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Salt House
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
545 Mission St(between Shaw Aly & Ecker Pl)
San Francisco, CA 94105
Neighbourhood: SOMA
(415) 543-8900
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 11:30 am - 10 pm
Thu-Fri 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
Sun 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1237 reviews for Salt House
Review Highlights
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"The foie gras made me want to cry tears of joy." In 90 reviews -
"short rib gravy and some local farmers cheese- yum yum yum." In 62 reviews -
"The poutine was by far my favorite." In 260 reviews
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1237 reviews in English
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Review from Kathy S.
5/6/2012
Just in case you weren't aware, weekdays from 5PM-8PM this place is LOUD!! It's apparently a very popular happy hour spot. If you want a nice intimate dinner, make your reservations for 8PM or later as even on a Friday night, the crowd didn't die down until around then.
This place has class and I felt like a million bucks after eating here. It really hits the spot.
The poutine here is very crispy.. and apparently they do use cheese curds and not mozzarella so it's authentic. For $12, it's definitely a must!
The oysters are kinda small but delish! All they needed was a smidge of lemon and they were shucked perfectly!
The scallops were somewhat bland.
The smoked salmon salad was PERFECT. Arugula and horseradish, it was a nice combination.
The halibut was excellent although it if you want something experimental, skip it because it's just your typical classic halibut dish.
For the mains: the porkchops were extremely tough and difficult to eat. The halibut was nice and soft in the inside and crispy on the outside. The tuna was very original! It had a curry seasoning on the crust and was nice and rare on the inside.
ALL of the desserts were divine except for the strawberry/rhubarb pie. It was too sour.
Top favorites:
Smoked salmon salad
Tuna entree(rare)
Carrot cake, peanut butter/hazelnut cake
Poutine (for novelty/nostalgic sake)
Top Drinks:
You have to get Le Vieux Maison (tastes like a high end pina colada)
I would skip:
Porkchops
Scallops
Rhubarb apple pie -
Review from hello j.
Bay Area, CA
5/19/2012 3 photos
Much hype about this place and I thought it was just OK. (knocked off another star due to "THE UGLY" below)
- - - - - - - - - - - - THE UGLY
- Server brought us 2 water glass and a water bottle/ pitcher. We poured ourselves some water and WALA! THERE'S A FLY!!! (not sure if it was in the cup or water) ... EWWW!!! Completely GROSSED OUT!!!
We immediately told our server and there's no apology/ compensation -- she didn't even apologize but simply said "Oops!" Then returned a minute later with another water glass and a new water pitcher. She then poured us a new glass of water and said, "It's all clear." I'm like: WTF!?!?!?!? (I was with a client so did not make a scene or any remark. I just smirked and she walked away happily ... OMG!!)
- - - - - - - THE BAD
- Everything was too salty. I know it's the "Salt House" but dishes at Farallon are not "watered down" either!
- Party of 2, we had: Poutine (waay too salty), Soup (ok), Scallop (salty), Duck Confit (salty but a tad more bearable) + 2 drinks (1 good, 1 ok).
- Atmosphere is quite loud. Tables are quite close together and difficult to have conversations.
- - - - - - - THE GOOD:
- In busy SOMA district but they have valet parking for $8;or metered parking is not too difficult to find if you have the time to go around the block once or twice. (meter takes credit cards too)
- Restaurant decor is very nice, hip and unique. We got a table on the 2nd floor and it's quite nice.
- Hostess service is great: warm, friendly welcome and accommodating.
- - - - - - - OVERALL: NO THANKS!
- For nearly $70, party of 2, there are waaaay too many quality / better restaurants in the area. NO THANKS - WILL NOT BE BACK. -
Review from Addy C.
