Le Colonial

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Address:
20 Cosmo Place
San Francisco, CA 94109

Neighborhood:
Downtown / Union Square

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Cuisine:
Vietnamese

Price: $31 to $50

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Le Colonial Details

Dining Style: Fine Dining
Website: http://www.lecolonialsf.com
Phone: (415) 931-3600
Hours of Operation: Sunday - Thursday: 5:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Friday - Saturday: 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Our Lounge is open daily at 5:00 p.m. Sunday - Wednesday closing at 11:00 p.m. Friday - Saturday closing at 2 a.m.
Payment Options: AMEX, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Vietnamese, French
Executive Chef: Tree Khuu
Dress Code: Business Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Entertainment: Live music: Monday - Friday from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.
House DJ: Friday & Saturday nights from 10:00 - 2:00 a.m.
Special Events & Promotions: Happy Hour
Serving in the lounge & bar
From our Happy Hour Menu: Selected beers $4, cocktails/wine by the glass $6

Getting there

Cross Street: Taylor and Jones
Parking: Private Lot
Parking Details: $6 for the first hour $2 hours for each additional 1/2 hour. $18 maximum.

A word from Le Colonial

Delight your guests in an evening of fine food and exotic cocktails at our unique venue just off Union Square. Travel through the tropical elegance of 1920s French Colonial Vietnam amidst the sway of palm trees and glow of candlelight. Take in the live music in our lounge, relax outdoors on the… veranda or patio, gather friends and family to celebrate a special event or simply treat yourself to a night on the town. Enjoy a variety of event spaces for small intimate groups of 10 to as many as 500 people in the heart of downtown San Francisco.Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Diner Reviews

