Hillstone

I've been here so many times, and I absolutely love this place! The service is top-notch every time, the ambiance is wonderful, and the food is fantastic. I have a ton of favorites here, including the barbecue ribs, French dip Au Jud, Macho salad, clam chowder, and their Sunday specials. Highly recommend this restaurant! 06/10/24 recently came in to have a dinner. Ordered French dip and cheeseburger. Everything was delicious as usual.

Consistently high quality food, however portion sizes over time have reduced greatly (for a main 5 small sliced pieces of meat is insane) at same time that prices have risen unreasonably. $40+ for an artichoke appetizer is outrageous. Great service and wonderful key lime pie!

Enjoyed a nice afternoon lunch with my 4yo son after a trip to Alcatraz. Was beautiful to sit outside in the patio, drank some delicious beer, and really enjoyed my burger. Something about it really hit the spot: perfectly cooked, nice portions, and it didn’t fall apart. One of the better burgers I’ve had in a long time. Kiddo also loved his focaccia as well. Would come back again! Oh one thing: Not super kid friendly. They don’t have high chairs or booster seats.

Absolutely Excellent in every way, me and my boyfriend were looking for a quick bite to eat before our Alcatraz tour. The staff are extremely talented! We were greeted with a genuine welcome as soon as we entered. I communicated that we had a tour in 50 minutes and our waiter Joseph assured us we will be very good on time. His warm personality helped calm me down as I was slightly on edge about time. He took our orders swiftly and within just a few minutes our entire order was ready. The food was amazing, fresh and well portioned. The prices were a great value especially factoring in the top tier service. Joseph was amazing so calm and collective with all of our requests, if I would rate his service skills he is in the guru category! We were able to finish in perfect timing while having a comfortable relaxing experience. If you see this Joseph you keep on shining, and thank you Hillstone for your amazing experience you gave us. <3

Nice place to get away from the overcrowded areas along the Wharf. I got the French dip, and the kale salad. My girlfriend got the cheeseburger and fries. I also had an Old Fashioned and she had a glass of rosé. We were very full when we left, and would definitely go back. We spent about $125 and it seems worth it. San Francisco on the Embarcadero, after all.

Fantastic appetizers - guacamole was ridiculously good and calamari was lightly breaded and perfectly cooked. Chopped tuna tartare was a bit overdone with onion, but still tasty. And of course the chocolate sundae dessert is the perfect ending. Waitstaff is awesome.

Fast, friendly, high quality service. Food is amazing. Can get busy. Limited menu but everything they offer is outstanding. Vegetarian options (the veggie burger is great!).

I would have to argue that this is the best restaurant to visit for lunch before going on the Alcatraz tour, as it is just across from Pier 33. It was hubby’s birthday, and the French dip is one of his favorite dishes, so Hillstone was the perfect choice. The beef was so juicy and tender, with ample portions of au jus. The sundae with chocolate sauce was a nice, light finish to such a hearty and substantial meal. My favorite part was the beautiful and spacious dining area. It was great to get off our feet and enjoy lunch in a relaxing atmosphere before going on a hectic 6-hour walking tour! We look forward to recreating this day the next time we visit SF.

Yummy! This place is great! The waiter the hostess the food!! You name it! Everything delicious and always consistent as far as taste and quality! I love this place! This location is beautiful accross from the bay and the entrance to the boat service to take you to Alcatraz Lovely....we will be back

I'll start with the good things. We were seated quickly, the server was energetic and friendly, and it had a calm ambiance (good for family gatherings, friend groups, or dates). The food, though, was not great and was expensive for what it was. I ordered the deviled eggs appetizer and rotisserie chicken with potatoes colcannon (mashed potatoes with green onions and lots of butter). For 3 halves of an egg, it was $8 (why not 4 to complete the 2 eggs, so random). Then I asked the server if the chicken was a 1/2 chicken, to which she replied "Yes." I received my meal, and it was a leg and breast. That's only 2 pieces out of the 4 that come in a half chicken. I explained this to the server, and she said, "That's how it usually comes." So either she doesn't know that it's only 2 pieces, or they shorted me. The potatoes were mediocre, to say the least. My family had other meals, including the pork tenderloin, French dip sandwich, and Asian noodle salad. We all left unsatisfied. Every place has bad days, I guess, but based on this experience, I'd say save your money.