5/6/2012 2 photos
I came here for a late dinner my first night in San Francisco -- just 8pm PST but my body told me 11pm EST. So I wasn't too adventurous with my ordering. In fact, I ordered just one dish -- "White polenta, spring vegetables, grana padrano" ($23). Lots of veggies -- broccolini, carrots, asparagus, squash, lima beans, and a vegetable I couldn't identify. Polenta was yummy. I definitely felt "healthy" afterwards :)
Honestly being in San Francisco, I would've preferred to order seafood but there was a strong fishy smell when I walked in. Also if I wasn't so tired, I would've liked to try the "mixed nuts w/ truffle honey" and the "braised short rib" (instead of the veggie dish) -- since they got some very positive reviews.
Service was friendly, and ambiance was dim but lively. -
Review from Gerry C.
San Francisco, CA
5/26/2012
I have been at Salt House several times over the years and thought I would share a review. With a client and co worker for lunch and sat at community table near bar area. My co worker set up reservation on the wrong day. Petrale Sole (looked very good), Veggie Entree (OK), and Chicken Torta (Not good) as entrees with a side of onion rings. Chicken Torta was boring, no favor and expensive. Service was solid and helpful. I am assuming I chose the wrong dish. Many of the dishes looked good being served to the surrounding tables. I will the restaurant another try sometime. Back to sister property, Town Hall.
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Review from Alan M.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
Excellent service, the waiters are cordial and have full knowledge about the menu, wine and drinks. The food was delicious. I read on here about the foie gras was amazing and I have to strongly agree. Recommend you go try it before it is banned in California. Also you have to try the duck, cooked to perfection with a soft inside and a crispy and tasty skin. I will go again pretty soon.
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Review from Andrew M.
5/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Had my first Salt House experience last night for dinner with a couple of old friends, one of whom was visiting from out of town. Nice modern space, comfortable bar and tables, and 30s/40s downtown crowd.
We shared a somewhat odd appetizer combination of a dozen Kumamoto oysters on the half-shell, and an order of poutine (french fries covered in cheese and gravy). Odd, but delicious. The oysters came with freshly-grated horseradish, which gave the cocktail sauce (which I assume also had some) a nice fresh upgrade.
For my main course, I had the pork chop, which was the clear winner at the table. It was a thick, nicely-marbled hunk of pork loin, pre-sliced over a heap of green onion spaetzle, root veggies, and bacon. Fortunately they left the bone standing up on the side of the plate with a little extra meat on it, which was delicious. 5-star dish.
By comparison, the sea bass that my friends both ordered was small and unimpressive. They seemed okay with it, but I kept giving them bits of my pork chop to keep them happy.
Service was friendly and attentive, and the space is nice. The prices seem a little on the high side, but not completely out of bounds. I might come back if I needed to be in the neighborhood for dinner and was looking for a nice, mellow place with good food. -
Review from Jas S.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2012
First experience at Salt house - everything was fine. Why only 3 stars, well dinner for 3 -- shared two apps, three entrees and 6 drinks $240 out the door. While the food was well prepared, service was fine, great upper mid tier restaurant.
Tried the poutine - go with the shrimp instead
My sole was really good - excellent flavor. Pork was served medium rare, but was tasty. Chicken looked good too. Didn't have room for dessert.
Net, net better places to go in SF for same money (check my other reviews if you need hints) -
Review from Lauren J.
San Francisco, CA
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
In a city with so many amazing and cheap restaurants, how do you rate a restaurant that may be amazing but can't be classified as cheap?
Had the poutine and two other dishes. Poutine was fresh, hot, reasonably tasty...I think I just don't get this dish. Drinks were good, waitress was spot on, and definite + for leaving carafe of water on the table.
I'd definitely come here on the company dime again.
I wouldn't mind paying for the food, but I'd probably have 3 or 4 suggestions before Salt House, at or below the price. -
Review from Alison B.
3/14/2012
Came here for lunch and had one of the best lunches (if not the best) lunch I've had in the area.
We shared the crispy shrimp appetizer... this is definitely more green beans than shrimp, but it's a pretty good portion size. Came with four delicious shrimp. I liked how even though there weren't too many shrimp, it didn't seem like the green beans were just there as a filler. They did really add something. Entree was the duck confit... sooooo good. The duck was cooked perfectly, very tender and I loved the crispy skin. The lentils that it was sitting on were delicious as well. We even shared a pomegranite cheesecake in the end... I'm not a dessert person, but this was pretty good.
