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Mezzanine Private Dining Space - Foreign Cinema, San Francisco, CA

Foreign Cinema

4.8 (8965)
$31 to $50
Californian
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110

Make a reservation

2 people
10:00 PM
Booked 107 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Lively
Foreign Cinema is a one-of-a-kind, nationally acclaimed restaurant blending independent films with California-Mediterranean cuisine. Enjoy a stylish indoor dining room with a full bar and fireplace, or relax in our heated and covered outdoor courtyard where 35mm film screenings begin at dusk.

For those seeking a more intimate experience, our private dining options include the mezzanine, amate terrace, and gallery, thoughtfully curated by Modernism West. Our vibrant DJ/live music bar, Laszlo, serves craft cocktails, zero-proof options, a full dinner menu, and lively tunes to end your night.

We are currently accepting reservations for both the heated and covered outdoor patio and indoor dining up to 60 days in advance. Standard seating refers to indoor dining. For groups of 9 or more, please reach out to our private dining department at janine@foreigncinema.com for booking details.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Mediterranean
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 648-7600 ext. 0
  • Website
    http://www.foreigncinema.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Gayle Pirie & John Clark
  • Private party facilities
    We provide distinctive private dining spaces for up to 350 guests, from intimately sized cocktail events, to large, formal seated events. Our chefs personalize each menu, matching, seasonal and market availability with guests’ special preferences.Inquire via email, janine@foreigncinema.com
  • Private party contact
    Janine Jacobson: (415) 648-7600 ext. 124
  • Location
    2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110
  • Neighborhood
    Mission District
  • Cross street
    Between 21st and 22nd Streets
  • Parking details
    We recommend parking at the Bartlett Garage located on 21st St between Valencia and Mission.
  • Public transit
    MUNI: 14 Mission bus; BART: 16th & 24th/Mission station; Mission-Bartlett Garage: 3255 21st Street San Francisco, CA 94110
  • Entertainment
    We show a film starting at dusk only in the outdoor patio dining room. This is to provide a lovely ambiance, dialogue is not audible. While we take into consideration all requests for courtyard seating none are guaranteed.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • Guest Chef Series: Jeremiah Tower

    Sep 25, 2025 only
    Our Guest Chef Series is a collaboration with remarkable chefs who have made their mark in San Francisco Bay Area culinary history. Let's bring back the alchemy of Stars, the legendary San Francisco dining institution led by Chef Jeremiah Tower, where he defined California cuisine. Join us to experience and taste the memorable flavors of these distinguished culinary leaders. These are non-ticketed events with an à la carte menu.
    Guest Chef Series: Jeremiah Tower Photo

Private dining

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Menu

Foreign Cinema's menu was last updated on 2/1/2022.

View menu on restaurant's website

What 8,965 people are saying

Foreign Cinema 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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Francisco

    Californian

  • San Francisco

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Foreign Cinema, nestled in the Mission District, offers a unique dining experience with "beautifully executed" dishes and a "warm and unpretentious" service. Guests rave about its "amazing ambiance" featuring vintage films, and the courtyard seating is a favorite. It's perfect for special occasions or a leisurely brunch.
8,965 Reviews

  1. Patrick VIP

    Seattle / Eastern Washington1 review

    1.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Worst restaurant we’ve dined at in SF. Very very poor value

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  2. jill

    New York City28 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Sophisticated and unique: Inside dining room is sophisticated, fabulous flower arrangements, good food and leisurely pace. Outside dining is noisier, younger, dogs welcome with art films shown on a wall----very fun!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Michael VIP

    Chicago / Illinois5 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    One of the toughest, chewiest and undercooked $74 ribeyes I’ve ever had—simply terrible at any cost, a total disappointment. That said, the Spanish octopus appetizer was very good with an excellent combination of interesting and complimentary flavors. Service was slow and seemingly disinterested at times, but in the end, adequate and relatively pleasant. On the last note, the two young ladies manning the hostess stand were wonderful, however and through no fault of their own, there sweet and attentive demeanors weren’t enough to forgive the horrifying steak. Won’t be returning or recommending FC with so many superior choices in San Fran.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Maria

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    We forgot about the San Francisco weather and it got quite chilly.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Leigh

    Denver / Colorado1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Foreign Cinema was one of the most unique dining experiences I’ve had in a long time! Food was delicious, drinks were amazing, the movie was the cherry on top of a great night. Highly recommend to any movie and foodie fan.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Yiyi VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Service at this restaurant is generally warm and welcoming, however it can be a bit inconsistent and you might be unfortunate enough to get someone who acts like they are doing you a favor by performing their job.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Carly

    Orlando / Central Florida East4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a group and the service did a great job pacing us but also letting us chat to catch up. Solid food and drinks!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Planet

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Really enjoyed our dinner, staff was helpful and attentive, but not overbearing. Food was delicious! Particularly enjoyed the salad with figs and mozarella as well as the goat cheese cheesecake- maybe one of the best things I've eaten in the past few months!

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  9. Beth VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is fresh, perfectly flavored and scrumptious. The waitstaff is outstanding (couldn't be better)! The decor is fresh and comfortable.

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  10. Stu VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area56 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We went for brunch on a Sunday. Everything was great. It’s so nice to go to a restaurant that has been around for a long time because they know how to make great food and provide great service. Foreign Cinema has been successful for many years because they do all the little things flawlessly. The tuna ceviche was probably the best I’ve ever had. We also had the pastrami sandwich. It was incredible, although I’d call it more of a brisket sandwich than the type of pastrami I know when I used to work at a kosher deli in NY. Bottom line: it was delicious. The service was professional. I’m glad we chose Foreign Cinema.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Foreign Cinema offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 648-7600 ext. 0.

Foreign Cinema is rated 4.8 stars by 8965 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Mission District

Make a reservation

2 people
10:00 PM
Booked 107 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Foreign Cinema

2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Between 21st and 22nd Streets
  • Neighborhood
    Mission District
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Mediterranean
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    We recommend parking at the Bartlett Garage located on 21st St between Valencia and Mission.
  • Public transit
    MUNI: 14 Mission bus; BART: 16th & 24th/Mission station; Mission-Bartlett Garage: 3255 21st Street San Francisco, CA 94110
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Gayle Pirie & John Clark
  • Entertainment
    We show a film starting at dusk only in the outdoor patio dining room. This is to provide a lovely ambiance, dialogue is not audible. While we take into consideration all requests for courtyard seating none are guaranteed.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.foreigncinema.com/
  • Phone number
    (415) 648-7600 ext. 0
  • Private party facilities
    We provide distinctive private dining spaces for up to 350 guests, from intimately sized cocktail events, to large, formal seated events. Our chefs personalize each menu, matching, seasonal and market availability with guests’ special preferences.Inquire via email, janine@foreigncinema.com
  • Private party contact
    Janine Jacobson: (415) 648-7600 ext. 124

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