The interior setting was nice, but won't return for these reasons: 1) Was told a 30 minute wait for a party of six, but it passed and told another 30 minutes for either indoor or outdoor. After an hour plus and went to ask again, told another 15 minutes and only outdoor seating or wait another 1.5 hrs! Truly was yanked around on the wait time 2) What was not told - the outdoor tables can't be moved so our group was separated into two separate tables. If we were told this in the beginning, we would have left long time ago. And, all of their Heaters on the umbrella provided heat only to two people out of four with every table. This is rather an uncaring set-up for their customers. So we froze while we ate the food... 3) Bar - could not get any of the four bartender's attention to place our order. They're too busy at their own tasks and never looking at sides at customers

Love the addition to the menu. Each restaurant seems to have a locally sourced item unique to its' location. I love that.

Hillstone is a safe go-to if you looking for a glass of wine with a great view. Service is great and the food is tasty.

First time dining at Hillstone and had an amazing meal! We were a party of three and my two friends are regulars here. They spoke highly of Hillstone, so I was excited to eat here based on their praises. The verdict? AMAZING! Definitely exceeded my expectations from the food, to the service, to the overall vibe of the establishment. If you're looking for a good eat in this area of the city, don't look much further than Hillstone. I took 100% of my friends' recommendations for my order. We shared the grilled artichokes for an appetizer and I had the USDA Prime Famous French Dip with their infamous french fries. Both were fantastic! This was my first time having artichokes this way, and everything about it was perfection. The smokiness from the grill complemented the artichoke so well. If they have this item on the menu, I definitely recommend adding it to your order. The French Dip was one of the best I've had. The meat was tender and flavorful even before the au jus. The fries are worth all the hype. They were the perfect side to the meal. (They are so particular about their fries, they won't even let you order them to go.) Hillstone made a strong first impression. Everything about the meal was extraordinary. I'm looking forward to my next visit for another round of grilled artichokes and to try more off of their menu.

I've been here so many times, and I absolutely love this place! The service is top-notch every time, the ambiance is wonderful, and the food is fantastic. I have a ton of favorites here, including the barbecue ribs, French dip Au Jud, Macho salad, clam chowder, and their Sunday specials. Highly recommend this restaurant!

Favorite restaurant. A go to place for date night. Great food. Great "adult beverage" selection. If you're looking to "score" after dinner. Go here.

Hillstone's is definitely a place I would recommend to anyone- bring that special someone (family, friend or a date) for stellar service, great food and ambiance. I first came here on Mothers Day to treat my Mom for brunch. Although there is PLENTY of indoor and outdoor seating (as well as at the bar), I highly suggest making a reservation to secure your spot because it's a very popular place. On this visit we had: MOM- Apricot glazed chicken, Caesar salad and a side of broccolini with parmesan. No complaints from Mom- she loved the flavor of the chicken. ME- Off the menu item of salmon salad. Salmon atop a bed of greens with avocado chunks, crispy onions, grapefruit slices (yum) and a nice tangy dressing. The salmon was a bit too undercooked for me so they were nice enough to cook it to medium for me. And it was light and delicious! We also ordered fries because well that's how Mom and I roll. The fries come with homemade dipping sauces (we had a garlic ranch that was so good) and the fries are so well seasoned you don't need to add anything to them. Although they do come served with the restaurant's secret seasoning blend. My 2nd visit was for a friends birthday. We had: FRIEND- French dip sammie with au jus and fries. ME: Grilled rainbow trout with fried rock shrimp and the infamous fries. Oh my! The portion was enough for two meals but it was so dang good- I kept eating and of course we could NOT put down the fries. Order them- you won't be disappointed. We also had spinach dip- it was made to order and another cannot stop eating item. LOL Do yourself a favor and make a reservation. Afterwards, walk it off by the Pier and the water. Oh plenty of street and public parking across the street. Thank me later!