Service was attentive and our waitress was really friendly. I thought that the price was right, I did not leave there hungry. It was packed at lunchtime and the place seemed a little crowded, but I love the interior and the open kitchen. The place and the service were both good, but it was really the food that made this place great for me.Listed in: Lunch Break!
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Review from achraf s.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2012
3 stars for this joint. Let me give you the quick rundown:
+ Great interior design- lots of brick , wood, candles that reminds of some of the better places in West village- New York City
+ Small intimate setting: perfect for meetings with new clients/prospects
+ Friendly staff
+ Diverse menu ranging between $9-$30
+ Ideal downtown/ financial area location.
- Food is OK., I wouldn't say it is the best food ever but it definitely does the trick for lunch- I always have the seafood- scallops are good- Sole is a bit plain..could have used some fresh spices for an extra kick
Bread is simple and good
Fries are old fashioned good.
Espresso drinks are good
- Staff can get busy at times and therefor not all too attentive to your table
-It can get super busy at times, making it extra stressful in a place like that- it is a small place.
Conclusion: great place if you are looking for a nice open area restaurant with great interior design. Food is good but not world class- It is pretty plain according to my taste. -
Review from Melissa N.
San Francisco, CA
This review is just for the drinks.
I came here with one of my candidates for drinks on a Friday around 5:00pm. Not too crowed (which was nice). We were there early enough to actually grab a table (also very nice) and the waitress gave us some water which she left in a carafe (major points).
To start I had the Bijou and she had the Pistol & Petal. I had ordered the Bijou because it had gin in it...but I didn't realize that it really was all alcohol. Nothing to cut it with so it TASTED like alcohol. Which is fine, but for 5:00pm, a little early. The Pistol & Petal was DELICIOUS! It had orange peel in it and tasted orangy (is that a word?) without being "fruity". We both ordered those the the second time around.
Good atmosphere. Not super attentive waitstaff, but it was fine becuase we were there early enough. I would absolutely come back here for drinks. -
Review from Ying F.
Very chic setting. Ambiance is nice. Wait staff was just ok. I guess we were there during dinner rush hour so we didn't get the best service but the waiter was still very nice.
Love the menu set up. Very simple and straight to the point. Only one page (love it!).
Dinner:
Crunchy Shimp - LOVE IT! MUST order! It's pretty much lightly batter shimp with string beans in a bed of lettuce. I think there was bits of prosciutto which was a nice touch.
Mix green salad- we were trying to be healthy but you can skip that. Too much mustard dressing :(
Half a dozen of Kumamoto oysters - can't go wrong with that :)
Foie gras - YUM!
Pork Chop - Pork chop was a litlle too fatty for me but it was still very tasty.
My overall experience was still great. The food was fantastic and I'm just in love with the Crunchy Shrimp! -
Review from Oski B.
San Francisco, CA
5/11/2012
Despite the acclaim of Town Hall, I'm not a fan (and that's after giving it several tries). Thus, I've avoided Salt House for years (like it was ground zero for the bubonic plague) thinking it was going to be much of the same (they're sister restaurants for those who didn't know already). You can imagine my disappointment when I was finally dragged there (against my will I might add). Lucky for me, perception isn't reality - Salt House was far better than I thought it would be. True, service was a tad slow . . . and dishes didn't come out in the order in which they should . . . but the food was surprisingly good . . . and at the end of the day the quality of the food is king when evaluating a restaurant. Star of the meal was easily the day boat scallops with grilled asparagus and bacon. Try them on your next visit.
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Review from Shelley M.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/4/2012
Wow...five years later and I'm obsessed with this restaurant.
I work across the street which is the best. I go over for happy hour at least once a week and throw events here at least twice a year!
The staff is awesome (mostly, there are always a couple not so greats, eh?), but Gabe is especially awesome. Hot, sweet and friendly! You can't go wrong.
