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The Grove
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
301 Hayes StSan Francisco, CA 94123
Neighbourhoods: Civic Center/Tenderloin, Hayes Valley
(415) 624-3953
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 11 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
272 reviews for The Grove
Review Highlights
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"Chicken pot pie: I especially enjoyed the pie crust." In 18 reviews -
"The mimosas are made with fresh squeezed orange juice too." In 5 reviews -
"The Berkeley Bowl salad looked amazingly fresh." In 6 reviews
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272 reviews in English
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Review from Rachel E.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2012
My mom and I came for lunch pre-ballet on Saturday. I ordered the Berkeley Bowl salad with chicken which was SO tasty. Everything was so fresh and crunchy. The amount of dressing that came with it was just about perfect.
My mom ordered the chinese chicken salad and said it was good as well.
We sat outside which was fun for people watching although the seating inside looked more comfortable.
Would definitely return! -
Review from Evelyn N.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
This place is just steps from my apartment, so I'm here all the time. It super popular and always full at lunch and dinner. Here are my thoughts:
Location: Brand new and quite funky/inviting. They spent a ton on the decor. I like the outdoor seating along the edge of the restaurant and the fact that they can fully open the sides of the restaurant when the weather is nice.
Berkeley Bowl: I'm vegan and there isn't much selection here for me. This is the only thing I order. It comes with ranch dressing so watch out if you're vegan. I always get it with the toasted sesame organge dressing which is soooooooooo good. The salad is nice, it comes with chickpeas which I like. It's a touch on the small side. If the salad was a bit bigger I'd give this place 4 stars.
I've come here many times with friends and the consensus that I seem to get is that the food is always consistently good, never bad, but no one ever gets overly excited about it either.
I'd probably give this place more stars if they had more vegan options, or if the staff were a bit more consistent. Even though I'm here every other day to grab a coffee, only the weekend people recognize me. I find it strange that most of the time I'm treated like a complete stranger here, even though I'm here so 4-5 times per week. The managers always scream hello and shove a menu in my face, they always seem stressed to keep the line moving. If you decline the menu they're always surprised. It's not very inviting.
Caveat: I do love the breakfast crew on the weekends though. I think Kurt is the manager, he is great! And there is this really sweet girl with bleach blonde hair who always remembers my coffee order.
Another Caveat: They have a morrocan veggie dish on the dinner menu that I haven't tried yet. I'm not sure if it's vegan. I never order it because it's made with cous cous and I tried to avoid empty carbs. I wish they would make the dish with quinoa or perhaps offer brown rice as a substitute. Also if it is vegan, I wish they would label it so. -
Review from Adena B.
San Francisco, CA
5/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Had breakfast here after laugh-worthy lines at the Red Door Cafe and Mama's ON A FRIDAY MORNING. A non-holiday, at that.
We ordered, sat at the cool-kids' table, and waited for our food. Not too long after, we were served. Some good points:
+ The orange juice is fresh and tasty. Get a big ol' glass.
+ The Masala chai was foamy, creamy goodness.
+ The French toast rivals some of the best in the city. That, or we were STAW-HARVING.
+ The eggs Florentine was pretty great; the smooshed tater tots it came with were super, too. ("Gimme some of your tots.")
The downside:
+ The breakfast burrito was um, well, terrible. It was mainly refried beans and chopped onion. Mm, no thanks.
+ The coffee DID NOT like soy milk. Even after having the soy milk warmed up, it would keep curdling in the coffee; not appetizing.
On the plus side, one of the managers noticed my friend had crinkled her nose at the coffee and brought over a fresh cup. When the new cup was just as bad, he apologized profusely and was really nice about it. Well done, cute manager man. -
Review from Jake B.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2012
Want to give a shout out to the management team at The Grove in Hayes Valley. My girlfriend and I decided to go on Friday evening for dinner - had never eaten dinner at The Grove - it was her idea - she was tired from work and wanted to go to a restaurant where her after-work yoga pants and Lululemon zip-up were going to be accepted with open arms. The food was good. She got the BLT and it was loaded with Bacon and the bread was great. She decided after the order came that she wanted avocado on it, so she started to walk up to the cash register to pay for a side of it. The manager on duty stopped her and asked if he could get her anything. She mentioned she was just going up to pay for avocado and he insisted (in a very nice way) that she sit back down and that he would be glad to bring her some, no charge. We thought it was a nice touch.