I would recommend this restaurant again and again! I came here with a friend this weekend to have dinner since we both have not been to this restaurant and heard wonderful things about it. Made a reservation online for around 6:45 PM which was pretty easy to do. Once at the restaurant I was impressed with the ambiance, which gave a high end type of vibe. We were welcomed by the friendly faces of the hosts and waiters and waitresses. Specifically shoutout to our hostess, Alyssa, and our waitress, Annabelle! They were both really friendly, very knowledgeable about the menu and had great food recommendations on the menu! They were extra attentive with our needs and overall a pleasure to interact with. On top of the great service, the food was stellar. My friend and I decided to split the each of the items on the menu since we wanted to try a variety of things. The restaurant is a bit pricey, but it is definitely worth it. I provided my thoughts on each of the items below: Caesar salad: 4.5/5! I've been craving a Casear salad for weeks and this definitely satisfied my craving! It was great, however it had more of a vinegar taste compared to a traditional Caesar dressing. We decided not to get chicken with the salad since it was $6 extra, but I feel like this would have changed my rating to a 5/5 if I would have added it. Spinach and Artichoke Dip: 5/5! This was the best spinach and artichoke dip and they provided the dip with a side of sour cream and salsa. They do provide more chips if you ask for it. Overall this was one of my favorite things I ordered here. Famous French Dip Au Jus: 5/5! Never having a French dip sandwich and initially confused with the sauce that I had to dip it in. It was delicious and very filling! Came with fries and the fries were delicious also! Also, we ordered wine and it was delicious! I felt like the wine was reasonably priced based on the amount that we got. Overall this place was delicious and I will definitely be back!

This is my favorite restaurant in San Francisco hands down! The bartenders and servers are the best and give you the best experience and service every single time and I come at least once a week! The food is top notch. I have tried almost everything on the menu and never been disappointed, but I normally order the bbq ribs with coleslaw and French fries as my entree. The ribs are the best anywhere! Appetizers I normally go with the prawns, spinach artichoke dip with chips or the deviled eggs. Can't go wrong with any of those! The drinks are always excellent! The location is awesome it's right on the pier and is a very classy place inside and out! I highly recommend this spot to anyone who hasn't been. Everyone I bring always loves this place like I do.

Hillstone never disappoints! We enjoyed lunch today with our one year old. Always greeted warmly. We started with cocktails, enjoyed grilled artichokes, the french dip with french fries and coleslaw. I've been coming to Hillstone restaurants since I was my son's age and between excellent service, consistently delicious food and cozy ambiance no denying the experience and meal will always be lovely.

I can't do Hillstones anymore. While I won't claim nativity (I reserve the born and raised nomenclature to those who have survived it), I have lived here for over 4 decades. Like many, I was here when it was Houston's, when the smell of the fire, the whisking by of the waitresses that seemed to be from another era, Anchor Steam on tap, the jazz band in the background, and the perfectly lit essence of the restaurant transported you to a different world, if only for an hour or two. Gatsby's garden parties had nothing on Houston's of years gone by. I remember when the Veggie burger went up to $10 way back when. Couscous covered the plate with little regard for saving a dime or two . My only complaint was that every dessert (key lime pie excluded) had mandatory walnuts. Veggie burgers are brushing up against $25 now, and as a new waitress explained to me, the smattering of couscous on the plate was "the required portion". *Sigh* But I think what did it for us was the health care charge. Ok, ya got me with the prices for the experience- up, up, and away. I never leave less than a generous tip, because I've spent 10 years of my life in the service industry, I tip because it feels good, in fact it feels great. But that health care charge. I know it's not a lot, but for me it's the straw that broke the camel's back. Our waitress gleefully explained how great it was. I guess the glee was supposed to be contagious. I'm sorry she was put in that position. Do I still go? It's been a while. If you have a first date with someone, go, have fun. It's not like it once was, but it's there. I go by from time to time on nights with my dog on a walk. Sounds busy enough. But it's sad when you knew what it once was- it's not that anymore.

My daughter and I had a full day in SF, beer and watching the 49ers trounce the Eagles at 21st Amendment Brew Pub followed by dinner at Hillstone then the Depeche Mode concert at The Chase Center. As we were going after dinner to the concert we decided on a very good place without getting too fancy. Hillstone was the perfect choice, very comfortable laid back atmosphere, very good food and as it turned out excellent service. Had a 5:30 reservation and were promptly seated in a nice booth. Lots of choices for food and drink here, the menu concentrates on American classics skillfully prepared. We started with a couple of appetizers and shared. SPINACH & ARTICHOKE DIP warm tortilla chips and CAESAR SALAD baby gem romaine with grated Reggiano, rustic croutons and our eggless Caesar dressing. Both were excellent, full of flavor and large portions. For entrees we had the CHEESEBURGER freshly ground, with tomato, onion, lettuce and melted cheddar, also the KNIFE & FORK BARBECUE RIBS served with French fries and creamy coleslaw. Huge burger cooked a perfect medium and the ribs were truly knife and fork, very tender. For drinks we each had a glass of wine during dinner. Service was friendly and helpful throughout dinner. We were a little early for the concert so our server let us relax and finish our wine before bringing our check. Hillstone is a solid choice if you are looking for American favorites in a nice comfortable atmosphere!