I LOVE love love the poutine, I walk in there and order it before even sitting down. The crispy shrimp is tdf - but really, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
Try it for lunch/dinner or just a drink at the bar, you won't be sorry!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2007
Another restaurant I really wanted to like...got such good reviews and I really like the Rosenthal… Read more »
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Review from Beini S.
Berkeley, CA
5/8/2012 Seated via OpenTable
This should be 3.5 stars, but I'll round up for the gravy. We started with oysters, one of each. The hama hama was delightful - subtle, ever so slightly sweet and fresh. I got the pork loin and shank which was decent. Tender, flavored perfectly, but a little gamey. The turnips were great as well. We couldn't resist, and ended up getting the poutine, which is essentially fries with short rib gravy. I LOVE GRAVY, especially with chunks of short rib on it, on top of crispy McDonalds esque fries? Winning!
Overall good meal, although I probably wouldn't come again unless someone really wanted to. Town Hall is much more my style -
Review from Taylor W.
3/13/2012
I really want to like this place, so I won't let this review be the only one.... I came here after work with a friend one night, and we squeezed into a table for a quick bite to eat. We ordered a dozen oysters, as well as champagne - obviously how else does one eat oysters?! The oysters were shucked well and they had a nice selection (kumamotos, kusshis, etc). We also ordered a calamari dish to share along with the oysters. This was served with beans and I don't think it was what my friend was expecting (fried calamari). It was OK, but I definitely wouldn't be ordering it again.
I think I need to give Salt House another shot. Maybe try the foie gras and crunchy shrimp? At any rate, I'll be back soon. -
Review from Kris L.
3/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
A and I had a date night last Friday and made 7:30pm reservations. Unfortunately, we forgot to factor in the sucky parking in the area. Yes, they have valet parking - but we prefer to park our own car.
After driving around for quite a while, we got rock star parking directly across the street from the restaurant. Take that, valets!!
The restaurant was packed (and super duper loud!), but the hostess was super understanding about our lateness and took us to our table right away. We had one of the two-tops under the stairs. Not the ones at the window, but the ones under the stairs. Very Harry-Potter-room-under-the-stairs-ish.
As I mentioned earlier, it was super duper loud, so definitely not a restaurant for a romantic date - unless, of course, your idea of romance is yelling across the table at your one and only. ;-)
We started with drinks - I think it was called Smitten Kitten. Or Frisky Kitty? I don't remember. Something to do with a cat. Anyway, it was so loud, A and I didn't even realize we had both ordered the same drink until they arrived at the table. Whatever the drink was, it was tasty.
For appetizers, we shared the poutine because I had a craving for some since my last trip to Canada almost 3 years ago. A also had the squash soup, which he said was amazing.
As for entrees, I had the short ribs, which were very tender and quite tasty. The sauce was really good. A had the chicken, which was really juicy. The skin was a little salty and had a nice crispyness to it. Chicken wins, hands down.
We were way too full for dessert, but our server was awesome and the food was great. I'd give it 5 stars, but it's way too loud and kinda pricey. Definitely not a place to go everyday. -
Review from nora g.
Palo Alto, CA
4/22/2012
Solid 3.5 stars. (Rounded down to three stars because they seated us at a table under the stairs, way too close to another table and were completely unresponsive to my attempts to sweet talk my way to a better table.)
Came here for dinner on a rainy night a few weeks ago. I had a not so great experience at Town Hall a few years ago, so didn't come here with the highest of expectations. I was pleasantly surprised.
The decor was of the typical "nice-but-not-super-nice-meal-out-in-the-city" style. I was into it.
Bread was cold, butter was soft.
We split the foie gras appetizer. Decent, but probably wouldn't order it again. We each had a fish entree and they were both very very good. I love it when fish is cooked well. Accompanied by a nice glass of wine, I had a very lovely time here. -
Review from Caroline A.
Chicago, IL
2/26/2012
I wanted to love Salt House, but it just didn't do it for me.
