Isa Restaurant

Stopped by Issa after spending the day checking the Red Bull formula 1 event. Ordered dessert and drinks. All the dishes were a hit with the kids! The drinks were well made with generous pours. The restaurant staff was welcoming, friendly, and informed. The manager even stopped by to chat and checked in with us before we left. We had an excellent evening and will definitely be back.

The recent negative reviews of this place have a recurring theme. After the reboot/change-of-ownership, they changed the menu and they went from traditional French to French-New California-Asian fusion. We really tried to like this place but I'm hoping this bad experience is just growing pains for the new ownership; this is too good a location for them not to figure this thing out. We ordered the $33 burger, the seafood curry, and the crab cakes. Of the three the crab cakes were the best thing. The champagne was also good. Sadly something was off about the burger; we both got mild stomach aches shortly after we left and it wasn't a pleasant evening. Doubt it was the seafood because that would've been way way more... problematic. The American Wagu patty tasted pretty generic; the bacon was not the best grade, not crispy at all & hard to notice any flavor. Not saying they should use "millionaires bacon", but at least something higher grade to justify the price point. Peeked into the kitchen and saw their "executive chef" reaching into a plastic bag of Safeway burger buns; the "fancy" Artisano kind. It's what he used for our burger 🤦‍♂️ ... For goodness sake man; this was basically an Applebee's caliber burger with a smear of brie on top. Don't mind paying for elevated food as long as it's legit; this felt like a rip off. The seafood curry was ok, similar to what you'd find at an average Thai restaurant. The grilled baguette wasn't fresh; you could tell. The risotto looked good at a nearby table; curiously as busy a day as this was in the neighborhood, this place was empty. Just 4 people total and it was just the two of us the rest of the time. Service was friendly and despite the bad experience we plan to stop by again in a couple of months. I sincerely hope they make a few adjustments; seems like many other customers miss the old place and the original menu. Fully understand that menus change, new owners always put their own spin on things, but there is a lot of room for improvement here.

Isa was always our favorite restaurant at SF. It is so consistent, we tried to visit it whenever we visit our children in SF. But I was lazy and never wrote a review for them. We went there again this past Friday for my daughter's birthday. We appreciated the high quality of its food with reasonable pricing. (not cheap but reasonable for high quality dining). The service was outstanding. We were traveling with 2 service dogs. They moved multiple tables and created extra space for our dogs. They were attentive the whole evening and created such friendly environment truly made the birthday celebration memorable.We ordered the beet salad, bone mellow, escargo, foie gras, pasta with fresh clams. Everything was so delicious. Thank you again to the manager, all the stuff for such an amazing evening. - Mei & Family

Dined here many times but never sat at the bar where Sergio made the BEST drinks. I only took photos of two drinks, but we had sooo many. My group had such a great time, we went there for pre and post dinner drinks. Told my friends next time we need to dine here as the food is just as good as the drinks. Thanks, Sergio, for making the best dirty martinis and espresso martinis. We had a blast and will be back!

I had an incredible experience at ISA Restaurant! The lamb shanks were absolutely outstanding — tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. The short ribs were just as amazing, rich and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. And the chocolate mousse was the perfect way to end the meal — smooth, decadent, and unforgettable. The ambiance was warm and romantic, making it an ideal spot for Valentine’s Day. The service was great, and Sal did a fantastic job recommending wines that paired perfectly with our meal. We will definitely be back!

Had dinner with longtime friends and the restaurant was perfect. We shared dishes since it was hard to pick just one! Arugula salad with citrus was favorite. Beet salad with burrata was a close second. Branzino is one of my favorite and it was prepared perfectly. Prawn and scallops with coconut sauce was good contrast dish and halibut was deliciously prepared. One dessert split. Soft creamy cheesecake with crumbly crust and fruit on top was the grand finale. You can’t miss this restaurant.

This is one of my go to restaurants in the city. The food is always delicious, staff is attentive and friendly and I love the patio! Here are some of my favorites: love the steak 🥩dish-mouth watering, the salads are always I mean always good, I super enjoy the duck with whatever yummy sauce they use, the bread I can eat a whole loaf, the lamb is also outstanding. And for the grand finale the dessert because can’t go home without something sweet.

A fantastic and lively little place for dinner! Every person who worked at this restaurant went out of their way to be kind and attentive to us during our visit, and the food was just as good. We had potato leek soup, roast chicken, and truffle risotto, followed by creme brûlée. Every dish was delicious! Certainly a restaurant worth revisiting to try all their specials too.

Family friendly. The staff were really attentive and indulged my aunts and uncles in small talk. The waiter was very knowledgable about the menu. You can tell that they treat their staff well enough that they retain them for long periods of time. Tried a a variety of things: yellowtail hamachi, Sea of Cortez wild prawns, hanger steak, duck breast, creme brulee. Everything was good. Most of the things we tried were recommended. The waiter really did steer us to things he thought were the best. Seems like they do rotate their menu with what's fresh. Would highly recommend coming by for a meal. It seems that they mostly have regulars coming by during the week days.