This place blew me away. I fell in love. Hard. Seriously, this place is insane. I've never ever in my life eaten the amount of steak I had here. We got their rib eye--medium rare, and OMG, that thing melted on my tongue. Literally melted, with perfect texture and flavor, a charring thing going on on the exterior, and the inside impossibly tender. A generous portion, more than big enough for my husband and me. Insane flavor, accompanied with colcannon mashed potatoes, cabbage with potatoes, strewn with greens, crunchy and smooth at the same time. Loooove. With "something green," which in this case was. Broccolini, with what seemed like shaved parmesan on top, juuuuuust right lemony cheesy greens. We also got their caesar, which specified "no egg," and I couldn't fathom that it could have the necessary consistency without egg, and I also asked about whether they had anchovies, to which our server said "no," and again, I was at a loss. Wait whaaat? No anchovy? That's the best part of a caesar, isn't it? The folks here do not agree. I was prepared to dislike it, already biased. Boy was I ever wrong and eat crow, I did. It was delicious. Perfectly creamy and tangy peppered throughout with fresh corn off the Cobb. This place is solid, dish after dish, their house made focaccia baked with rosemary and served with a slab of roof temperature butter and a medley of red (yes, red) olive, green and black, the attention to detail just magical. I adore this place, the ambience is part diner, part supper club, part speakeasy, part restaurant, part .... You name it, and this fits the bill. They have a gorgeous sunny little patio out front, which on a rare warm day in the city, is the place to be. They have beautiful red booths with a ton of moody sexy art work on the walls, the perfect vibe with dim lighting. What I especially love is that despite the acoustics and size of the place, it's not too loud. The prices are more than right, given the cooking and ingredients, the consistency, the prices are a damn bargain. The service? Our server was terrific, friendly and approachable. But there was something a bit sloppy and off about the general vibe of the service people, e.g. where we entered and asked our hostess that despite our reservation being for inside, did she have something outside, she was quite snippy in letting us know with a rude that no, there was nothing. It wasn't that she couldn't accommodate us, which is something I totally respect and understand. But it was the vibe and attitude with which she communicated, kinda take it or leave it with a frosty chill. And the person that brought our food to us (not our server), she simply dropped it off without a word, as if in a race and harried about something, without so much as barely glancing at us, not that we wanted a full on convo, but a more careful manner would've been gone a long way. This place is at the edge of the Embarcadero, and parking is as you'd expect it, lucky if you get street parking, but if not, there are paid lots. Btw., their website makes a strong point on dress code, e.g. no shorts and flip flops, etc. and though we dressed the part for what we thought would be a more dressy place, we saw guys walking in with tee shirts and shorts ... so apparently, they don't enforce it.

The best spinach and artichoke dip in the US! I've been a regular customer since my college years in Kansas City, and now whenever I'm in SF, I make sure to stop by. The service is excellent, and I particularly love the Hawaiian ribeye and prime ribs.

Totally fabulous, if I ever go back to San Fran I will be making a reservation to go again. Cool

Great place for a work or cozy dinner for a group. The service was impeccable and fast. We got the artichokes for an appetizer which came with a great dipping sauce. I ordered the chicken which was a little under seasoned but well cooked and well prepared. I would return with a group!