The last time we were in, about two months prior, for breakfast, we were impressed with the female manager who was saying hello to everyone, walking around and checking to see if everyone had everything they needed, saying 'goodbye' and 'thank you' as people were leaving, etc.
I think these people are doing a great job and really making us feel welcome, especially without nickel'ing and dime'ing us to death. Thanks!! -
Review from Vivian W.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
We only stopped by for take out after the symphony, but I have to say, I really enjoyed my chicken pot pie! It had no cream, and it was so tasty. The chicken was tender, and the crust was perfect. At first I was a bit skeptical because when I opened up the take out bag, the crust was broken up and in a separate box from the chicken and broth, but the combination was delicious. The only thing that could have made it better was if there was more broth.
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Review from Nii M.
Blaine, MN
5/13/2012
Interesting restaurant in the Hayes. You order from a counter and then food is brought to your table. The pot pie is good but even though the bottom is a bowl and not the rest of the pie. Good drafts and a good vibe. I'd do it again!
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Review from Vira P.
3/26/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I like coming back here. It's a casual spot to get a decent breakfast or lunch. I've had the mac & cheese, Oriental salad, and their eggs florentine (not at one sitting of course!). I have no complaints, especially with the salad. I love that they use peanuts instead of the fried wontons. It seems healthier that way.
And get their lavender lemonade! It has a unique, citrus-y taste. -
Review from Lilian N.
Queens, NY
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
The ambiance of the restaurant captured my attention to come here. Featuring large wooden chairs and a nice centered fireplace, the Grove is a place that is relaxing and peaceful for customers. The menu is simple and the people are extremely nice. I ordered their signature French onion soup which I did not like very much (too heavy on the onions and the salt), but seeing that I did not finish my soup, the waiter was kind enough to ask me how it was and even offered me additional foods to make sure I was content. I kindly declined and he just smiled and replied, "are you sure?". Now THAT is what I call good service.
On the other hand, my friend ordered the bruschetta and I found the tomatoes very flavorful and refreshing. The bite into the toasted bread was just as delicious and i left the restaurant happily with the bruschetta aftertaste clinging on. :) -
Review from Eric O.
San Francisco, CA
4/26/2012
The grove has so much potential; warm interiors at all locations and packed with friendly patrons (the Fillmore location is magical on a sunny day). The flipside of the grove experience is unfortunately the food which is mediocre at best.. I wish it wasn't true because I live very close to the location on Mission and I swear that I'd go there ever day if I could stomach it. To make matters worse, if you decide to add a few items to an omelet for example, you're going to get charged a boatload of extra $$... we're not talking nickels and dimes here, a side of mushrooms on your omelet is $1.25. Want some chopped bacon, add another $2.50. I even got charged a buck and a quarter for cheese. When I asked the (very nice) manager guy what ingredients came with the omelet, he said "eggs"... I chuckled.
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Review from Heidi M.
3/21/2012
I've stopped in here a lot before going to shows in the neighborhood. I like the atmosphere and think it makes a nice little spot for a quick coffee or beer, without sitting in a bar. (I prefer to sit in a bar, but this is nice when I'm with non-drinkers). The hot chocolate in particular is awesome.
There are a few things that bother me about this place though. The food I've tried here has been extremely unremarkable. Every time we eat here, you can hear around the table... How's your food. "eh... fine." "OK." I've not found anything here to get excited about, and it's one of those places where I can't really remember details about what I ate after I've been there. Others complain the portions are small. I don't think that's the case, but I do think they are overpriced for the quality and amount of food.
The staff have always been really pleasant to me, though, so at this point I mostly just come in for beer or coffee. -
Review from Matthew M.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012
There aren't many places in the Central Market area that serve breakfast and are open and serving it all day. Had a lazy morning, and stirred out of bed with a hankering for breakfast. Decided to try this place, and it was a nice find. I ordered a breakfast burrito. What followed was an unremarkable-looking, but extremely tasty concoction that satisfied both the craving for breakfast and the hadn't-eaten-at-3pm appetite. The hash browns in this thing were something I'd have ordered a plate of as a side dish without regret, and the tortilla was thin and nicely crisped, not heavy and soggy like a lot of places' breakfast burritos come out.
