Absinthe Brasserie & Bar
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 551-1590
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Gough Street
- Hours:
- Tue-Thu 11:30am-2am, Fri 11:30am-2am, Sat 11am-2am, Sun 11am-10pm
Editorial Review for Absinthe Brasserie & Bar – by Seth Lorinczi
The Scene
This luxuriously appointed restaurant is decorated to evoke the golden age of absinthe, with deep-red walls, lush velvet chairs and dark, sexy lighting. The focal point of the main room is the grand bar, stocked with an impressive collection of obscure spirits and glamorously retro cocktails. The back dining area is plush and quiet, a good spot for a romantic late-night interlude.
The Food
With one of the city's most extensive selection of oysters, splurge on a dozen fresh, glistening bivalves, from plump Fanny Bays to sweet Malpeques. Hot starters include a faithful spin on onion soup gratinee, with robust broth and a thin layer of Gruyere melted on top. Entrees riff on old-school Gallic fare--think confit of pork ribs or a croque monsieur laced with apple chutney. For the most part, the food is solid without being truly notable, as evidenced by a textbook coq au vin.
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Insider Tips
ParkingValet service is available after 5:30pm, or self-park at the lot on Gough and Grove streets.
Know Before You GoIf you're out and about, looking for a late-night bite, a bar menu is served until 1am, Tuesday through Saturday.
When to GoAn upscale (Niman Ranch ham, banana-blueberry souffle pancakes) but reasonably priced brunch (all entrees are about $10) is served Saturdays and Sundays.
User Reviews for Absinthe Brasserie & Bar
03/01/2008 Posted by adams_eating
Absinthe leaves a lot to be desired. For the money, I had to deduct one star, otherwise it may have been a three star restaurant. First, the location is great. For Opera or Symphony, you could not have a better location. Make a reservation, as this is a very popular spot. Also, the staff is great, pleasant, and knowledgable. However, if not for the location and staff, the food would not drive me back here. The menu is odd. Some small plates don't seen to go together. There were very few protein/meat based small plates. The duck was good, and the caramelized onions were infused with lavender which made them delicious. However, for the most part the other dishes were odd and mismatched. For example, one of the small plates was roasted chick pea. Tasted good, but hard to eat (they roll off of a fork, so hands are necessary, which is OK if they were better). Pommes frites, just OK - not worth the calories. I liked the hamachi, my friends thought it was very very mediocre. Lots of carbs and fat, very little of anything else. The wine list is schizophrenic. One or two $30 bottles. A few $3,600 bottles. A few more $120 bottles. Not a good range in between. However, the dessert is to die for. The apple et eppoise tarte is beyond compare. All in all, a relatively expensive dinner (in relation to the quality received), and the menu was odd enough and food spotty enough not to go back anytime soon - unless you go just for dessert, in which case I'd give it the highest rating (however, bring your own wine!).
Pros: Staff is wonderful, location is first rate
Cons: menu is odd, with a few exceptions food is just so-so
09/24/2007 Posted by sovereign_joy
WE LOVE the selection of fresh ingredients on their seasonal menu. This year we had a perfectly picked Heirloom Tomato salad with a very tasty Balsamic Syrup that we have been duplicating for our family dinners ever since our visit. My husband had a beautiful Half Dungeness Crab w/ a White Truffle Garlic Butter. It was so tasty that he wanted to order another one! I had a NY Steak that was sooo tender and buttery it seemed to melt in my mouth. The side of Asparagus was very fresh and the chef let that freshness speak for itself by not killing it with a heavy sauce. When we ordered dessert, we were treated to a lovely "Happy Anniversary" chocolate sauce script on our plates. This year we had such a wonderful dinner that we returned for lunch the next day. The Cornbeef Hash was the best my husband has ever tasted and my BLT was anything but ordinary. It had those fresh Heirloom Tomatoes and Smoke-cured Bacon w/ a homemade Aioli sauce. My husband and I have been coming to Absinthe every year on our anniversary for about 4 years now. The service has changed with every visit. Sometimes the servers are over attentive and sometimes they are no where to be found, but for the most part the service is acceptable. I chalk this up to the ever changing servers that it depends on each individual personality. Overall we absolutely enjoy this restaurant and will continue to recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Pros: Large Dining Room, Nice Bar, Fresh Ingredients, Near Shops & Theaters
Cons: Changing Servers, Only Mildly Romantic
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