Hiilstone restaurant is a great place to eat. I would highly recommend making reservations. This eatery is causal, but upscale. The experience you'll get at Hillstone restaurant will be top notch from your service to the quality of food served. Grilled Artichokes (limited) - 5/5 You'll love this appetizer. If it is available, I highly recommend ordering it. You'll get true heirloom artichokes from Castroville that is grilled. The flavor of the artichoke was suburb! The leaves were meaty, and the grilled flavor excellent. The artichoke was not jumbo sized, more on the medium size. For $20, I wish the artichoke size would be at least large. Famous French Dip au jus - 5/5 This French dip sandwich is delicious! The meat is perfectly sliced prime rib that is melt in your mouth tender. This French dip sandwich is number 1 on my list. Highly recommend ordering this sandwich. Cheeseburger - 5/5 This is a very tasty burger. The grilling imparts a nice flavor to the ground beef that is made fresh daily according to our server. The cheese burger was very good. The fries was best crispy and tasty, similar to In-n-Out's fries. Ahi Tuna Tartare - 5/5 The ahi tuna was fresh and marinated well. The avocado was sliced perfectly and arranged in a fanned pattern nicely on the plate. The avocado was perfectly ripe and buttery. The ciabatta bread was perfect for the ahi tartare and avocado combo to spread on. Another dish that I highly recommend to order. Kalua Brownie a la mode. - 5/5 You get a very chocolate rich, cherry brownie, topped with creamy vanilla bean ice cream. Kalua liquor drizzled over the dessert. Very flavorful and delicious. The perfect dessert to finish the meal. I highly recommend visiting Hillstone restaurant if you're visiting fisherman's wharf, Pier 39, or arriving back after visiting Alcatraz.

I have been coming to Hillstone for more than 20 years. This was also when they were Houston's. We would come here for holidays and birthday celebrations. Pre-pandemic, we would come at least twice a year. The prices keep getting steeper, but their food remains good. The service is usually efficient and friendly. This is our first time back since the start of the pandemic-- I did not like how rare my sister's rib eye was prepared. Medium rare should not be rare, literally uncooked. When they corrected it, the whole outside of the meat was charred black. We didn't complain, but for $52, it should be d*mn near perfection. So, I am pretty disappointed with this visit. I would still come back, but order any meats prepared medium well. I've had the cheeseburger, barbecue ribs and Hawaiian rib eye in the past.

I've been a fan of the Hillstone chain since my first visit to their Los Altos Grill restaurant on the Bay Area's Peninsula. In the decade since then I've visited quite a number of the links in their chain of restaurants in SoCal, NorCal, and in Texas.  I'm even more of a fan now - especially of this location. We arrived right before the dinner rush, and were seated without a reservation after only a ten-minute wait.  While we waited, I took in the warm, inviting, dimly lit atmosphere with its dark woods, cozy booths, and omnipresent buzz.  An almost palpable energy resonates from their long oval shaped bar.  I've recently developed a renewed appreciation for cocktails, so as I'm writing this, I'm making a mental note to check out their mixologists handiwork another time. Our servers were attentive and helpful, and the food gets VERY high marks almost without exception.  While we enjoyed everything we ordered that night, I must give special nods to their French Dip sandwich and the Hawaiian Rib-eye steak.  In two words, the French Dip is "The Bomb"; it's served on a perfectly toasted roll, the roast beef is lean, hot, and juicy, and the Au Ju dipping sauce is out-of-this-World!  The Hawaiian Rib-eye is a total carnivore's delight; it's nicely season, juicy, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Our dining experience was leisurely and completely enjoyable.  This is one of those exceptional places where the buzz of conversation that results from people enjoying themselves over drinks and good food makes a great background for enjoyable dining experiences.  I look forward to returning to this location, and also reacquainting myself with some of the other Hillstone venues in California.

First off - ask for Joyce. She is one of the best and coolest servers I've met in a long, long while. Period. I had the Asian chicken salad and it rocked! My friend had a burger and loved it. We both had a kolsch (or two) and capped it with a double espresso! The atmosphere is upscale and not uptight. But overall - Joyce made the whole experience for me.

It was a very good restaurant with top tier service and adequate food. The highlight was the environment and joyful nature of the culinary cuisine.

I would give Hillstone staff five stars. But $21 for a Hendricks martini? Please. Can't go back.

I definitely recommend this place! The food was great, service was incredible, and we loved the vibes of the music / atmosphere in general (the music wasn't too loud, so you could listen and still hear your company. And we weren't right on top of anyone else, so it was perfect). My fiancé got the ribs and subbed the coleslaw for cream corn. I had a burger, added bacon, with a side of fries. We also had the chicken meatballs as an appetizer, and had 3 drinks while we were there. Everything was great!

