Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

Name: Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF
Address: 398 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94102
Telephone: (415) 551-1590
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7 (7454)

$31 to $50

French

398 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 17, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 29 times today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Good for special occasions

We are currently accepting reservations for lunch, brunch, and dinner.

Effective 09/26/2022:
Outdoor seating will not be available.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
French, Californian
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Wed–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(415) 551-1590
Website
http://www.absinthe.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Ian Begg

Location
398 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Cross street
Gough
Parking details
No valet. Street parking and nearby public lot located on Grove between Franklin and Gough.
Additional
Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Popular dishes

Soupe à L'Oignon$17.00
Onion Soup Gratinèe
Celery Root Soup$16.00
Bacon, Apple, Celery, Chive Puree
Roasted Beet & Apple Salad$17.00
Crispy Goat Cheese, Chicories, Pomegranate, Walnut Vinaigrette
Mixed Greens Salad$12.00
Pear Vinaigrette, Fines Herbs
Dungeness Crab Salad$29.00
Avocado Mousse, Creme Fraiche, Ruby Grapefuit, Tarragon

Plats Principaux

Quiche Lorraine$17.00
Bacon, Leek, Gruyère, Mixed Greens Salad
Pain Perdu French Toast$18.00
Pineapple Brulee, Brown Butter, Maple, Chantilly Cream
Eggs Benedict$23.00
Pain De Mie Toast, Spinach, Bacon, Crispy Potatoes
Salade Lyonnaise$21.00
Duck Confit, Soft-Cooked Egg, Mushroom, Frisee, Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
Petrale Sole Meuniere$37.00
Capers, Butter, Lemon, Turmeric, Potato Purée, Crispy Sage
Absinthe Black Truffle Cheeseburger$32.00
Half Pound Niman Ranch Beef Patty, Pt. Reyes Tomatruffle Cheese, Garlic Aioli, Grilled Onions, Chicories, Pommes Frites
Steak Frites$52.00
Grilled New York Strip Loin, Haricots Verts, Mizuna, Bordelaise, Bearnaise

Garnitures

Pommes Frites$12.00
Aioli, Ketchup
Warm Acme Roll$3.00
Whipped Butter with Sea Salt
Roasted Root Vegetables$15.00
Persillade
Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes$12.00
Duck Fat
Fruit Plate$12.00
Seasonal Selection of Fruit

What 7,454 people are saying

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco
French

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF offers an enchanting dining experience with "delicious food," "excellent service," and a "lovely atmosphere." Guests rave about the "fantastic cocktails" and the "wonderful ambiance." The menu features standout dishes like steak frites and duck, making it a "must-go restaurant" in San Francisco.

7,454 Reviews

S
Stacy
Orange County1 review
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Some of best service we’ve had; pressed tin ceilings, plush booth seating beneath mural; excellent oysters and shaved black truffles on frisée salad with mushrooms and duck; gorgeous cocktail and wine list (with option of partaking in absinthe itself). Cozy, moody and sophisticated French vibes, we loved it!
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B
Brian
Hawaii1 review
4.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
It was a very busy evening. The server had to cover a large number of tables, but he was accommodating and engaging when he could get to our table. We would have purchased more wine/cocktails if we had been approached.
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M
Manabu
San Francisco Bay Area9 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I always love this restaurant. The food and service is always excellent. If you want to avoid crowd, reserve your table after 7:00pm when many people finish dinner and head to various shows near by. Highly recommended!
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V
Vafa
New York City3 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absinthe was amazing. Food and drinks were fantastic, our server was knowledgeable and attentive. Loved the decor especially the mural. Definitely will remain on my list of must-go restaurants in SF.
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J
Jia VIP
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The owner was so kind and generous in comping the appetizers as we were there celebrating a milestone birthday.
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m
mark
Las Vegas2 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Reviews Gluten-free options are not marked on the menu, but our server was very knowledgeable about what could be made safely for me. We celebrated my birthday here last night. Ethan took great care of us - very knowledgeable about the menu and gluten-free options. He made the night very special with gifts of dessert and espresso. Our wine steward, Francisco was also very kind and helpful. Francisco even gave us two glasses of Burgundy Pinot Noir after we mentioned the other wine we had didn’t pair well with the beef tartare. Thank you Francisco.The beef tartare, beef bourguignon, and duck were beautifully presented and delicious. =============
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I
Isaac
San Francisco Bay Area41 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food and drinks were all perfectly prepared. Serving sizes were large. Server's advice was correct.
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B
Bobby
Las Vegas4 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We were is San Francisco for my wife’s birthday and a friend suggested we should visit this spot and we are very glad we did! The food was amazing and the staff was very friendly and helpful! Definitely will come back next time we are in this beautiful city!
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A
Amy VIP
San Francisco Bay Area6 reviews
5.0
Dined on July 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had the steak frites! Delicious, well-seasoned and lots of frites with aioli.
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R
Ramon
Chicago / Illinois5 reviews
1.0
Dined on June 27, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Ordered steak frites cooked medium well. It can rare. Sent it back and asked that it be cooked as requested. It came bank ten minutes later cold with a butter cube on top. The waiter didn’t check back. I ate the fries. The waiter must have said something because manager came to the table and offered to take it back to the kitchen to further cook the steak a third time. As he could see, my dinner partner had finished his main course. I was very annoyed and so I asked for the check. I’ve been eating at absinthe for some 10 years as a neighborhood restaurant I really enjoyed. Prices at yesterday’s dinner were not worth the price. $138 for an uncooked steak and a duck breast is a little more than one should pay for bad food and service.
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FAQs

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF is rated 4.7 stars by 7454 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 17, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 29 times today

Google Map for Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

398 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Additional information

Cross street
Gough
Neighborhood
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Wed–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Wed–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
French, Californian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
No valet. Street parking and nearby public lot located on Grove between Franklin and Gough.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Ian Begg
Additional
Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.absinthe.com/
Phone number
(415) 551-1590

Featured in

West Coast Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

West Coast Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Salade Lyonnaise

Eggs Benedict

Petrale Sole Meuniere

Fruits de Mer

Tsar Nicoulai Caviar$75.00

Oyster Selection$5.00

Chilled Mussels a L'Escabeche$15.00

Patisserie

Pistachio-Blackberry Croissant$9.00

Apple & Quince Poptart$8.00

Plats Premiers

Soupe à L'Oignon$17.00

Celery Root Soup$16.00

Roasted Beet & Apple Salad$17.00

Mixed Greens Salad$12.00

Dungeness Crab Salad$29.00

Plats Principaux

Quiche Lorraine$17.00

Pain Perdu French Toast$18.00

Eggs Benedict$23.00

Salade Lyonnaise$21.00

Petrale Sole Meuniere$37.00

Absinthe Black Truffle Cheeseburger$32.00

Steak Frites$52.00

Garnitures

Pommes Frites$12.00

Warm Acme Roll$3.00

Roasted Root Vegetables$15.00

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes$12.00

Fruit Plate$12.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF restaurant rated?

Is Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

West Coast Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day