Four stars for a great ambiance, pretty people and wonderful wine list. I really loved the community seating up front. It was perfect for those who might be waiting for friends. Great open kitchen format for girls like us who like watching chefs at work!
The food, however, was a bit of a disappointment. It wasn't terrible, but not stellar either. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things?
I had the dover sole, and it was a little bland.
If I had to do it over again, I'd get a bottle of wine, oysters on the half shell and call it a night! -
Review from Fauzia K.
San Carlos, CA
2/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went there on a Tuesday Night - mostly packed restaurant. Very Nice Ambiance.
We started out with the following:
1. Crispy Shrimp - Very nice, you get 4 pieces of shrimp & mostly green beans & salad.
2. Fries - they weren't to bad, i was hoping for a little more than what i got. They were Fresh, little crispy. the short rib sauce does nothing for the fries. Very Very mild melted cheese, it would have been better left naked with just the fries itslef.
3. Fava beans with the mushroom's were deelish - very simple & fresh tasting.
On to Entree's
1. Skip the Short Ribs, I was craving it & then when i got it, it came soaked in a very oily broth. However the short rib itself was very dry & veggies was so so.
2. Pork Chops - FANTASTIC. cooked to perfection & it was slighty crispy on the outside & juicy & tender on the inside.
3. Polenta was very very good.
Dessert: Lemon Pie was PERFECT!
Until Next time .... -
Review from Joel E.
1/20/2012 Seated via OpenTable 3 Check-ins Here
Have been to Salt House several times for business lunches in the past few months. On each occasion I've booked a reservation through Yelp's link to the OpenTable online reservation system . . . which is simple "Clockwork". At Salt House I've been consistently very satisfied with the overall dining experience, the attentive service, and the high quality meals. Salt House is located on Mission St. in the vibrant SOMA area . . . (that's "South of Market" St. for you non-San Franciscans).
There's something about the ambiance at Salt House that I find particularly appealing . . . although I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is . . . perhaps it is a combination of the old red brick industrial style building . . . the high ceiling . . . the relaxed bar adjacent to the dining area . . . the white table cloth tables . . . the stairs leading to additional seating in an overlooking balcony/loft type area . . . along with the friendly reception and table service. Whatever it is, it makes for a very satisfying experience.
A few of the plates I have enjoyed and would recommend include the Salmon, Sole, Tagliatelle, and the Burger (particularly with Blue Cheese). My personal favorite is the Grilled Chicken Paillard, served on top of a green salad. The Marinated Olives or the Yellowfin Tuna are nice openers/appetizers. All selections have been very very good, with nice presentation -- many of the photos on Yelp will give a good sense of their presentations.
Noise level can be slightly above average, but I wouldn't consider it to be a 'loud' environment, at least not at the lunch hour. (I can't comment on the Happy Hour.)Listed in: Joel's SOMA Dining Suggestions…
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Review from Kris I.
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Mmm. Eating foie gras while it's still legal in California.
Went here for dinner and ended up sharing the appetizers with a few friends. Foie gras, poutine, suckling pig, hama hama and kumumoto (sp?) oysters and we were in foodie heaven. We went straight to dessert and ordered the black and white silk thingy. The vanilla layer was pretty light, but the chocolate layer was rich in a flavor. Surprisingly, the taste and consistency went really well with the pecan cookies.
Will definitely be back, even if not for the foie gras! -
Review from Karen K.
San Francisco, CA
2/15/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
OMG... the foie gras was... to DIE for. You get both seared and torchon and really, one should not have to choose. It's the best way to enjoy foie gras and they do it beautifully in both ways. I must admit I prefer seared and I was not disappointed. The only thing I did not love were the crostinis that came with the dish. I personally preferred the neverending supply of bread.
We also went for the oysters and the mignonette was so good that I wish I had more oysters (we ordered 16... yes we love our oysters)
The short rib was a bit on the drier side and maybe I had overstuffed on foie gras and oysters but I didn't love it as much as I would have wanted to. The delicious ravioli with bone marrow and other fats made up for it, as did the veggies that came along. (My dining partner was not a greens fan so I got his greens and he got the rest of my short rib)
A fabulous dining experience. If I weren't running to catch a train I would have stayed for dessert. I was a little too full though. Next time, Salt House, and oh there will be a next time.Listed in: Rah Rah Rah Foie Gras
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Review from Natasha M.
