience. We were seated as soon as we arrived and immediately attended to. Great menu. Surprised it wasn't busier on a Saturday night. They gave us a dessert on the house to split for one of us, who was having a birthday. Plenty big for all 4 of us to share. So another great Absinthe experience. Check out the scallops, which were perfectly and evenly cooked so it melted in your mouth. I've been eating scallops for > 50 years, often. This was the best ever. Great cocktails , also as usual. Can't say enough good about Absinthe, except I wish it was cheaper, LOL.

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FAQs

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF is rated 4.8 stars by 7343 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

A photo of Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF restaurant

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

4.8
$31 to $50
French
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 40 times today
Google Map for Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

398 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Gough
  • Area
    Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Wed–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French, Californian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    No valet. Street parking and nearby public lot located on Grove between Franklin and Gough.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Ian Begg
  • Additional
    Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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