Also ordered the hot apple cider. I was a little steamed (no pun intended) at paying for $3 for cider until I saw what came out. This cup could've passed for a soup bowl, and the cider was pretty delicious; precisely what I was looking for on a windy afternoon in the city.
The entire experience of order to table was only a few minutes, which was nice given how hungry I was. The place is a little pricey for a cafe-type atmosphere, so I knocked it down a star for that. The food was really good, though, and I'll definitely come back.
UPDATE: Don't come for lunch or dinner. This is definitely a coffee shop/cafe type place. Got lousy service tonight (Apr 17) and the dinner food was pretty lousy. Down another star for that. Cashier didn't understand enough English to even take an order. -
Review from Sonya D.
4/13/2012
I really wanted to love this place because I've passed by it countless times (all locations), heard it was super healthy, and the inside is really cool. Well, I'm not sure about the other locations, but this one was just a-ok.
A girl friend and I grabbed a cozy corner table, ordered a Chimay and a glass of White, and shared a salad and steak sandwich. The salad was pretty big and tasty, but the sandwich was lacking. It smelled amazing though....but the steak was mainly just chewy fat that was hard to swallow. The rest of the sandwich consisted mainly of bread. Maybe the sandwiches aren't the best items to order. My friend on the other hand, loved it....but I know she was craving something meaty.
Besides the mediocre food, it does seem like a nice place to sit, grab a glass, and gab with your friends...maybe share the super yummy looking spinach dip? One perk was that the food came out quickly, and maybe another would be that the servers were friendly and cute. -
Review from Pat S.
Alameda, CA
3/3/2012
I have eaten here for lunch on two occasions, and both times I ordered breakfast foods. My first visit was for french toast - it was very crispy, especially on the edges. I prefer my french toast to be softer, and more moist. My second visit was for their breakfast special (I forgot the actual name of the order, but I think it was close to "breakfast special", which contained bacon, hash browns, eggs, toast, and another piece of meat that I may have forgotten. Everything on this plate tasted fine, but the portion of each was so small - you could finish every portion with only one or two stabs or scoop of your fork. What's worse was this plate cost over 10 dollars.
Nothing here blew my socks off, and the prices weren't impressive, especially when there are so many options in Hayes for good food at about the same price.
One major plus is the ambiance. They have got a couch seating area if you wish to eat there, the tables look nice in terms of their design, and they have good seating outdoors. -
Review from Geoff U.
San Francisco, CA
5/16/2012
It's a weird place. The food and drinks are decent if a little pricey for the serving sizes. And service can be really uneven. I've had good experiences before but tonight the guy at the register had a lot of attitude, pressuring us to add avocado to a salad but then being unsure how much it would cost to do so, and appearing judgmental about the fact that I wanted to know!
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Review from Quentin J.
San Francisco, CA
3/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I recently called in a beet salad. On the third or forth ring I was greeted by a monotone, terse, and arguably efficient phone manner that quoted me 10 minutes. I was there in 8ish and the salad was ready upon arrival which is always nice.
Great seating with a quasi cottage/lodge house vibe with faux timber. It's like some designer nostalgic for childhood lincoln logs decided to build a comfortable yuppie haven. I'll bite. Probs will be back to study.
The beet salad ($10) was pretty good but not exceptional. Fresh ingredients. Refreshing vinaigrette though. Trying to decide if that price point is fair. If I'm sitting around this spot for multiple hours then sure. -
Review from Lizzie B.
San Rafael, CA
4/25/2012
This is one of my favorite breakfast places in San Francisco. The food is consistently delicious, and they really give you your moneys worth in fresh squeezed orange juice (thats the best part). I will never be able to eat eggs florentine at any other restaurant, because there's no question that The Grove's eggs florentine are the best in San Francisco (add the bacon and avocado, you won't regret it). The Grove has several different locations in San Francisco, but this location is the best for weekends because the parking situation is less stressful and it's way less crowded. Prices are pretty reasonable too, usually around $35 for 2 people. Totally worth it!
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Review from Theresa H.
San Antonio, TX
3/1/2012
Went here for breakfast . I had delicious oatmeal with fruit. The coffee was good and came in a large cup. BF had a traditional breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, sourdough toast, potatoes and fresh OJ. He commented that the OJ was really good and the potatoes were particularly tasty.