CA
2/5/2012
I was so looking forward to checking this place out. However, my experience didn't live up to the anticipation...
It was a Saturday night, and we arrived at 7:15p. We got drinks pretty promptly, but didn't get to order until about 7:45p. We got a little grumpy at about 8:30p when our entrees hadn't arrived yet.
We asked for the manager, and as she approached, our food was finally being dropped. We told her it had been a long time and were disappointed with the wait. She noticed the food being served, and didn't really acknowledge our complaint. Not very attentive. Bad move.
The petrale sole was "ok". Tender, but not worth the price. The spare ribs were good, but not "OH MY GOD". I did have a few brussels sprouts that came with the pork entree, and honestly, that was the best tasting item on the menu as far as I was concerned.
Cool space, a bit cramped but with the remarkable restaurants in the City to choose from, I don't need to come back. -
Review from Amy A.
San Francisco, CA
2/29/2012
We came here for the wine-makers' dinner on Monday evening with friends. Sadly, the event was very disorganized and the food was just OK.
To begin with, the hostess had our reservation wrong. I'd made a reservation for four, weeks in advance and she had us down for two. There seemed to be quite a lot of drama about whether they could accomodate us. Later when dinner was served, there were at least half-a-dozen empty seats, so I'm not sure what the problem was.
The first course was served about a forty-five minutes late; and we sipped our wine very slowly, hoping to still have some when the food it was paired with finally arrived. Throughout the evening, the wine and food pairing never came out together. Additionally, The restaurant was freezing. The main course was way too salty, and I usually like things saltier than most!
The ladies' room was a disaster with water everywhere. It looked like a toilet had overflowed and not been mopped. There was water dripping off the sink and into a waste basket which seemed to be intentionally put there. There was even a waitress in there who seemed to be primping and ignoring the mess. I've seen better gas stations.
The one thing they did right was continue to pour wine generously through all of the disorganization. While the open kitchen seemed like utter chaos, they kept the booze flowing which went a long way to smooth things out. The staff also seemed generally very attentive, even if they were clearly in the weeds.
This was their first wine makers' dinner and I hope that they do a little better job with the next one. -
Review from Bryan H.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2012
Service was horrible and food was not cooked or seasoned well. This place is not worth the price. The sad thing is that it was a Monday night and the place was only half full.
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Review from Emmy L.
San Francisco, CA
1/13/2012
I work in the Financial District so I have gone here a lot for lunch or happy hour. I have found that there are good points and bad points about the Salt House:
Good Points - the food is good, (I love the prawn, prosciutto and green beans appetizer) and the drinks are yummy (I like the Salthouse namesake)
Bad Points - too crowded & cramped with very little room to wait, fairly over-priced, snobby hostesses, too loud + hard to hear
This is never my first choice, but I am also not unhappy when I am there. The food & drinks are good which is the most important part, but it isn't enough to overlook ALL of the flaws. If you are in the area you won't be upset if you go - but it is not the best in San Francisco. -
Review from Belinda C.
San Francisco, CA
5/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here for dinner the other week and made reservations. We got here around 7 and were seated immediately. This place is a little bit on the loud side so it's hard to carry on a conversation. We ordered the poutine which was the fries with melted cheddar cheese and gravy. You can either have them pour the gravy all over the fries for you or have them place it on the side. Overall, if you like your fries salty you will most likely like this appetizer. Our other appetizer was our foie gras. The portion of the foie gras was average. It was paired with a kumquat sauce and a rhubarb sauce.I think i prefer the kumquat sauce more, i felt that the rhubarb sauce didn't match as well. Overall the dish was pretty good and the foie gras was seared perfectly. However, i was really disappointed in the main dish.. I ended up getting the short ribs, although it was moist, it felt that it had too much fat. It tasted a little average to me, and i felt that i can get the same dish with the same taste at a Chinese restaurant. Overall, i'll probably come back here for the happy hour special and for their appetizers. But i think i'll skip the entree for my next visit.
