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1601 Bar & Kitchen, San Francisco, CA

1601 Bar & Kitchen

4.6
4.6
341 Reviews
$31 to $50
Sri Lankan
1601 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

About this restaurant

  • Innovative
  • Romantic
  • Good for special occasions
1601 Bar & Kitchen is a small, independent, husband and wife owned and ran casual fine dining restaurant, operating since 2013. The atmosphere is intimate and comfortable for conversation, while the noise level is low.

Chef Brian Fernando refers to his interpretations of Sri Lankan cuisine as ‘Californian Sri Lankan.' We strive to get imaginative with Sri Lankan recipes and spices in Californian context. We work with environmentally-conscious purveyors.

Our cuisine is aromatic and vibrant, offering both mild and spicy items. We offer a very popular multi-course Chef’s tasting menu accompanied by optional beverage pairings that usually takes 1,5-2 hours for 2 guests. We also offer an à la carte menu of small and large dishes. The most ordered are the egg hopper, smoked salmon, okra, and the curries. Our menu always contains gluten free and vegetarian items. Children are welcome to order from our regular menu; we do not offer a kids's menu. Parking is easy.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Sri Lankan, Fusion / Eclectic, Dining Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 552-1601
  • Website
    http://www.1601sf.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Brian Fernando
  • Catering
    Please contact us with catering inquiries, 415-552-1601 or write to info@1601sf.com
  • Private party facilities
    1601 Bar & Kitchen offers a private room (up to 14 guests), a semi-private communal table (up to 12 guests), or the entire restaurant buyout (up to 49 guests).
  • Location
    1601 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
  • Neighborhood
    SOMA
  • Cross street
    12th Street
  • Parking details
    Easy street parking, no meters after 6pm. A garage available within a block, (closes at midnight)
  • Public transit
    Muni: Metro-Van Ness & Market, Bus 47 & 49: Van Ness & MissionBART-Civic Center
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 341 people are saying

1601 Bar & Kitchen reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.6
4.6 based on all time ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 3.4Value

Noise • Moderate

341 Reviews

  1. jeffk VIP

    San Francisco4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 11, 2020

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very nice experience! ❤️

    Is this helpful?

  2. GeorginaR VIP

    San Francisco20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 8, 2020

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love your food!

    Is this helpful?

  3. AndrewM

    San Francisco6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 1, 2020

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We very much enjoyed the unique dishes, the evening in general, and ambiance of the back room. The restaurant is small and so only the back room guards against to unpleasant rush of cold when the front door is open (I’m sure not a concern once winter is past). Our servers were very attentive and minded closely our need to make an 8pm symphony.

    Is this helpful?

  4. OpenTable Diner VIP

    San Francisco2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on February 16, 2020

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Theee plus hours and $400+ for an average meal with below average service for two people. Had high hopes but was left with much wanting. They tried but missed the mark.

    Is this helpful?

  5. AakashA

    San Francisco1 review

    2.0

    Dined on February 15, 2020

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    $310 for a pre fixe valentine's day meal, which was 3 course of microscopic small plates, 1 main course of plain rice and curry and yougrt and the worst chocolate dessert i ever had.

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago1 review

    2.0

    Dined on February 15, 2020

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very pricey for the food

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  7. Jooo VIP

    Dublin3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on February 15, 2020

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Maybe it was because it was valentines night but the food was just ok and as nice as the servers were it was still a little disappointing not to have information on the food or offer of coffee before dessert was brought to us.

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  8. ZenMaster VIP

    San Francisco28 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on February 9, 2020

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was "ok" and I found that it lacked sufficient flavour and spices, especially for the price charged. We were 8 of us and my view was pretty much shared by all. I would not recommend for the prices that they charge.

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  9. CarlosS

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 8, 2020

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It's a fantastic quiet sit-down restaurant to catch up with friends, or just enjoy a comfortable evening with your date. The plates are moderate in size, and they accommodate the menu to different diets and gluten-free individuals.

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  10. AlexandraM

    San Francisco4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 2, 2020

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely wonderful. Everything from the ambiance, to the staff, to the actual menu. We had a great time and will definitely be going back.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

1601 Bar & Kitchen is rated 4.6 stars by 341 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing
Google Map for 1601 Bar & Kitchen

1601 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

Additional information

  • Cross street
    12th Street
  • Neighborhood
    SOMA
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–9:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Sri Lankan, Fusion / Eclectic, Dining Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Easy street parking, no meters after 6pm. A garage available within a block, (closes at midnight)
  • Public transit
    Muni: Metro-Van Ness & Market, Bus 47 & 49: Van Ness & MissionBART-Civic Center
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Brian Fernando
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.1601sf.com/
  • Phone number
    (415) 552-1601
  • Catering
    Please contact us with catering inquiries, 415-552-1601 or write to info@1601sf.com
  • Private party facilities
    1601 Bar & Kitchen offers a private room (up to 14 guests), a semi-private communal table (up to 12 guests), or the entire restaurant buyout (up to 49 guests).
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