The staff was very friendly. The lunch and dinner menus looked appetizing. I paid 10 bucks for a bowl of oatmeal which was my choice but it seemed kind of steep considering it came with bananas and strawberries-nothing exotic or fancy. -
Review from Joyce C.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2012
The Grove is...
- a cute brunch spot
- a trendy cafe where you can get some reading done
- a low-key romantic dinner venue
- a wine bar to hit up with your girlfriends
- a fulfiller of your late night hunger
It's really whatever you want it to be! I love the versatility and the comfortable yet trendy atmosphere. -
Review from Max H.
Visitacion Valley, San Francisco, CA
3/23/2012
I like the atmosphere here, it is pretty good! but the price here is somewhat expensive! 4 something for a cup of Mocha, are you serious? I'd rather go to starbucks.. and the food..wow ...can't really afford it lol...
well theres no good restaurants around that area so i don't think i will go there again.. -
Review from Melissa L.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012
I was so happy to see The Grove open up in Hayes Valley, as I used to hang out at the Fillmore location. However, I've been stopping in approximately once per month since it opened and my opinion of this place has been going downhill.
Whether crowded or not, I've witnessed the same issues time and again. No matter what I order, whether it be coffee, cappuccino, ice cream, hot chocolate, there always seems to be something wrong with it. Either the drink comes lukewarm or they seem to forget my order entirely. Only when they notice me still standing there after 10 minutes do they ask me about my order. I understand they are really busy, especially before a performance nearby, but when it happens repeatedly and to others, this is a problem. To be fair, they have always apologized and have tried to make up for it by giving me a little extra of whatever I ordered, but it's getting old.
I cannot speak for the quality of the food itself, as I have yet to try it here, but I will say the portions are huge for the salads, lasagna, pot pie, meatballs, which is what people seem to be ordering most. There is no such thing as a small drink here, except for the water glasses.
I do love the decor, which makes this large space feel rather cozy. I also like the outdoor seating with heat lamps and the large windows which allow those inside to take in the scenes from the street. There are some nooks that allow for really cozy seating and privacy, as well as a communal table, benches, tables and stools. While there are some table hogs with their Macs, most of the folks are there to eat/drink/socialize.
This location attracts a wide variety of people - young and old, families and singles, suburbanites and urbanites, which is nice to see.
If my experience changes on future visits I'd be happy to write an update.Listed in: Brunching in the Bay Area
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Review from Aaron F.
2/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
Not many establishments in San Francisco win my love for atmosphere. If you want a comfortable atmosphere and a reliable meal, definitely check out The Grove.
It's laid out like a living room, with couches in the center and tables around the edges. The menu includes salads, sandwiches and a few hot items like chicken pot pie. The beer selection looked fantastic, but sadly I was in a hurry. I'll definitely make The Grove a regular stop when I'm in the neighborhood. -
Review from Mike L.
After failing to find a place around Hayes that had a wait shorter than 30-45 minutes for dinner, my friends and I decided to head over to The Grove since we were pretty certain there wouldn't be a wait. Sure enough, no one waiting in line, and no one waiting to order. At least that was successful.
I was feeling pretty hungry, but options on their menu were mostly limited to soups, sandwiches, and salads. Great options for lunch, not as great for dinner.
- Meatballs with Cheese Bread (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - not bad. The meat was fairly moist and browned nicely, but it could have used a little more seasoning. I'm not huge on marinara sauce, so I would have preferred more flavor from the meat. The cheese bread was okay, but I would have be fine with getting less (so I could pay less).
- Nachos (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) - we shared amongst the table, and it was a miss. The chips were nice and crunchy, but the cheese was solid and oily. The problem was the choice of cheese - I think they used Monterrey Jack, which is bad for nachos since it solidifies after melting very fast. Being charged about $9.00 didn't help either, especially considering how basic the nachos were (cheese, salsa, avocado, and sour cream).
The service was pretty good, as the workers repeatedly came by to check on our table and take away our used plates. Still, it's not enough to make up for the lackluster food (or rather, the nachos). Sure, it might be a little unfair since "The Grove" and "nachos" seem like an odd pairing, but if they are going to offer it (at $9.00!), they should put out something decent. Minus one star for that alone...and an unenthusiastic review. -
Review from Jose P.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2012
I ate the apple chicken salads and it was awesome.the waiters were good. I'll come back again.