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Review from Margaret R.
San Francisco, CA
2/17/2012
+ great wine selection
+ ling cod - nicely cooked and comes with english peas, which I'm a HUGE fan of
Poutine (apparently a Canadian classic) was average. Basically, poutine is fries covered in gravy with cheese.
I enjoyed myself because of all the wine I drank, but the food wasn't memorable. -
Review from Kidisgoat N.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2012
Good... could have been great. Maybe having the regular downtown office crowd has allowed them to ease up on the level of awesome.
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Review from Rebecca B.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
The duck confit was amazing. Love the Acme bread, too. Thank you!
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Review from Sara L.
San Francisco, CA
3/26/2012
Went on date night with the bf last night, and had a great time! Oysters were absolutely amazing! I should've ordered more. We ordered the halibut, and the ribs, and I was pretty satisfied with the dinner. Service was great, and food was yummy, I would go back.
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Review from Liza T.
San Francisco, CA
Dine About Town!
I was so excited to try this restaurant. But I don't have a good experience.
Dine About Town's menu: $17.95 for two courses. The selection was very limited; two items from Course 1 and two items from Course 2 to choose from. Course 1: You can choose from salad or soup. Course 2: Salad or other dish that I forgot. I think the combination was very weird.
My auntie and I both chose the soup (forgot what in there) and the Chicken Salad. The soup came with a LARGE plate and the portion was ridiculously small. It only took one minute to finish the soup. The taste of the soup was good; very creamy and rich but the portion was too small. I think the water bowl for my dog was even bigger.
The portion of chicken salad was much better. It came with four tiny pieces of flat bread. The salad was soso. The dressing was weird and the flat bread was hard, cold and overcooked.
The service was bad. Our waiter was not friendly at all. He had no smile on his face. It seemed like we owe him a lot of money. He did not even check on us after he served the second course.
The bill was about $39 without tips. We gave $60 (because of no change) and waited for 5 minutes for him to come. He said,"change back?" We were like.....Are you kidding me? I don't think we will pay more than $10 for this kind of service @_@
Overall, Salt House is just ok. It is kinda over-priced restaurant. The ingredients they use are fresh and the dishes are prepared well (the presentation of both dishes were nice). However, nothing is special to me and especially for the bad service. -
Review from Jessica C.
San Francisco, CA
2/27/2012
After leaving an oyster and wine pairing charity event ($60 per person), boyfriend, little bro and I were still hungry and 'feelin' the wine. Upon deciding where to saciate ourselves, there were two variables that had the most weight: reliablility and walking distance. And thus, 6 blocks later we arrived at the doors of Salt House on Mission Street.
"Are you sure you want to go to Salt House instead of trying something new?" asks boyfriend.
"Spencer (lil' brother) is only here for another couple of weeks. If he is going to try any restaurants with us, one has to be Salt House." Salt House has ambiance and class. It also has flare and attitude. I hate walking into a restaurant and leaving bored. I also am not a fan of being confused and disoriented by a mis-matched decor and a whirlwind menu. Salt House takes those items we love and makes them better.
The best part about Salt House is that you can dine there to celebrate something special or just because. This evening I would find myself in a light quarrel with the boyfriend. We sat down and examined the updated menu. A poutine appetizer (images quickly sent to friends in Montreal a la Facebook); froie gras (because its going to be illegal next year FYI); lightly battered quail over fava beans; braised short ribs. The little brother noticed the boyfriend and I needed to 'have a chat' and excused himself to the restroom.
All was handled by the time he returned and perfectly timed with our food (I think the servers were watching). Usually, my appetite is the first thing to go when I'm upset; which is highly disconcerting for a foodie like myself. Salt House has such a welcoming space and the exposed brick and iron support somehow made it ok that I too was 'exposed' at the moment. I took a deep breath and started to eat.