I personally love Hillstone. I think their food is good! They have excellent pickles and my favorite is their hamburger! Their fries are also great especially with their season salt! The location is great where you can see the ferries. And you can easily walk to the ferry building! The service is great! The come quickly and bring out our food as quick as they can!

I enjoyed my time at the Hillstone. I had an appointment close so why not try a new place. The food was delicious. My clam chowder, definitely one of the best I have had in SF. The setting is upscale service.

Food was excellent, service was very attentive And the ambiance on a nice day is excellent. Just hope you aren't downwind sitting outside. If you know the embarcadero, it could have that nasty sewage smell at certain gusts of wind. But overall great spot. Drinks could be a little stronger hence the kind of ice they use. But overall great place.

Service be on expectations Food was served delightfully in an interesting way that I've never seen. wish took pictures of it. Ambience really nice people were enjoying themselves and eating which is a good thing. Must try

Was was here when it was Houston's The food seems very similar. The ambiance and service is on par or better than Houston's. The wine list is great. I ordered the burger medium. It came rare, but I ate it anyway. The slaw was fabulous. I should have sent it back. It was too uncooked. My wife had the crab cake which she devoured.

Absolutely the best ... Amazing artichokes... perfectly grilled! Incredible atmosphere ... Food is always on point ! Staff is superb ...friendly ... professional! A plus !!!!

This is one of my favorite restaurants when I come to San Francisco. I've been here previously before but forgot to leave a review but today I'm gonna leave a review. So this restaurant gives off a nice elegant vibe so if you dinner, date or lunch even. Well today I ordered the Hawaiian with french fries it's a ribeye steak with a sweet pineapple glaze with a side of french fries and dipping sauce The service was fast & pretty quick.

Honestly Hillstone never misses. Easy to snag a spot at the bar and actually very enjoyable to eat dinner there. The service is always fantastic. This is the only restaurant my parents want to eat at when they come to the city. That being said, GREAT rec to bring parents to if unsure of where else to go! I recommend that you make a reservation prior. Dark interior, but classy vibe. I believe there is a hidden dress code- don't need to be super fancy, but I probably wouldn't wear my workout clothes here. All the food is amazing, you really can't go wrong. Favorites to note: Cheeseburger, Fall Off the Bone " Ribs, French Dip Au Jus, Grilled Artichokes (when they are in season, you cannot miss this), Spinach Artichoke Dip, Thai Noodle Salad, Kale Salad. My go to order is the French fries with the dipping sauce, artichoke to share, French dip sandwich if hungry or kale chicken salad. On a nice day, it's awesome to take a glass of wine & sit outside.

Classic waterfront dining doesn't get any more quintessential than enjoying a lunchtime meal with a view of San Francisco's legendary piers than at Hillstone. Located along the Embarcadero, Hillstone restaurant has thrived with attentive service and taking traditional American cuisine to new heights for decades at this location when it was previously named Houston's. Not much has changed since their name transition almost a decade and a half ago, as they still have their open kitchen to see how all of the activity happens, in addition to their lovely circular bar area right in front of their doors with a glass exterior that exposes their dining room to all of the natural sunlight that they can absorb. I have been to Houston's many times many years ago, but have not been to Hillstone since the name change, as it has been years since I have been to this location. I can report back that after the last dining experience that I enjoyed for a recent lunchtime meal with a colleague, Hillstone is still one of the finest meals and overall experiences that I have enjoyed in quite some time. Online reservations for the late afternoon time were super easy to make, and since it was rather warm outside with all of their umbrella shaded tables filled on their outdoor patio, we opted to sit at a booth in their dining room. The lunchtime menu at Hillstone has sections including Appetizers, Salads, Burgers & Sandwiches, Entrées, Cocktails, and Wines. To start our meal we opted to order their Chilled Jumbo Shrimp which were five shrimps served with cocktail and rémoulade sauces and their Rosemary Focaccia which was served with olives and toasted almonds. For our entrées, I ordered their Ruby Red Trout, which is lightly seasoned and hardwood grilled, and served with broccolini. While my dining mate ordered their Pan-Roasted Salmon which is filleted in-house daily, served with lentil vinaigrette and broccolini. To share we opted to order a side of their French Fries and to drink I ordered their cocktail called "The Crush" which had Grey Goose vodka, crushed grapes, freshly squeezed lemon juice and mint, while my dining mate ordered their Chardonnay from Rombauer Vineyards in St. Helena. Our appetizers of their shrimp and focaccia were the perfect way to start our meal, as the chilled jumbo shrimp were literally chilled to perfection. So much so I never knew I needed my cooked prawns to be served in this manner moving forward and when combined with their focaccia and the dipping sauces that were provided, made for quite the combination of flavors. And everything was enhanced by the delectable cocktail that I enjoyed that was accompanied by fresh fruit in the glass to add to the overall quality in taste to the beverage. When it came time for my entrée, I loved the combination of trout and broccolini, as the fish was cooked to perfection especially with the charred markings along the length of my fish, which only enhanced my dining experience. When it came time for dessert, we opted for their Five Nut Brownie topped with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream which was the perfectly decadent way to end our meal. Our total bill was little over 200 dollars, which is in line with many of the other restaurants in this tourist area of the city, as you are no doubt paying for the quality of the food and service, which as displayed by Nils was top notch. We had a memorable experience for our lunchtime meal at Hillstone, which was as memorable as it was over ten years ago when I last dined here. Times may change around Hillstone, but the quality of their menu and service always remains as attentive as ever, and for that we should be grateful that their legacy remains as strong and lasting as ever!