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Review from Mel G.
2/2/2012
I have completed the Grove triumvirate: here, the Fillmore location, the SOMA location. This location seemed refreshingly less chaotic than the other 2 (maybe it was because it was a Wednesday evening? Who knows -- but I'll take it). Right off the 21, convenient enough. Again, unfortunately some of the hurried mannerisms of the other Grove locations transfer over to this one: waiters hovering around you ready to pick up your plate as soon as your done, roving eyes, waiting for you to leave. Granted, it wasn't as intense as the SOMA location in particular, but -- it unfortunately still had those vibes.
All in all, it's a convenient place to meet up -- hopefully some of the other things will tighten up a bit soon. -
Review from Mark K.
1/1/2012 1 photo
HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS: Part I - I'll Smile When I'm Fed
My winter relaxation got off to a rough start when I was forced to lug my forty-pound, hastily packed snowboard bag from China (Airlines) to the US (Airways), all while my brother and mother harassed me via text.
Not-So-Fun Fact: Jet Blue is stationed in the INTERNATIONAL section of SFO. Carrying your oversized luggage all the way to the domestic arrivals results in a fitness test fit for a Marine.
I may have been greeted with hugs and kisses once my sweaty forehead shined through the sliding doors of the airport, but the only thing capable of culling my frustration was a good meal. Which brings me to The Grove.
Before checking into our hotel and unloading our cargo, I found myself holding on for dear life as my brother flung his car into a Hayes St. parking spot with the speed of a stunt driver. While my mom scolded him for the near heart attack, I was distracted by the scent of roasted coffee and toasted lunch offerings emanating from The Grove's open windows. As I voyeuristically watched the diners from the sidewalk, I became uncharacteristically excited once I spotted Head Chef and former Next Food Network Star contestant, Jeffrey Saad (http://www.jeffreysaad...). In retrospect, I think my fascination was a result of sleep deprivation. (No offense, Jeff.)
My mother, brother and I split a Flank Steak Sandwich, Chicken Pot Pie, Mac & Cheese, and Beet Salad. Despite my brother's rave review, I wished I disregarded his flank steak suggestion and went for the Meatballs that initially caught my eye. The beef was a little tough and the accompanying accoutrements failed to add much flavor or texture. The Beet Salad was acceptable, if you're into that sort of thing. The Chicken Pot Pie was the hearty dish I was hunting for, however, my brother staked his claim on the poultry pie and left me to finish "my" Flank Steak Sandwich.
My stomach's saving grace was the Macaroni & Cheese. This rib-lining skillet of dairy products aptly filled the emptiness left by my in-flight Terra Blue chips. My mother and brother nearly suffered hand lacerations when they tried for a second bite of the mac.
Several nights later we returned to The Grove for some pre-dinner coffee, a salmon platter, and Scattergories. The cashier promptly delivered our food and beverages without even acknowledging the domestic disturbance that erupted over a controversial Scattergories debate.
Although it wasn't the highlight of my San Francisco dining excursion, I would gladly fight for more mac & cheese and another Scattergories victory again at The Grove (assuming we're not banned).
Tune in to tomorrow for HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS: Part II - Sleeping in the Parc.
(http://www.yelp.com/bi...)Listed in: HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS
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Review from april p.
Daly City, CA
4/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
We came here after the wait at another hotspot was too long. After walking up and down Hayes for while, we saw chicken pot pie on the menu and it was settled. i really liked the laid back atmosphere and funky decor. Nick G. had the pot pie, I had the steak and my daughters both had the mac & cheese. Everything tasted great and we took a slice of Red Velvet cake to go, which was yummy as well.
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Review from J K.
San Francisco, CA
3/19/2012
I had a Pastrami sandwich. Dry, dry, dry. Another person in our group had the same sandwich. They also agreed with me. For a place that was very crowded and seemingly very popular, it was very disappointing. The bread was also very hard.
They seem to focus more on making the place seem like a fun, cool place to hang out than the quality of the food. Give me a dumpy place but great food over a cool looking place with awful food.
