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Le Central, San Francisco, CA

Le Central

4.7
4.7
2174 Reviews
$31 to $50
French

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2 people
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
7:00 pm
Booked 14 times today
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Opened in 1974, Le Central has been serving traditional French cuisine for five decades, boasting the honor of being San Francisco’s most historic French bistro. Located on the edge of the Financial District, Union Square, and Chinatown in a rare one story brick building adorned with its iconic pink neon sign and crowned by a vintage “Tabac” sign. Step into this charming restaurant and be transported to a Parisian brasserie. With exposed brick walls, original imported brass bar, stained glass features, and cozy banquettes topped with brass railings. The atmosphere invites you to unwind and enjoy delicious French fare and exceptional wines and cocktails in an upscale, yet casual environment. Enjoy French classics like steak-frites, escargot, onion soup, and our world famous Cassoulet. Le Central’s cuisine is comforting yet sumptuous. Le Central is the downtown stop for locals and visitors looking for a taste of “La Belle Vie”!!!

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30–14:30 Happy Hour Mon–Sat 16:30–18:00 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–21:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party facilities
    Le Central is available for private events, please visit our website for inqueries. https://www.lecentralbistro.com
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Area
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Cross Street
    Grant and Kearny
  • Parking details
    Sutter-Stockton Garage
  • Public transit
    Powell or Montgomery stations
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 2,174 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco

    French

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Le Central in San Francisco offers a charming and authentic French dining experience, lauded for its "outstanding traditional French cuisine" and "excellent service." Guests love the classic bistro atmosphere, with many praising the "perfectly executed" dishes like cassoulet and beef bourguignon. Despite occasional service hiccups, it's a beloved spot for both regulars and newcomers.
2,174 Reviews
  1. Kenneth VIP

    St. Louis137 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    First dinner at Le Central. Nice atmosphere. Everyone in our group was very happy with what they ordered.

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  2. Tom VIP

    San Francisco19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Just an excellent evening. Great food amazing service and a perfect time!

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  3. Rodney VIP

    San Francisco9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exceptional meal, service, and ambience! Thank you. We’ll be back again soon. A special treat.

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  4. Tim

    San Francisco15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    LOVE this spot. Excellent food. The mushroom soup was one of the best soup's we've ever had. Great atmosphere, polished staff. Highly recommended.

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  5. Stuart

    San Francisco4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 21 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great spot for a quiet dinner on Union Square. Highly recommend for business and pleasure.

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Seattle1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 20 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went for after 8 pm dining... great selection. No problem splitting food so you could try more things. Waiter was very helpful.

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles1 review

    2.0

    Dined on 16 March 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    food was mediocre and the service left quite a bit to be desired... he took our apps order before our drink order, so we had apps and no wine, the escargot was slimy, but the oysters were good.

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  8. Penni VIP

    San Francisco20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 16 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great place for date night! Service was amazing and food was fresh and very authentic French cusinw

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  9. Stephanie

    San Francisco7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It had been a minute since I’d eaten at Le Central. I think it fell off my radar when dining got really hot in the city. But I read in SFGate that it’s having a revival, and I have to say I agree! Our table of four shared three small bites & three entrees (two of us were dudes with big appetites) and everyone left full. The famous cassoulet lived up to its reputation; the beef bourguignon was super savory; the mussels were ample in a fantastic broth. Le Central fills in a missing spot between trendy pop ups and fine dining in the city - great for a social night out with friends, super for sharing food and a lovely spot to dine. We loved our server too! He was attentive & efficient with solid recommendations.

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  10. Matthew VIP

    San Francisco8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Some food items, like their Cassoulet, although deliciously decadent, are on the very pricey side at $46. overall, I think their food is great. The appetizer menu is what I would go for next time and try a few of the dishes.

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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Le Central using the Order Online button.

Le Central is rated 4.7 stars by 2174 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking


Booked 14 times today
Google Map for Le Central

453 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94108

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Grant and Kearny
  • Area
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30–14:30 Happy Hour Mon–Sat 16:30–18:00 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–21:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Sutter-Stockton Garage
  • Public transit
    Powell or Montgomery stations
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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