Per Diem

See all 138 Reviews ›

Address:
43 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94104

Neighborhood:
Financial District / Embarcadero

Getting there ›
Cuisine:
American

Price: $30 and under

More Details ›

Per Diem Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.PerDiemSF.com
Email: info@PerDiemSF.com
Phone: (415) 989-0300
Hours of Operation: Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30 am - 3:00 pm

Lighter Fare: Monday -Friday: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Dinner: Monday - Friday: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Dinner: Saturday: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Payment Options: AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: American, Italian
Executive Chef: Matt Paine
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Full Bar, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Getting there

Cross Street: Sansome Street
Public Transit: Montgomery Street Bart and Muni Station
Parking: No
Parking Details: Parking is available after 6 on Sutter St. or 24 hours at 223 Sutter St, one block from the restaurant.

A word from Per Diem

Per Diem’s menu is centered on the use of fresh ingredients and inventive flavor combinations paired with classic cooking techniques. Starters such as the Burrata on a Grilled Crostone with Marshall’s Farm Honey and Toasted Nuts or a San Francisco original, Cioppino with Mussels, Scallops, Prawns,… Crab and Calamari make for a quick, light bite. Enjoy one of many delectable sandwiches such as the Oyster Po Boy with Cornmeal Fried Local Oysters, Baby Romaine, Pickled Veggies and Remoulade on a Soudough Roll or the Ham and Brie with Dressed Organic Greens on a Sourough with a Persimmon Chutney. Try Per Diem’s mouthwatering Pizzettas: Margherita with Burratta, Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Basil. Entrée dishes such as the Truffle and Tomato Brisket with Bloomsdale Spinach and House Made Ricotta Lasagnettas and the Confit Maple Farms Duck Leg over Blue Cheese Tortellini with a Pomegranate Fume offer patrons a well-portioned evening meal.Continued