Thank god I did. Once again Salt House has left this little foodie satisfied and proud. It could be Tuesday day or Saturday night...either way, get your tail end over to Salt House. It is a taste not to be missed. -
Review from Spencer C.
San Francisco, CA
2/29/2012
At first glance walking in you think, oh another San Francisco restaurant who's doing the dimly lit, rusty industrial decor... it must taste the same as well right?
Wrong.
Despite the fact I had the most rich dinning experience of my life, (totally my fault) I still had one of my best dinning experiences since recently arriving to San Fran. To begin my sister, her boyfriend, and I were greeted by an adorable hostess who at times uses the nick name "Peanut." She seated us in their upstairs lofted section, which can get a bit toasty in the middle of the dinner rush so be careful.
For starters, our first indulgence was our Canadian neighbors' Poutine. Wisconsin cheese curd, braised short rib gravy, and house cut french fries. Upon first bite, I'm trying to convince myself to hate this dish, but I sadly loved it. Sad because it's depressing to imagine trying to calculate the health statistics.
From there, the table also shared some beautiful Fois and I finished off my evening with a braised short rib. In the bowl, marrow ravioli floated in a light consume along with black trumpet mushrooms. And honestly, any time I can cut a piece of meat with my pinky the chef is doing something right.
Overall, it was a beautiful dinner even though not balanced well due to our ordering, and I have to shout out to the hostess again. During the dinner I was the third wheel and what do you know, the other two got into a little bickering battle. So, acting like I received a call I quickly escaped back downstairs to the bar where the sweet hostess was more than happy to keep me busy with some chit chat while I waited for the smoke to clear upstairs.
I'll be back for the food and if I pick the right night, hopefully "Peanuts" number haha. -
Review from Ronnie G.
Hayward, CA
2/19/2012
the restaurant is nice and service was ok but a bit slow.
The food was ok and wasn't amazing.
we were a bit disappointed that the food wasn't as good we thought it would be.
we ended up walking next door to Roy's for the hot melting chocolate souffle to end the night with a better taste in the mouth. -
Review from Connie C.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
My fiance and I came here for an early dinner before his work Christmas party. Their poutine fries are definitely the hit here. But other than that, I thought the main entrees were just okay.
I ordered a white fish(can't remember the name), it was definitely favorable but a bit too salty for my taste buds. It also came with the weirdest clam that I've ever seen, and that wasn't tasty at all--it left a pretty gross after taste in my mouth as well.
The fiance ordered their Fulton Valley Chicken. he said it was overall pretty tasty, but not enough sauce to help out with the drier parts of the meat.
I like the ambiance of this place, very unique, esp. since our reservations were on the top loft area. Our server was also very friendly and recommended some good drinks for us. Their mint mojito was quite tasty--but also strong! -
Review from F E.
San Francisco, CA
4/10/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Meh, I've experienced much better at what they charge for lunch menu, or dinner for that matter.. yeah much better. Service was good though
-
Review from Dave C.
San Jose, CA
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very nice decor, but tables can be pretty close to your neighbors.
I had the pork chop, which was a 9 out of 10 - probably the best pork chop I've ever had. Parsnip puree, with nice veggies (mostly brussell sprouts) and great presentation. My wife is a big fan of braised short ribs and it was about a 2 out of 10 - probably the worst she's ever had. it was served in a bowl with broth, not a sauce and very fatty. Veggies seemed to be mostly boiled carrots. WTF? I'd put it on some polenta with a bit of sauce and some well-cooked veggies.
Foie gras was good too - seared portion way better than the cured half.
Wine list was good - we did the Provenance Cab from Napa/Rutherford. Solid Napa cab at a decent price.
If the short rib was as good as the rest, this would be a 5 star rating. -
Review from Tommy G.
Santa Clara, CA
1/7/2012
Lunch with coworkers here.
Menu changes. Good food, good service, nice ambiance. Love the mural/painting...good building view from downstairs seating (there's a loft area dining).
