Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

We had some hiccups with our reservation and Absinthe was great and making the necessary changes to accommodate our group!

Baby’s first Coq au van! Outstanding.

Great food, drinks and experience!

Been going here for years and it provides consistent high quality service and delicious food.

My favorite place to have brunch before ballet, opera or concert. I usually bring new people to enjoy the wonderful food and ambiance.

Food was absolutely delicious, came out quickly, and ambiance was comfortable, classy, and romantic. This is an excellent spot if you're running on a schedule, perhaps to see a show. The waitress checked on us several times so we always had what we needed, but she never felt intrusive or interrupted conversation. The menu had yesterday's date printed on top and they seem to rotate items regularly. We had the crab scramble with a perfectly seasoned brioche, mushroom quiche that was exceptionally creamy, and brocilinni that was also perfect seasoned and delicious. I had their Brewed Awakening cocktail and loved it, if you're in the mood for a sweet treat. My only complaints are that the side salads had too much dressing for my tastes, and we wished they served complimentary bread at the start of the meal. Overall, I'd look forward to coming back.

Great from beginning to end. The Duck Liver Mousse was to die for. Coq Au Vin sauce was rich and delicious. Hard to find a bottle of wine in the two digit range but our server succeeded in finding a really good Pinot Noir. Our conversations with the server added to the fun of the evening.

We had a horrible server - she was terrible & forgot things & charged us for stuff we never got!

Shaved brussel sprout appetizer was not good. Very nice French onion soup and pretty good steak tartare--but all delivered to the table almost as if tossed onto it. A mistaken dessert order (had to be quick to get it taken back when delivered) and a few other misplays made the service almost unpleasant. Great ambiance for drinks at the bar, less so for dining.

Yet another incredible experience. The food, the ambiance, and service is always second to none. Thank You!

We had an excellent dinner before a performance. I had the bouillabaisse and the Brussels sprout salad and I would recommend them both. I do wish there were more wines on the list in the $100 range or below.

1 year anniversary dinner. We had our first meal as a couple here last year after a late morning City Hall ceremony. Your attention to detail then was wonderful and we had another wonderful experience this time. Thank you Absinthe!

Absinthe is one of the most consistent restaurant I have ever frequented. The food is always terrific, the service always friendly and attentive, and the space is cozy. I had the special pasta, which on this night was vegetarian, with peas and a lovely cream sauce. My husband had the beef bourguignon and it delivered as well. Highly recommended!

Exceptional modern food arising from the classics, created with delicious, innovative preparations and served in an elegant Belle Époque setting. One of the best and most beautiful restaurants in San Francisco. It is always a pleasure to be at Absinthe.

My wife had a hamburger. Hamburger in a high-end restaurant? Yes, and one of the best hamburgers she has ever eaten. Excellent beef, all of the trimmings perfect, many options.
I had a pasta with truffles and morels. Exquisite. The wine was a perfect pairing. Nice people around us. A couple at the next table brought two bottles of French champagne they had acquired in France. They drank from both and the staff tasted each bottle also. They shared with us, too. The 1985 Krug was outstanding and how nice to have complete strangers converse with you and share their wine. It was spectacular.
We love Absinthe as a dinner stop before the symphony. Only a two block walk.

Absinthe remains one our favorites. Here're a few things that could be improved.
1. coffee used to be very good but now is quite bad.
2. drinks are too expensive.
3. oso bucco should use lamb instead of pork

Food was excellent, service professional, a but noisy when it filled up.

My waiter was nice but forgetful. When I got my bill I noticed that he had given me the ribeye rather than the filet which I had ordered. I didn’t dispute this but I’ll be more careful next time.

Sooo good!!! Thank you!

Very good service food and atmosphere

The decor and design was as still fresh The service was professional, friendly and attentive from the host to servers. The Bordeaux, Red and White Burgundy wines by the glass paired well with the food and were delicious on their own. We were very pleased with the freshness and depth of flavor in the Brussels sprouts with burrata. The pork osso boco and Coq au vin were spot on. What's not to like about this Hayes Valley French classic that's nearly 2 decades old?

We have enjoyed dining at Absinthe for many years, whether brunch, lunch or dinner, often before or after a civic center performance. The atmosphere, food and service are always wonderful.

The service was stellar the first time we dined here, but not the second time, which was quite disappointing. But the food is still amazing!

Great location and good atmosphere

I have been toAbsinthe several time. Each time ambiance is very nice. The patrons are relaxed and happy.All employees are courteous. The French Onion Soup is excellent, one of the best in San Francisco. Everything else is disappointing.
Would recommend it for ambiance and French Onion Soup.

I always have good food prepared well, courteous service, and thoughtful people working each time.

Great food, fun atmosphere. Absinthe is in a classic old building but it's fun and vibrant. Food was excellent, service top notch. We'll for sure be coming back.

Our waitress was excellent, the food and wine delicious

We hated the first time we visited because of the service so we thought we would try it again.. TERRIBLE! The service was embarrassing. The first time we were spoken to was 23mins after sitting down and it was a guy offering us water. We received our food before our bottle of wine we ordered.

My grandkids love this place. We go for lunch before the symphony or ballet.

It’s okay. Not great. Tired decor, tired menu. Caesar salad wilted, too much anchovy. I would not recommend because its sooo expensive for what you get. A glass of seltzer $3.50, really!? Charging for refilling a coke, a very small coke to begin with, really!? No, would not recommend, will not return.

The duck confit ragout was amazing! Also the waiter was very cognizant of our show time which was great.

Great atmosphere; great service; great food; great experience

Great ambience, terrific service, fabulous meal - we will be back

We enjoyed an early dinner before the theater. Service was great and food was fresh and delicious. The cocktails were outstanding. I'd go back in a second.

I just didn't think the entrees and dessert was special/worth the price. Appetizers and salads were excellent.

We lived our server! He was attentive, nice, fun and excellent service.

Pre-Symphony - We were not rushed but still had plenty of time. Good service, delicious food...we were very pleased!

Outstanding French Onion Soup! This is a great place to dine before theater. The wait staff really paid attention to us and the food was delivered hot and oh so delicious.

The small dishes (onion soup, duck liver mousse) were impressive, yet my main dish (seafood stew, quite bland) disappointed me a little. Pretty good experience overall.