"The food at Le Colonial, at least what I ordered, seemed on the sweet side, although it was very well prepared. But sweet Asian food is one of my pet peeves -- I really like things that are more savory."
Dined on 7/25/2014
"Must try the brussels sprout dish... Could not decide the best dish... all always taste great..."
Dined on 7/24/2014
"Having received numerous recommendations to try Le Colonial from friends via Facebook, I was interested to see if it would live up to the test. It did with flying colors! I was even more excited to know the restaurant was within walking distance from our hotel, Hilton Union Square. It made for a pleasant 3 block walk from our hotel. We made a 9pm reservation and decided to eat indoors even though outdoor seating was available. The staff and service were excellent and very knowledgeable about the menu. There were four of us in our party so decided to order several appetizers which were all excellent. The waiter surprised us with the most delicious dessert, chocolate brownie after hearing it was a special occasion for us. 5 stars thanks FB!"
Dined on 7/18/2014
"Have had dinner here at least 4 or 5 times and this latest time was very mediocre. On top of that, our waiter tried to up-sell us more food several times which is always a major turn-off for me."
Dined on 7/18/2014
"Le Colonial is one of my favorites in SF. The food is always fantastic. The service is great. And the ambience is always pleasant. It's a neighborhood gem! I recommend it to all my friends. Thank you."
Dined on 7/18/2014
"We ordered and shared Cha Gio Tom Cua, Banh Xeo, Goi Ca Thu, Ca Ri Tom and Ca Hap La Chuoi dishes. The food was outstanding, very authentic and flavorful. I was especially impressed with service and how attentive the waitress was. She was very helpful in helping us selecting some of these authentic Vietnamese dishes. The also had a nice music band playing upstairs by the bar. It was a joy to hear some swing musics with great dancers. I will definitely come back and try different dishes."
Dined on 7/17/2014
"Had this recommended to me and took a client there for dinner and was amazed at the ambiance and the food was terrific. The portions were not huge so keep that in mind if you are going there very hungry."
Dined on 7/14/2014
"This is an excellent restaurant within easy walking distance of Union Square, set behind Post St. Food, service and ambiance all very good."
Dined on 7/13/2014
"This restaurant is slightly off the beaten path near Union Square. Walking through the front gate, I felt transformed into a different time. They have open air tabels in front, and a variety of experiences in the inside. We had called ahead to let them know we ran into traffic and would be a little late. When we arrived 20 minutes after our scheduled time, they had canceled our reservation. However, since they were not full at the time, they offered to seat us. Took a little negotiating to get a good table. Once seated, they treated us well. The menu had some unique dishes I hadn't seen outside of SE Asia. We had the sea bass in banana leaves and the Surgeon. Also had the crab cakes. All Excellent! Definitely recommend!"
Dined on 7/12/2014
"We ate an early dinner last Saturday. The food was good but not exceptional. The seafood potstickers were disappointing (too doughy perhaps), and the brussel sprouts were too sweet. The ahi main dish was excellent. The restaurant was empty when we arrived, so one loud-talker across the room could beheard distinctly. On the flip side, the tables are very densely packed, so there is zero privacy once it gets busy. Service was excellent. Lastly, it is close to Union Square, so it was a great spot for pre-theater dinner especially because it has parking."
Dined on 7/12/2014
"We wait so long for someone to come and take our orders. The food is ordinary and pricely."
Dined on 7/11/2014
"I've been to Le Colonial in NYC and was expecting something similar in SF. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The building looked cool from the outside but the outdoor dining area has back alley views and was not well decorated or appointed with plantings. The interior looked dark, cavernous and claustrophobic. The crispy Dungeness crab rolls in lettuce was tasteless and I didn't note any crab. The shrimp with vegetables main course was anemic with few tiny shrimp and an equal portion of eggplant, mushroom and onions. If it weren't for the rice I had to order and pay for separately, I would have left hungry, not just disappointed. SF is full of great restaurants. I would recommend going elsewhere."
Dined on 7/10/2014
"I love Le Colonial in Manhattan, and I've just discovered that Le Colonial in San Francisco is just as special. Warm, inviting Victorian-era decor; a fantastic walled outdoor space (with cozy heat lamps and a glass roof); a supercool upstairs lounge with live jazz -- I would go even if the food were medicre. But the food is spectacular. I have eaten everything on the Manhattan Le Colonial menu more than once, and it is all fresh, interesting and delicious. The menu in San Francisco is almost identical, and the food is equally delectable. Some reviews caution that some dishes would benefit from a higher level of spice, but I've found that the addition of chili-based sauces, always offered, brings up the heat when I'm in the mood. A+++!"
Dined on 7/7/2014
"My fiancée & I live an hour and a half away from San Francisco. We take weekend trips into the city at least once every two months. This past 4th of July (2014) weekend we dined at Le Colonial. Bottom line- this place is a gem! The ambiance was so warm via the lighting. The food was well prepared and featured dishes many Vietnamese places usually don't have. The drinks were strong and tasy. It wasn't so busy that you couldn't hear the person next to you talk. I will definitely return to Le Colonial in the near future!"
Dined on 7/6/2014
"We had the pork spare ribs and ahi salad to start, delicious! For dinner we had the duck and the sea bass, both were spot on."
Dined on 7/3/2014
"Le Colonial has it all. Fun decor, wonderful food, great service and perfect location to eat and then walk to plays at the Curran!"
Dined on 7/2/2014
"Whatever you want to call this food, don't call it Viet. It has very little resemblance to actual Viet food. You're in California, of all places, too. Come for the tourist trap faux- French colonial decor, but that's about all that can be recommended about this place. Food was overpriced. Drinks are boring and overpriced. Big let down."
Dined on 7/1/2014
"Great location and ambience. The service was only fair--had to flag down the waiter three times. The good was uniformly bland and tasteless (and very overpriced). They appear to use no herbs or other seasonings in the preparations. If you have tastebuds, avoid this place."
Dined on 7/1/2014
"We have been there before and enjoyed the food and atmosphere. It is nice to know there are still restaurants in San Francisco where the tables are not on top of each other...where people can carry on a conversation without someone sitting at the next table hearing it or vice versa."
Dined on 7/1/2014
