Masa's Restaurant

04/30/2008 Posted by mika68

Yes, it is a little stuffy and design is flat but the service and food were pretty good. We have reservation for 8:30pm and decided to go with Tasting Menu (9 courses) and... an hour and a half later we were still at our 3rd dish. However, waiter was very attentive to our comments that they did not have to wait so long between the courses to make us believe that this is a high end restaurant. After that, the intervals between the food became shorter and we were done close to midnight :) After having eaten at a restaurant I always ask myself - was there anything particular what would make me to come back? I don't think so.

Pros: Food, service

Cons: Nothing special, overpriced

10/20/2007 Posted by ur2nite

What a typical French SNOTTY restaurant. Nothing was impressive about this place, the staff was SNOTTY, the patrons were SNOTTY, the food was NOT IMPRESSIVE. I recommend going to Le Folie any day any time over this overpriced, overbearing, SNOTTY restaurant.

09/26/2007 Posted by saturn1993

This is a good place to try, but also a place to check off your list and say, I've been there and done that. The dishes are highly creative and some are superb, some are good, and others are fair. The best dishes we had this night were oddly the the free complemimentary dishes we recieved that were nice surprises. Some dishes we struggled to find the taste, or combination of tastes, to get enjoyment. Others were just flops of efforts of being creative. Looks like this place is more suited for business dinners or clients because of the pretense. There are many other better places than this for alot less money that are must places to go back to in San Francisco.

08/09/2007 Posted by marcowie

Corn, Corn and more corn. There must have been a big sale on corn at the ferry market, because each and EVERY dish had corn as its main ingredient. Corn Custard, Corn Soup, Corn Sorbet, Corn Crab Cakes, Corn Coit Tower - my wife and I were so sick of corn by the end of the night that we couldnt ever imagine eating corn again. The Chef and his group of merry mayhemers will hopefully take pity on the rest of San Francisco and its fine diners by moving the restaurant to the midwest where corn is further appreciated. Lets not forget that my date almost fell over when she received the bill.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/13/2007 Posted by lmtullis

I have been to Masa's twice, once with a friend of the staff for just desserts and again for a celebration dinner. The food is top notch and the tasting menus are just the perfect amount of food. We practially floated out after the full meal. Pastries here are excellent and though they have changed with the new Head Pastry Chef the flavors are still wonderful.

Pros: Spectacular staff, Location, comprable to French Laundry without the months long wait

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

03/08/2007 Posted by tcollins1

I have eaten at almost all the so-called four star restaurants in the bay area and I have to say that my experience at Masa's was the best so far. This is the place to take your wife/girlfriend/friends when you want to really impress. Each of us had the 6 course tasting menu and enjoyed it immensely. There were even different dishes served to the guys and the girls which of course we switched around so that we got to taste both. The sommelier helped us choose 2 wines to go with our meal...I don't remember the names/varietals cause I wasn't familiar with them, but now in retrospect I wish I had them write down the names cause they were so yummy. The room is sophisticated/upscale, but the only bummer is that there are no windows. Personally, I forgot about this about 5 minutes after we were seated, but if you are looking for a view this is probably not the place for you. If you are looking for great ingredients, prepared with care and understated elegance, and served by folks who know what they are doing, then go to Masa's. No need to hestitate.

Pros: Fab food, top wine list, great service

Cons: oh yeah, no windows

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

10/13/2006 Posted by sarcastro

Had dinner here last month for my parents' anniversary. Food was decent but unmemorable. Very attentive service, overwhelming wine list. Fantastic desserts- this is what people are trying for when they experiment with molecular gastronomy! Everything was new- either combinations of flavors, or textures, or presentation- and everything worked! There was nothing on any plate that was putthere "just because" or just to have a weird dust or foam or paper. Every element had a purpose and added to the overall enjoyment of the dessert. There were five of us so we got to try everything. I'm guessingthepastry chef changes their menu to keepitseasonalbut my favorites were the panna cotta with blueberry granite and the "cracker jacks" deconstruction.

Pros: excellent service and desserts

Cons: $$$$$

08/31/2006 Posted by cyberdoggie

It's amazing how you can drive by something literally almost daily and not know what it is you're missing. In an unassuming location, this long time 4 star SF restaurant has the look and feel of a restaurant that's comfortably entrenched in delighting diners. We ordered the 6 course meal (adding the foie gras from the 9 course to make 7), along with wine pairings. It was magnificent! Easily one of the top 5 meals of my life. Rather than discuss the food, however, the truly defining thing about Masa's in my mind was that it has the BEST service in San Francisco. Timing was naturally paced, weightstaff knew everything about the dish presented, the sommelier enlightened us about nature of the unusual pairings chosen for each course, and even those whisking away our plates did so with perfect timing. This is a team I'd love to have dinner with again. In or out of Masa's. If you're reading this and wondering whether it's worth it, whether it's still good after (name your favorite previous chef) left, wonder know more. Just go. It's really the ultimate SF dining destination.

Pros: Prix Fix standout menu, service, valet

Cons: none

08/09/2006 Posted by stephlouise

asas may just have the most talented chef in the bay area, Executive Chef Gregory Short. His years at the French Laundry have clearly paid off for him and Masa's. Our dinner was quite an experience. I was nervous about trying the rabbit, but it was remarkable. I've actually dreamt about the truffled potato salad since that night. The Fois Gras, the risotto, all fantastic. As soon as you enter, there's a special feeling without the frenzy and chaos that so many other top places have... The hostess starts things off well, being both adorable and gracious. We had the six course tasting menu which was almost too much for us but later we decided that it was just right. The whole place from the food to the service to the decor was elegant without being stuffy. The food was outstanding without being pretentious. All in all, a very special night.

Pros: Wait staff, ambiance

Cons: our diets

07/13/2006 Posted by singapore_susi

The view at sunset when you have a table next to the window is mesmerizing enough to help you forget the mediocrity of the meal. Staff was professional and cordial.

Pros: the view, excellent waiter

Cons: room became a bit loud, food was barely warm