Per Diem

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Address:
43 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94104

Neighborhood:
Financial District / Embarcadero

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Cuisine:
American

Price: $30 and under

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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

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

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Diner Reviews

"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
"The space is very of the moment, recycled material, banquets and bar eating with lots of light from the street, slightly tough to find due to the Montgomery Street buildings dominating the block so the numbering is tough to follow. 12.30 reservation was greeted at check in with "we are just waiting for the table", as in waiting fro the 11.30 to turn? and a 20 minute wait which if it had been a quick lunch would have been a disaster. Finally sat at banquet which was nice but still took another 10 minutes for drink order, again this maybe ok in the evening but seriously, at lunchtime? So food is limited but what they do they do well, unimaginative but hits some of the trendy dishes - marrow bone, check, pizzetta, check, squash bisque, check."
Dined on 12/11/2013
"Hungry in San Francisco Restaurant was very accomodating and the service and food were spot on. I will take other clients of mine there who appreciate good food and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere."
Dined on 12/11/2013
"Though the food was delicious and the staff friendly, we had to wait 45 minutes for our lunch to come. Nothing was compted, and even the bread came with our food rather than after ordering. We were not on a time crunch for lunch, but 45 min with no food is unacceptable."
Dined on 12/4/2013
"We found this restaurant on OpenTable mobile app for a dining experience near our hotel in San Francisco. It was within walking distance from Union Square/Chinatown area. We found the place to be very cozy and and elegant with a décor second to none. The service was superb - our server always had a smile on her face. Our food was just perfect and served our purpose for our first meal in San Francisco. We will return again and again to enjoy the ambiance and a meal."
Dined on 11/23/2013
"We got there 15 minutes before the restaurant was suppose to open. Asked the hostess if we can sit at a table while we wait since no one else was there. She said no so we had to go next door to the coffee shop. She was not friendly at all. Also i thought she didn't look very professional for a nice restaurant in the financial district. We came back 15 mintues on the dot later and was seated upstairs. It took a good 25 minute before our food came out. Had to ask our server where our food was. His explanation was there was a lot of tickets in the kitchen. Overall, the food was excellent but the service from the staff was deeply lacking."
Dined on 11/26/2013
"We enjoyed our meal - loved meeting Matt, the chef. The food was delicious and everyone enjoyed all aspects. The dining room upstairs is very comfortable with a very loud bar downstairs. If you are working downtown and want a nice place to go, Per Diem is the place!"
Dined on 11/22/2013
"Met here for drinks & apps. We were told there was a 45 min wait for a table. We hovered around the very crowded, small bar. Drinks were average (price & quality). When we got tired o waiting, we checked opentable an found there were plenty of reservation spots available. We made a reservation and 10 minutes later we were seated. Food was good. Had various appetizers an the nettle pizza. Wish there had been more nettle, but it was tasty anyway."
Dined on 11/19/2013
"No complaints. Both food and service were excellent. Local cheese plate was really good."
Dined on 11/19/2013
"The staff was attentive, the food tasty, and I liked the decor. Prompt, courteous, and professional."
Dined on 11/15/2013
"Came here for lunch and the bucatini did not disappoint. Good service, attentive and though a bit noisy, I liked the look and feel of the place. Would definitely come back to try a couple of more items on the menu."
Dined on 11/13/2013
"I really do love this place. it has a classic San Francisco vibe to it with wood beams and leather chairs. The food is fantastic and the service and ambiance is great. It can get a little crowded so the noise level can get up there, but not too high that you can't have a conversation. This is a great place to entertain clients. Reservation is strongly recommended!"
Dined on 11/8/2013
"Got an order wrong, took 20 minutes to get salt and pepper, never checked in during the meal - need I say more? Terrible service, which detracted from the passably good food. Not my first time there, but perhaps my last. Hosted 8 people for lunch, perhaps for the last time"
Dined on 11/7/2013
"This was my third time to Per Diem and it was a great experience yet again. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly, the food was great quality and delicious, the décor is great as well!"
Dined on 11/4/2013
"Per Diem is an attractive and interesting place for lunch with friends or business colleagues. Eclectic menu, interesting dishes, reasonable prices, friendly staff. The tables on the second floor are a bit cramped. Noise level is moderate enough to have a conversation, but close quarters with the diners next to you."
Dined on 10/31/2013

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