Foodspotting photos

See all photos >

Diner Reviews

"I needed to do dinner on the early side (6pm/saturday).--the place was EMPTY. -- no one even at the bar. it just wasn't quite the vibe i'd hoped for. But the service, although slow at first given that we were the ONLY ones there, was good and very accommodating when i didn't like my wine choice. Burrata was yummy (with almonds/honey). Hubby had pork belly and bone marrow--2 things he'd never had before. Liked both but felt they needed salt. (which there was none of on the table). He also had a meat ball which he liked (I didn't). My lamb sugo (?) pasta was good, but i wouldn't go running back for it. net net, it was fine. but probably better for mid-week night after work."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"Per Diem is surprisingly stunning inside, very old-England decor, mix of a library and sitting room decor, with beautiful chandeliers to set the tone. We were seated upstairs which was great. Service was very good, prompt but not intrusive. I had to try the burrata that I'd heard so many good things about; unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea - cheese with sweet toppings is just too odd. The meatball gigante, cioppino and bucatini were all great though as was the wine which went down very easily. Will definitely come back here when they change their menu to try other things."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"....the answer is no. The Caesar Salad had thin onion rings instead of croutons - cutsey but didn't work for me - no parm to be seen. Wait staff did not ask for added pepper. No bread offered or served with dinner. Porcini Pappardelle was a very good dish but one our of four would not make us want to return. The special lasagne with garlic-mornay sauce and chicken was a disaster. Mornay sauce had no hint of garlic, chicken MIA and the sauce was a red color....not the white expected from a "mornay". When side of veggies is a highlight, except serving fingerling potatoes in the mix with lasagne - odd?, does not bode well for the offering.Too many places in SF to get fantastic meals - this is not one of them."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"Had a great meal. Very reasonably priced for the quality and quantity of food. Service was a little slow, but would not deter me from dining there again."
Dined on 4/9/2014
"It's a spot I meet people at in FiDi. It's quiet enough, fairly easy to get into and pretty italian Americanized food. Good sandwiches and salads, nothings exceptional but it's what you'd expect. Service staff is friendly but it tends to sometimes be a bit slow. You'll get exactly what you expect it seems. Good food, good service and a decently spacious seating."
Dined on 3/11/2014
"This has been one of my go to lunch spots for client lunches for the last two years, I am always pleased with the service, the variety of the menu, and the service. The decor is warm and inviting and the noise level comfortable. Per Diem is a new regular in the downtown SF scene for me."
Dined on 4/3/2014
"This was my second visit to Per Diem after an enjoyable luncheon about a month ago. The service is very nice, but each of our dishes, soup, salad, and pastas were disappointing. The soup was comparable to canned variety. The salad was tasteless, lacking seasoning and flavor, and the pastas were oily, and the sauces glopped in the corner of the plates and generally pasty. I do enjoy the ambience and wine list. I would only come back for the bar and small bites."
Dined on 3/29/2014
"High quality restaurant in the financial district. Great spot for business lunch or drinks after work."
Dined on 3/27/2014
"Loved Per Diem. Nice ambience and they were very accommodating for our group."
Dined on 3/22/2014
"Dinner here on a Saturday night had a laid back vibe and a quiet, easy pace. This is certainly a change from the buzzing atmosphere that is generally associated with this financial district hot spot. BOTH versions are carried off well by staff that are talented, knowledgable, and attentive. Poutine, Burrata and bone marrow appetizers are not to be missed!"
Dined on 3/22/2014
"Their reservation policy is unclear, so do as much as you can to confirm your details to ensure a pleasant evening. I called ahead, made an online reservation, arrived early but no luck. I was first told they take reservations online only, then they only take reservations for downstairs on the phone, & then they don't take reservations for downstairs at all. Be sure to clarify in your case. In the end, the manager said downstairs reservations are for investors of the restaurant only. No customer wants to hear they are lower priority than any other customer — I found that to be tasteless and unnecessary. I came here often for the cocktails and good food (burrata crustone!) but no longer find it welcoming to return."
Dined on 3/14/2014
"The decor in this restaurant uplifted the whole lunchtime experience for us. It was like eating in a little museum. Whoever put this place together did a great job. The food was really good. We were a party of five and we got sandwiches, salads and a pizzetta. The price was right. Not too noisy. I would definitely return."
Dined on 3/10/2014
"Great place to go for lunch when you're in the financial district"
Dined on 3/7/2014
"Some big booths and bar at street level and a 19C nautical decor made this an intriguing find and surprisingly uncrowded on a Saturday night! This place is usually packed weekdays during lunch. Dining is upstairs (long stairs, no elevator) with tiny outdoor patio (too cold at night in SF), but you have same menu in booths. Food is eclectic: bone marrow w/capers, burrata crostone and porchetta all very good. Service personable and good. Wine list small and expensive, but there are tap beers and good cocktails."
Dined on 3/8/2014
"I was there for a business lunch with 4 other people. We waited 45 minutes before our food came after we had ordered. People who were seated after us received their food before we did. Our dishes were not complicated, so we were surprised to have had waited that long."
Dined on 3/3/2014
"Visited Per Diem on a Friday night. Bar looked to be filled with FiDi workers enjoying a drink after work. Dining area is small but wasn't crowded - which also meant great service. Wine list was good and food was decent. Good place if you are looking for an enjoyable dinner, but don't want to pay above $25 per entree. If your looking for a foodie experience, there are probably better places."
Dined on 2/28/2014
"The roasted chicken looked like it was pigeon (small) and the mushroom pasta needed salt because it lacked flavor. Very disappointed that there was NO RED MEAT SELECTION, only pork. It wasn't all bad. The mussels were great, the cheese selection was good too. We had to ask the waiter twice for bread with dinner, and when it finally arrived (after we asked someone else), it was fabulous with the butter and olives. We got our bill without the waiter asking if we wanted coffee or dessert..... Very poor service by the waiter.... The other waiter helping the table next to ours, dropped there wine bottle on the floor (thank God it only had less than 2 inches of wine left in it) and it got all over our table guest shoes."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"Had a great Saturday night dinner at this comfortable, hip bistro--easy to get to--steps from Market St. and the Montgomery BART station. Interesting and well designed menu, well prepared dishes, with fresh and high quality ingredients. Top notch service. The cioppino was excellent quality and flavor--piquant and tomato-y. Bonus was that the crab was already shelled--no messy shell cracking tools. Pizzetta with house made meatball was yummy and the Toasted Barley Garganelli with lamb sugo was rich and flavorful--comfort food on a cold evening. Brussell sprouts were savory and delicious. Cocktail list looks interesting. We had BIMBOs and while tasty, were on the sweet side. Some likely prefer it that way. We'll return!"