I've lived in SF for quite some time and have never been to this place. Decided that I would take my gf here for a Friday night dinner date. Not the biggest fan of American fare, so was surprised at how this place blew me away. David and Gabe, I want to thank you both personally for the best service I have received in SF. On par with that of Lazy Bear and others. However, your thoughtful check ins and genuine care had us leave the restaurant buzzing in positive spirits. We left extremely satisfied, full, and with smiles on our faces. I had their spin on a martini which was nice and strong. My gf had a healthy poor of a white wine, and as lightweights, this was more than sufficient for our dining experience. The traditional salad was delicious and was great to munch on as we waited for the rest of our food. I liked the prime rib sandwich better than the chicken sandwich, but it was a great combo to share. Finally, came the key lime pie. My gf is a harder to please when it comes to desserts, but she LOVED it. Overall, this was an incredible experience. Thank you so much for taking care of us and hope to be back soon. (sorry I don't ever take pictures, but take my word that the ambience is great for a date)

Delicious. The only reason why I gave it 3 stars is because they've become a bit relaxed with their dress code so if you're looking for a place to dress up this is not exactly the place. That being said their ribs are fall off the bone tender, their burger is juicy and perfectly cooked. Their shorestring fries are crunchy and seasoned with steak seasoning. And they make the best hot fugue ice cream sundae! Their spinach and artichoke dip was pretty yummy, however their casear salad was interesting. It's a mix of romaine and kale, they add corn, and the dressing doesn't really have flavor. Honestly, I would skip that one. Overall, their staff is friendly and very hospitable!

As always the service, food, and atmosphere was amazing!! Our server Ali was exceptional!! Thank You!!

One of my favorite places in the city. Great ambiance, service and delicious food. The artichokes when in season are the best. The New York was cooked to perfection. Also get the spinach dip, comes out warm with salsa and sour cream. The pork chop is tender and juicy comes with two bones. Sad they no longer have prime rib anymore. Hopefully they bring it back.

Great all around clubby restaurant with awesome cocktails, wine and curated menu with delicious steak, trout, ribs, grilled artichokes. Booth seats are cozy. Service is above and beyond. Make a reservation or expect to wait a while. The food is consistently spot on and executed well. Easy to find street parking. Nice scenery with its location along the Embarcadero.

The chicken salad was tasty, but the chicken wasn't roasted enough . It was light pink inside.

Ugh I went to this place as a recommendation for "the best burger" according to my sis so I had high expectations. However after viewing the burger online prior to arrival my expectations were not so high (think average cheeseburger with lettuce tomato pickles onions). First and foremost I ask the server how medium is cooked and she said "very pink" and it basically came out well done. That's a fatal flaw but my wife ordered it medium rare and hers was cooked perfect. However even with it being cooked perfectly the burger was still average. The bun which they brag about being fresh baked same day was very "bunie" aka heavy, doughy and over powered every bite. The bun tasted like the focus of the burger. The burger was sauced with what tasted like a standard mayo and decorated with standard shredded iceberg lettuce, pickles, raw onion and tomato. Nothing to call home about! The burger was either grilled or cooked on a flat top NOT smashed. $28 dollars later I was wishing I got a smash burger from a local greasy spoon or in n out for 1/3 the cost. Or better yet just make this burger at home bc it's exactly what it tasted like!

