Prelude at the Opera House - Lower Level

Name: Prelude at the Opera House - Lower Level
Address: 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94102
Telephone: (415) 861-8150
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 3.6

3.6

551 Reviews

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Charming
Good for special occasions
Lively

A night at the opera or ballet is an elegant event, deserving of a remarkable culinary experience. Our gorgeous setting offers an ideal environment for pre-performance or intermission dining at the War Memorial & Performing Arts Center.
We are located on the lower level of the War Memorial Opera House. Our menu is offered in buffet and à la carte format, keeping performance start time at the forefront for all visitors.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 14, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 15 times today

Experiences are available.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Continental, Californian
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–7:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
Phone number
(415) 861-8150
Website
http://www.ggcatering.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Alfonso Mis
Catering
Host your next event at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, and Global Gourmet Catering will create an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. Perfect for weddings, galas, corporate parties and pre- and post-performance events, this is San Francisco's premier choice for events of all sizes.

Location
301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhood
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Cross street
Franklin St. & Grove Street.
Parking details
Parking is available in several lots in the surrounding area. Please call lots for current hours and rates. Performing Arts Garage, *Patrons dining in the Opera House may enter through the North Carriage entrance of the Opera House (adjacent to the War Memorial courtyard) up to two hours prior to curtain.
Public transit
For transit directions, visit 511.org or call 511.<br />Entering the Opera with a restaurant reservation? Please enter at the north side of the building at the carriage entrance.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Tristan and Isolde: Harmony Feast Prix-Fixe Menu
$89.00 per person
Prepaid
Oct 19 - Nov 5, 2024
Available for Tristan and Isolde Performances Only: Oct. 19, 23, 26, 27 and Nov. 1 & 5 Package Per Person Includes: 1 Glass of Wine, Prix- Fixe Dinner, and Dessert Price Includes Tax and Gratuity. **You must Check in at your selected Reservation time, to Confirm your table for the Evening*** ~Check in at Host Stand before the show to Place Your Order, Confirm Your Table & Receive Your Glass Of Wine ~1st intermission: Your Chosen Dinner will be ready at your assigned table ~2nd intermission: Coffee and Dessert will be ready at your table Please see Tristan and Isolde: Harmony Feast Prix-Fixe Menu for more details

Join us in a Harmony Feast!
Available for Tristan and Isolde Performances Only: Oct. 19, 23, 26, 27 and Nov. 1 & 5
Prior To Beginning Of Show:
Check in at the host stand and confirm your table & Receive Your Glass of wine
1st intermission:
Your Chosen Dinner will be ready at your assigned table
2nd intermission:
Coffee and Dessert will be ready at your table
Chicken Harmony Feast
Grilled Chicken Harvest Pumpkin Bowl~Pumpkin, Quinoa, Spinach, Pomegranate Seeds, Candied Pecans, Red Onion, Balsamic Reduction, Topped With Grilled Chicken. ~Paired with: C3 Tart~Chocolate Tart With Fudge Caramel, Chocolate Ganache And Maldon Salt
Shrimp Harmony Feast
Grilled Shrimp Butternut Squash Bowl~Butternut Squash, Green Lentils, Arugula, Roasted Garlic, Toasted Sunflower Seeds, Lemon Tahini Dressing, Grilled Shrimp. Paired with: C3 Tart~Chocolate Tart With Fudge Caramel, Chocolate Ganache And Maldon Salt
Vegetarian Harmony Feast
Autumn Wild Rice And Mushroom Bowl~Wild Rice, Portobello Mushrooms, Kale, Almonds, Cranberries, Thyme Vinaigrette. ~Paired with: Seasonal Fruit Plate~Honeycrisp Apples, Bartlett Pears, Concord Grapes, Fuyu Persimmons, Pomegranate Seeds