It was a waste of time and money. Go grab a packaged sandwich at Walgreens instead. -
Review from JoAnn G.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2012
Devoured my chicken apple sausage, mushroom and arugula omelette here. And the thick, buttered wheat toast was divine. Oh, and washed this all down with a large 22 oz IPA that I got upgraded from a small for free. My mistake for initially ordering a small and then changing my mind. I really appreciate little things like this in a restaurant- great customer service. Speaking of customer service, the manager, JP, came over to check on things and was so sweet and friendly and knowledgeable about the neighborhood. He is a gem.
I love the array of couches, bar stools, armchairs and benches. It's very homey- like if one of The Dude's knit sweaters was morphed into a restaurant- in a really good way. Great place to take guests from out of town. Really glad I happened to stop by. -
Review from Andrew T.
San Francisco, CA
3/6/2012
I wish I could give the Grove a good review, I really do. It is a really cool trendy spot in a great neighborhood. There is a great selection of food and drinks.
BUT
Went here Saturday March 3rd to grab food and drinks. It was an easy choice as I have eaten lunch here several times and had some friends in town visiting. Wanted to take them to a nice, low-key spot.
Not 10 minutes into our visit we noticed a 3-1/2 inch cockroach climbing on the glass above the front counter. Thinking we had made a mistake we immediately jumped up to double check. Sure enough, there was this enormous cockroach climbing up the glass.
It was the biggest roach I have ever seen in my entire life. Not an exaggeration.
We didn't say anything to the staff but they noticed our horrified looks and someone promptly chased it down and squashed it, dragging the huge carcass to the back on the bottom of his shoe.
I write this review not to hurt The Grove's business, but to protect the health of anyone who chooses to eat there. Grove, please resolve this issue as soon as possible. I will be happy to return, and ask others to return, as soon as I can see a tangible change in the health standards of your restaurant. -
Review from Shauna S.
12/21/2011 1 photo
This spot is always pretty darn busy come lunch time so the team and I went out early to secure seating. Got there early, got seating, and got our food quickly. I wouldn't want to be on the line or waiting for food during the lunch rush though, it's definitely not worth it. The food is tasty but not sure if it's worth the trouble...
Anyhow, I had a BLT and a cafe mocha. I wanted to go for something healthy but the salads were too intense and that left me with the choice of sandwiches, which come to think of it makes it feel like it's a slim choice here. Anyhow, the BLT was great (and quite frankly if you mess up a BLT then there are bigger issues to contend with) and my mocha was delicious.
But it wasn't spectacular. It wasn't anything that I couldn't just make at home; in fact most of the items on the menu seem kind of average. So it didn't feel like it was worth it. It seems like a good place to have an early lunch but I wouldn't go out of my way to go here again... -
Review from Tiffany S.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
I come here often after a hangover and it is a great cure.
Go for the Eggs Florentine Dave's way. Amazingly strong rosemary hash browns. Poached eggs with arugula, bacon, pesto all served on two English muffins. Its fantastic food and the interior is so warm and cozy. Beware they stop serving Poached eggs after 4pm and it gets really crowded in the morning. The line also just happens to be directly in the way of the exit/entrance of the kitchen, gets a little annoying; but the food is worth it. -
Review from Paul R.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2012
I Love going to the Grove! I called in an order for 10 people during a prime lunch time rush and they provided excellent & speedy service! Some locations have taken a little longer, but the Hayes Valley Grove is at the top of my list!
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Review from Brendan N.
San Francisco, CA
11/1/2011
Don't go to the Grove, the manager is so rude!
I came to the Grove for the first time today to do some work on the internet and have a coffee. I bought an espresso and after two hours decided to put more money in the meter and come back in to buy lunch. The manager (the skinny blond gay guy) came up to me and said the following:
"Hi, I'm going to give you my lecture. This isn't an internet cafe. If you want to use my internet, you need to buy something. I usually kick all the internet users out by 11:30 and I've sealed up my plugs."
I responded "I understand, I was planning on buying lunch in a bit"
And he said "Yeah, you need to purchase something. I've been watching you and you've been here a while. People look in here and I don't want them to see people hanging out." And he walked away.
I felt really angry. After two minutes, I decided to get up and leave. I couldn't find him but I told one of the counter workers: "Please let the manager know that I was going to buy lunch here, but after he spoke to me about making a purchase with such attitude, I don't want to support this business. He's never going to be successful treating customers like that." -
Review from Dimps I.