Dined on 3/1/2014
"We were one of the first tables for the dinner service. The waiter was quick to take half of our drink orders and we were forgotten about a couple of times...and waited an usually long time for food, during which many other people seem to be helping out, for reasons I am unsure of. They really need to streamline the operations as this was an unusual dining experience. The food, however was delicious."
Dined on 3/1/2014
"our waiter was polite, just way too slow for a lunch time meal (1:30 hr), and at times we were completely abandoned. asked management and other waiters to step in (can I get my check pls) to no avail."
Dined on 2/24/2014
"service: it wasn't even a busy (on a sat. night), and the waiter took a good 20 minutes before taking our order. once that happened, service was better, but no one should have to wait that long. meal: poutine - excellent. . .well-seasoned, crisp fries and decadent gravy. . .oversized for 2 people though bucatini - excellent. . .again, well-seasoned, appropriately portioned string beans - very good. . .crisp and tasty ambiance: it was super quiet for an 8:15 reservation on a saturday night, but that probably has to do with its location (not well-trafficked on a weekend). i'd probably eat there again, but the service was give me pause. . ."
Dined on 2/22/2014
"This was a really great find in the Western part of the Financial District. The food is interesting and very good even if not at the cutting edge of whatever the latest culinary trend. I liked the cocktail menu (and the cocktail I got) quite well. Overall, it was a very pleasant meal. The surroundings are comfortable and energetic without being overwhelmingly loud. The service was a touch slow, but I would view that as a relatively minor issue."
Dined on 2/18/2014
"This review is for Valentines Day only. Dinner only available as a pre-fixe option. Four courses for $70 per person with optional wine pairings. Food was tasty and straightforward and portions were more than ample. That said, I have an issue with the fleecing of special event meals. My fault for buying into it the game of restuarants drastically over charging for a their standard fare. Again, the food was fine, but very overpriced."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"We had an excellent early dinner after a business meeting. The Caesar salad with the onion crisps was excellent. The porchetta and salmon were both hits."
Dined on 2/11/2014
"Loved the decor, food and service, however the restaurant was a bit chilly."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"This is my favorite restaurant in the financial district. When one of my colleagues was in town, this was the first place I thought of taking her. The ambiance is great (upstairs in the main dining room), both of our pasta dishes were great, and the service was great. By the way, I come here for happy hour with my colleagues a lot too. Their happy hour cocktails are terrific. Can't wait to come back!"
Dined on 2/5/2014
"I've been to Per Diem twice, and both times were in groups of 4-6 people. The food is consistently fantastic, very warm comforting California style cuisine. The bone marrow and cioppino are not to be missed (the charcuterie and pork belly are equally fantastic). The decor is very cool, but I absolutely recommend making a reservation as they don't have a lot of seating. Definitely recommend it as a lunch spot for the financial district, or a great neighborhood spot for dinner and drinks!"
Dined on 2/3/2014
"I love this place for a great lunch or a dinner after work. The bone marrow is so good that my sister is willing to fly up from L.A. to get it. The upstairs dining room is beautiful and the bathroom is not to be missed."
Dined on 12/27/2013
"I really enjoy the minestrone soup, however, the last time I had it, it tasted burnt. Also, the papardelli was good, but the green onions did not complement the pasta."
Dined on 1/23/2014
"The ambience and setting is really nice. The service isn't polished, the hostess checked me in, told me to wait for just one sec to get our table ready, took the two behind us, tried to seat them in a less than desirable table, they said 'oh no we're not sitting there..', proceeded to take them to our table and then sat us in this very same table. The wait staff was not attentive. And the menu just isn't that great. Not many interesting options."
Dined on 1/23/2014
"Good food just very slow service. Our table for 2 waited 50 minutes for a shrimp cocktail to show. Did find the crab melt very tasty."
Dined on 1/24/2014
"I was excited to go for the second time but was a bit disappointed in the service and my entree. We sat down and waited 10 min for anyone to come to our table. When we finally ordered it took almost 30 min to get our food and our entrees came before our appetizer, which the kitchen completely forgot about. The Porcini Mushroom Parpadelle was not at all what I expected. The leeks overwhelmed the pasta and made it difficult to really enjoy the pasta. I don't recommend anyone should order that dish. My first time at Per Diem was a lot more memorable and exciting."
Dined on 1/18/2014
"I was a little in doubt based on some reviews critiquing the service. Clearly, the restaurant has been reading the reviews and the did a great job. The cheese selection as appetizer was ok, not amazing. The wine selection is pretty good. The lasagna I had as entree, was amazing."
Dined on 1/18/2014
"The menu choices are great and our choices were delicious--PEI Mussels, Burrata with honey, Bucatini, Chcken Lasagne, Pappardelle. Per Diem's wait staff's timing was impeccable and they were great about checking with us without being intrusive. We were happy to be seated upstairs which has a warm, relaxed, and private-feeling ambience. The lower level bar scene is lively but on a Friday night would be too loud to enjoy an evening planned for good conversation."
Dined on 1/17/2014
"This is a great place in all regards. The food was fantastic, with great variety on the menu and several vegetarian options as well. I love that it is casual yet still really nice inside, with a good, fun atmosphere. Definitely recommend."
Dined on 1/11/2014
"After being seated, our order was not taken for 15 minutes. We actually had to ask the waitress to take our order. We had one hour for lunch. Our food took 30 minutes to arrive. When it did arrive, only 3 out of our party of 4 had their food. The 4th person's was delayed -- have no idea why as it was just a sandwich. Finally, with 5 minutes left of our lunch hour, our 4th person's food arrived and the rest of ours was cold since we politely waited for hers to arrive. To top it off, we were determined not to tip more than 10% which still would have been overly generous, but ended up tipping almost 20% just because each of us had to get going and could not even wait for change. We were very disappointed with this lunch visit."
Dined on 12/30/2013
"Divine, server have us exxxtra gravy. Bless his heart."
Dined on 12/27/2013
"Perfect place for business lunch! Food is very good, prices are reasonable and excellent ambiance!"
Dined on 12/17/2013
"It took an hour for us to get out apps. Then when we got our dishes, they weren't hot. Also the pappardelle dish was quite watery. We were so hungry we didn't care. The flan was disappointing"
Dined on 12/16/2013
"I was really hoping to be seated upstairs, in their library-themed area. The seating downstairs was at the tiny tables, close together with TALL bar stools. The sound level was rowdy, we could barely hear each other. Although the food (cioppino) was great, there was no excuse for how long it took to get it, nor for the long periods we went without the server checking on us. I'd only come back if I sat upstairs where it's quieter, and if I had more than just a business lunch hour to use."
Dined on 12/12/2013

More reviews ›

Reserve at Per Diem

Per Diem Details

Getting there

Related Links

Featured Cities

Popular

OpenTable