What 551 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

3.6

3.6 based on recent ratings

3.5Food
3.8Service
3.7Ambience
3.2Value

Noise • Moderate

1,871 Reviews

S
Shannon
San Francisco
25 reviews
vip
3.0
25 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
We had the buffet dinner and found the salads were excellent but the main entrees were a bit overcooked although the sauces on them were tasty.
Is this helpful?
T
Taco
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Prelude is soo underrated, it baffles me!! It’s very surprising that opera goers are not taking advantage of this venue to have a relaxing evening and experience. This is definitely our go-to place if the opera has two intermissions! The staff at Prelude is extremely accommodating, setting aside your order and coursing it out throughout the evening! My husband and I ordered à la carte so we enjoyed the salad before the performance, shared an entree during the 1st intermission (we recommend the tuna tartare) and cheeses and coffee for the 2nd intermission! Totally civilized and beyond relaxing! We even brought our own wine (with a steep $40 corkage), yet they were so kind enough to provide a lil’ sippy cup so you can bring it inside the venue during the performance. It may have added an additional $150 to our evening, but frankly that’s the average price for two in a Hayes Valley restaurants (without the mad rush). Opera goers should definitely consider dining here to help support the SF Opera staff and community!
Is this helpful?
d
david
San Francisco
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food selection on buffet was outstanding, tender and tasty chicken, ribeye carving station perfectly done. Salads were especially good!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 30, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
I usually skip meals before the opera, but it was Pride Parade Day and I wanted to be there early. The food was fine. The service was slow. It's a bit expensive. This has been my experience on the rare occasions that I do eat here. However, not a bad experience and I love that I'm right there at the Opera House in time for the performance.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Palm Springs
4 reviews
1.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 29, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Very slow. We placed our order and when it was served we were missing an item. The waiter told us we didn’t order it. We did. Grapes on our cheese plate were moldy
Is this helpful?
p
pags
New York City
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 29, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Overpriced but rigidly inflexible. Some dishes very good while others are of very poor quality
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on June 27, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Arrived 20 min late for a reservation, but 40 min before performance. No waiter ever came to take our order for 20+ min. We ate a small plate from the buffet then left 10 min before the show. Multiple people told us they were not a waiter, but they would get one. Strange
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
5 reviews
1.0
5 reviews
Dined on June 27, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 1
Save your money and go elsewhere. This place has almost nothing to redeem it. It took 15 minutes to get seated even with a reservation. The menu is unimpressive and very very expensive. The food was mediocre at best. The only thing to recommend it is convenience to the opera. It’s sad that the opera can’t provide a better experience for its patrons.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Yosemite
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our dinners were waiting when we sat down. Everything was so fresh and absolutely delicious. We had time to eat and talk, enjoy the meal with the lovely ambience, and still make it to the lecture prior to the opera in plenty of time. Thank you for a most enjoyable evening! We will return.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 23, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Rusty was an attentive server answering questions. The OpenTable restricted available times confused us. We would have planned to eat more there had times been earlier. There were plenty of empty tables ... unknown if not enough servers or people did not come etc. Planning for intermission was the best as we had a seat with drinks ready for us.
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Prelude at the Opera House - Lower Level is rated 3.6 stars by 551 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 14, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 15 times today

Experiences are available.

Google Map for Prelude at the Opera House - Lower Level

301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Franklin St. & Grove Street.
Neighborhood
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
Hours of operation
Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–7:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Continental, Californian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Parking is available in several lots in the surrounding area. Please call lots for current hours and rates. Performing Arts Garage, *Patrons dining in the Opera House may enter through the North Carriage entrance of the Opera House (adjacent to the War Memorial courtyard) up to two hours prior to curtain.
Public transit
For transit directions, visit 511.org or call 511.Entering the Opera with a restaurant reservation? Please enter at the north side of the building at the carriage entrance.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Alfonso Mis
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.ggcatering.com/
Phone number
(415) 861-8150
Catering
Host your next event at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, and Global Gourmet Catering will create an unforgettable experience for you and your guests. Perfect for weddings, galas, corporate parties and pre- and post-performance events, this is San Francisco's premier choice for events of all sizes.

Prelude at the Opera House - Lower Level

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Tristan and Isolde: Harmony Feast Prix-Fixe Menu

Menu

Experiences: Tristan and Isolde: Harmony Feast Prix-Fixe Menu

Join us in a Harmony Feast!

Prior To Beginning Of Show:

1st intermission:

2nd intermission:

Chicken Harmony Feast

Shrimp Harmony Feast

Vegetarian Harmony Feast

What 551 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

How is Prelude at the Opera House - Lower Level restaurant rated?

Is Prelude at the Opera House - Lower Level currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information