"We eat dinner here quite often and this last experience was disappointing. It took more than 1/2 hour for our appetizer to arrive. Yes, the potstickers were delicious... the wait was annoying since the dining room was only about 1/3 full. I ordered what I always have: the coconut shrimp with eggplant, mushroom and mango. The "so-called mango" in this dish consisted of three very hard (too hard to even cut with my knife!) unrecognizable items...which might have been very under-ripe mango. I notified the waitress...and someone brought out a nice plate of ripe, juicy mango. When we wanted to order our favorite ice cream...chocolate-coconut-almond-fudge... we were told that none was available. Manager removed the cost of my main dish."
Dined on 6/28/2014
"Excellent, very flavorful & well presented. We had the special seafood soup and the salmon dishes. They were out of Gelato, but comp us - very delighted. WE WILL RETURN!"
Dined on 6/27/2014
"Wonderful evening of great food and excellent service."
Dined on 6/26/2014
"General manager acted indifferenct had we visited or not. Questioned and doubted us re our reservations that he since later found. Unprofessional and rude. Rest of staff was excellent"
Dined on 6/25/2014
"Still a favorite but this time we sat at a table near the hostess stand. Experienced a different perspective from this vantage point. Staff should realize that their activities are even more noticeable when guests are dining nearby. Overall it was actually quite entertaining, though our service was very slow and we were mostly forgotten in our corner. We were originally seated in the main dining area but as my husband was on call we discovered his phone was not receiving signal due to the old concrete and chicken wire walls. We asked to be seated near a window or outside. The maitre'd didn't seem to pleased but accommodated us eventually. Food was nice but we decided that we have had tastier experiences in the past."
Dined on 6/21/2014
"I hadn't been here for a number of years, but will get back soon. Great ambiance, food is superb, and the service was exceptional."
Dined on 6/20/2014
"The food was some of the best I experienced while in San Francisco. The restaurant is a hidden gem located near Union Square. The service was just ok... very polite but felt a bit as though they wanted us in and out... we had to ask for a second drink and were not asked if we wanted a third, due to the fact we were on our honeymoon I would have liked a third drink but decided against it due to the feeling that they wanted us out asap. But the food was AMAZING!!!!!!!!"
Dined on 6/19/2014
"Always enjoy dining at Le colonial. The ambiance is unique and the food is delicious."
Dined on 6/15/2014
"This is my first time at this restaurant. I saw it on SF DAT (June 1-15); so decide to give it a try. My reservation is for June 15. To my disappointment, I mention that I’m here for the DAT and the Manager told me that they stop offer DAT on June 11. I feel we were lure into the restaurant on the false pretense. Although the Manager was very apologetic, he FAT out lied when he told me that the offer end date was mention when I booked my reservation. I checked Le Colonial and Open Table website and both has DAT offer from June 1-15. They offer us a free glass of champagne. Nice thought but it was the lie that give them a one star. The food was okay but it wasn’t a WOW consider the price."
Dined on 6/15/2014
"I was expecting a bit more from Le Colonial. The cocktails were amazing and the service was impeccable, but the food was just good, not phenomenal. It didn't help that we booked for Dine About Town (and put a note in the res saying as much) and only found out later, through one of our group checking the restaurant website, that the DaT menu wasn't available on Friday... whether that was OpenTable's error or the restaurant's, it was irritating to say the least. Overall, I'd definitely go back to the bar, but I'm much rather eat at Slanted Door."
Dined on 6/13/2014
"Dinner was awesome - every dish was perfect. The pork belly was the best thing we ate on the entire trip. For a four-days in San Francisco, with many meals out, that's saying something. The fried lobster was a truly unique dish - we got the garlic butter sauce. It was messy but delicious. The crunchy noodles over seafood broth were a fun combination. The cocktails were good too."
Dined on 6/13/2014
"We had a group of 10 for business related team dinner - fantastic service, amazing food, the team raved about it the next day. Wonderful atmosphere contributed to easy conversation due to reasonable noise levels."
Dined on 6/12/2014
"Excellent date night pick. Le Colonial's food is a great twist of French Vietnamese and every dish I have had in my 3 visits has been mouth watering! I have to say the best part of this restaurant is the ambiance. I definitely recommend this place!"
Dined on 6/11/2014
"This awesome place is hidden in the Tenderloin and has an awesome outdoor garden patio. I didn't love the tofu entree but desserts were great. Otherwise I would've said 5 stars"
Dined on 6/11/2014
"1. server brought appetizers and main course all together although I requested main course after appetizer 2. server brought main course for my guest only and none for me. 3. the pinot wine was of low quality, I have been to this restaurant numerous times and I am observing that quality of service is deteriorating, they do not remember what I requested. also the room was packed, noisy, people talked loud and the smaller room was not occupied, server did not want to seat us there. The quality of wine has deteriorated over the years,"
Dined on 6/10/2014
"Waiter was impatient and rude. He left the table in the middle of ordering, pushed extra food on us and brought extra food we did not order - way too much. Also suggested very expensive wines with no knowledge or rationale. Everything he did with us was to serve himself and raise the check total."
Dined on 6/10/2014
"They said, it's a Vietnamese restaurant. I thought, oh that sounds interesting. It is all that and more. Attentive and crisp service without arrogance. Menu is delightfully diverse with something to please everyone. Presentation is unique and part of the restaurants identity. Get the appetizer sampler. Just a wonderful restaurant. Did not know it was originally the first Trader Vic's. Second trip for me. It is a must for every trip here of more than a couple days."
Dined on 6/9/2014
"We dined at the outdoor lounge, it feels like we are transported to a tropical and yet Parisian space, very nice. The servers were friendly, food was good but not exceptional. Their outdoor furnitures need some update, and the whole place can use a good cleaning."
Dined on 6/7/2014
"I like this quiet plantation style restaurant; hidden away in a alley! Sea bass is consistently good; last time I dined here about 7 years ago! "
Dined on 6/6/2014
"Food, drinks, wine, and especially service.... all superb!"
Dined on 6/6/2014
"My 6th visit to this restaurant, still a great place to visit."
Dined on 6/5/2014

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Le Colonial Details

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