Daly City, CA
3/9/2012
Came here for the first time today on a lunch date with a colleague. I ordered the open face meatball sandwich which came with some greens on the side. I loved and enjoyed it! They said its new on the menu and I give it a 2 thumbs up so I hope they keep it. I love the feel of the restaurant. You come in and head straight to the counter where you order and pay for your food. Pick a table (indoor or outdoor) to sit in and they bring your food over to you. The place has this tavern feel to it but the decor is totally not tavern at all. Over all...I like it!
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Review from Jennifer Y.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2011
I know why you want to come here. You walk by this place every day and you see the line of people seated outside with the fancy iPads and their dogs nearby. "Oh wow, a neat coffee house with wi-fi!"
Oh my friend. I fell into the same trap.
I walk by this place every morning and every night on my way to work and on my way home. I always see the businessman on his MacBook or the young couple on a date or a pair of friends catching up over alcohol, coffee and American comfort food.
But what's really behind the doors?!
Here's my experience. I walked in thinking I could get a good amount of work done with my boyfriend while having a continuous supply of caffeine and some food for dinner.
Gripe #1: Wi-fi is not free, but instead, $5 in purchases gives you 30 minutes of wi-fi (at least they round up). What's one cup of coffee doing to do for me?! So I ordered the grilled cheese and the french onion soup, and my boyfriend ordered the chicken pot pie (heard they were good on Yelp).
Gripe #2: Power outlets are scarce. We had to sit at a counter with a small ledge and it was awkward positioning our laptops with our coffee and food, which leads to ..
Gripe #3: The food was terrible! First off, the french onion soup was extremely salty. Secondly, where was the cheese?! Thirdly, it was barely a soup, and more like a piece of bread that had been soaking in the soup all day and was dripping conveniently into a bowl. The grilled cheese was extremely greasy. Even the kettle chips left a very obvious stain of grease on the napkins! The chicken pot pie my boyfriend ordered was mediocre at best.
Gripe #4: Alright, so we had our food and 2 hours of wi-fi each. Even if the food was bad, the night could have still been productive. Unfortunately, it was not as the wi-fi was extremely flaky and kept disconnecting both my boyfriend and I (I use a PC and he uses a Mac). Not impressed! We ended up leaving within the first hour.
Avoid this place. Seriously. There are other better cafes in Hayes Valley with free or better wi-fi rates, and better food!! -
Review from Colin R.
San Francisco, CA
3/17/2012
Internet sucks.
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Review from Andrew K.
2/28/2012
Super fun place to kill time for like an afternoon snack. LOVE the vibe and that they do a good job with so many genres - comfort food, desserts, coffee, wine, etc! This also happens to be a perfect location for this sort of catchall - with close proximity to the theater.
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Review from Seema M.
11/1/2011
I really wanted to like The Grove- the location is great, the interior is cozy and they have outdoor heated seating. The atmosphere is conducive to meeting up with a friend for a quick coffee and chat. They have a cute fireplace set up and the interior is very log cabin-ish.
A couple of things made my experience less likeable:
- wifi limit of 30 minutes: really?! you can barely have eat lunch and send out an email in that time.
- expensive: standard grilled cheese + tomato basil cup of soup $9.49
- awkward counter staff
I didn't have a great past experience at The Grove in Yerba Buena as well, so I think I'm going to pass on seeking out this micro-chain in the future. -
Review from Justine H.
San Francisco, CA
2/14/2012
the grove is fine for sandwiches and salads but DO NOT get the omelets which are made from some fake pasteurized "mix".
My friend ordered the eggs florentine and I ordered an omelet. When I ordered I was told they ran out of eggs. Weird, what about the eggs florentine?
"We don't make omelets with fresh eggs."
Done, that's all she wrote. How hard is it to crack eggs and are you really trying to cut THAT many corners to save cost. yuck. -
Review from Tony H.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011
My favorite breakfast location. Casual and very nice atmosphere, friendly employees and wonderful food. I especially like the fresh-squeezed orange juice and the rosemary hash browns! Whenever I have people visiting and we go out for breakfast, I usually take them to The Grove.
I haven't tried other meais...one day I will.