What a joke. Ordered a $30+ kale chicken salad. They couldn't tell me the ingredients of the dressing and the dressing was like maple syrup, way too sweet. I have food allergies. Just give me the list of ingredients. No parmesan as described in menu. Felt like something I could buy at Macdonalds. Do better. I've had this salad in person and the take out version was way worse. Won't be coming back

Hillstone's has a feel of a warm, Art Deco & classic San Francisco restaurant. We had wonderful service. We started off with two nice glasses of wine & the grilled artichoke appetizer to start. We highly enjoyed the grilled artichoke. The artichoke had beautiful grill marks on it. We also started off with the classic Cesar salad. The dressing on our salad was house made which always makes for a great Cesar Salad. We both hightly enjoyed the grilled trout and kale dish. The trout was moist and also had nice grill marks. For the price point of Hillstone we wish they served bread and butter upon arrival and also included a startch side with the our dish such as wild rice or poatotoes. Overall, we would go back for the classic ambiance & a date night.

I called Hillstone to reserve a specific table to celebrate our anniversary and they said they would try to accommodate. This isn't some special VIP table request or anything like that, this is just a regular table where we had our first date. Anyways, when we arrived, the host congratulated us on our anniversary and looked over to the specific table I requested but it was already occupied. There were plenty of empty tables surrounding it and throughout the restaurant so clearly Hillstone did not try very hard to accommodate anything at all. I would totally understand if the restaurant was packed (about 55% full) but it was not. I regretted planning our anniversary dinner at Hillstone as it was a very disappointing experience overall. Our waitress was very nice. Ambiance is nice, warm, and intimate. Skip the grilled artichokes and get the spinach & artichoke dip for appetizer instead. The prime rib used to be really good but disappeared from the menu. I would also skip the double-cut pork chop as it was somewhat flavorless. The wood-grilled ribeye comes with nothing and was so-so and not worth anything close to $68.

Love their grilled artichokes. Service last time we came was above and beyond. Food kinda pricey but always well made. The only dud I ever had was the omelette

I enjoyed my time at Hillstone. My appointment was close so why not try somewhere new. The food was very tasty. My clam chowder, definitely one of the best I've had in SF. The setting is a premium service.

We always enjoy going to Hillstone. The food is delicious l, the staff is gracious - Paige always pours a good cocktail, and certainly the new server Joe is a plus.

What happened? Hillstone was one of my FAVORITE RESTAURANTS as we frequent it weekly being only a five minute walk from my home. It's my kitchen! We came for lunch with our family of 9 and had to split up with two tables due to large group. Everyone placed their orders and boy did we do that! Had tons of appetizers and entrees orederedthe entrees came out. Ok.... Truth be told, my chicken thai salad And artichokes could have been bigger. Was served with only half of what it use to be in these dishes. .... Holy crap! Artichokes were wee baby size and my thai chicken salad was TINY ! Sorry chefs ... even our waitress said they were too... she noticed the changes in the kitchen too and apologized to me . The portion I usually get are double the size. I've been coming to this restaurant regularly way back from when it was Houston's. Please go back to the drawing board or at least make it a bit more generous. Example instead of three 1/2 artichokes when small, five an extra 1/2 of an artichoke. Even with four halves, it's only equal to the size of one artichoke and at $20, pleeeeeze. Also, it doesn't cost that much for salad greens or the noodles, add more to make it bulkier. For the prices we pay as consumers, the kitchen and management should know better. Everything else was spot in. Just very disappointed in the salad .

Always a 5 star. Would give 1,000,000 if I could. Probably safe to say my favorite restaurant and menu there is. You really just can't go wrong no matter what you order! It's all delicious and staff is all top notch. Rushed straight from the airport to get there 1 minute before they closed and ran to the bar to order. Such a great start to the trip! The French dip is a MUST! Add Swiss cheese and always get the horseradish! It's so light and creamy. And the artichokes are a must when in season! Don't miss this spot!

Go! You won't regret it at all! Service and food were perfect! The restaurant is upscale relaxed. The crush spritz was great!