Dined here many times but never sat at the bar where Sergio made the BEST drinks. I only took photos of two drinks, but we had sooo many. My group had such a great time, we went there for pre and post dinner drinks. Told my friends next time we need to dine here as the food is just as good as the drinks. Thanks, Sergio, for making the best dirty martinis and espresso martinis. We had a blast and will be back!

VERY unassuming from the outside. We came here for restaurant week (group of 7, reservation on Friday night) and got their set menu for $69. The back patio ambiance was super lively and cute, preferred that over the front indoor area tbh. The menu had four courses with SO MANY options for each. It was a little overwhelming at first, but our waiter was very helpful in breaking down the dishes and providing recommendation. We learned that most of the staff had been working here for over 20 years! General thoughts - I liked the leek and potato soup more than the lobster bisque but both were delicious. - hamachi was fresh - there was good portion of shrimp in the appetizer dish - the steak was very hearty and filling! No regrets - felt very full at the end! - bread and butter available for $5, came toasted!

Came for SF restaurant week and sat in the back covered patio. It was so cute inside! Our server was the LOVELIEST and joyful server I have ever had. My family absolutely loved him! He gave us the history of the restaurant and mentioned he's been here 23-25 years! For SF restaurant week, they had 4 courses for $65 per person and there were plenty of options to choose from. Every single dish they served was insanely delicious. Don't know how to describe it other than it was homey, cozy, wintery, and tasteful. I was blown away. I'm looking forward to coming here again to try their regular menu!

Great service and amazing drinks! The dirty martini! My husband got halibut and loved it and I had the risotto and it was delicious!

The restaurant isn't a traditional French bistro in that you won't find steak and frites or mussels with frites here. The food is otherwise very good and tasty. We sat in the back room a shared a beautifully stacked baby salad. Our entrees were the potato crusted sea bass and crispy duck confit over risotto. Both were cooked just right and delicious. There's a 4% additional charge if using a credit card to pay the bill. Our server was pleasant and unobtrusive. The crème brûlée we shared for dessert was very good too. We noticed an error on the bill with an over charge of $1 for a glass of wine. It has to do with the computer system error in entry. The server corrected the charge.

DO NOT COME HERE!! Had a reservation on Valentine's Day & I could not have experienced worse customer service nor food in my life. Table was shaking & we had to put napkins under it to stabilize it, Valentine's Day banner fell down on us, food was SO BAD & COLD -- we had the manager try it and he was even appalled by how cold it was -- THEN when they "tried" to have us only pay for it -- they charged us $68 for two bites of disgusting salmon choux. Finally, the chef literally put his finger in the mashed potato to try it in the kitchen -- so, not only are they terrible at customer service, they are GROSS! Avoid at all costs.

Went for SF restaurant week and it was great! Out of the 4 courses, my favorites were the scallops, and the dessert. We got seating in the back, which had such pretty lights, and the staff were very nice and explained to us the workings of their restaurant (fun fact: they divide all the tips amongst all of them)!

Friendly service and cute back patio! Appreciated the variety of menu choices to choose from and impressively mostly gluten free. The hamachi was fresh and delicious, the crab salad was ordinary. The lobster broth had good flavor, with shrimp piece in it. The lamb had delicious flavor but quite small portion for the price. Wish there was more starch/side to accompany it as well.

This is probably my third or 4th review of Isa over the last 13+ years, and I don't write reviews often. Isa continues to "knock it out of the park" with their dining experience, maintaining their delightfully exceptional quality every year. This has been the polar opposite of most restaurants in San Francisco post-pandemic. So many SF restaurants have *both* lost their quality and straddle you with shrinkflation. It's gotten to the point where my wife, friends, and I no longer find it fun to go out to eat around SF since so many places gouge your wallet only to serve you abject disappointment. Isa has been so exceptional, both in its food, its consistency, and in its charming, cozy ambience that my wife and I decided to hold our wedding there this past spring - both the ceremony and reception. What a blast!! All our guests were blown away by the food, even our native French friends. They all wanted to come back for the regular dining experience! And everyone loved the warm ambience of Isa's back patio for the wedding & reception. We made so many happy memories during the wedding day!! The owner, Sam, was super chill, accommodating, and flexible during the planning process. His prices for the wedding were very reasonable, with no up-charges just because it was a wedding. When our friends, who also recently were married, heard the price they were envious. Sam supported printing fully custom menus for us. We were able to make table arrangements fully tailored to our needs, set up decorations to our liking (including a wedding arch), and even use Isa's sound system (which supported using our own bluetooth devices for playout). On the day-of the event Sam and his staff gifted their usual joyful presence and attention to detail to the greeting and reception, and were incredibly helpful, professional, and flexible with setup & tear down. All of Sam's wait staff at Isa have been with him for 5+ years, with one working for Isa for a couple of decades, so they all know the operation in-and-out, which helped the entire wedding + reception flow as smooth as butter. Sam and his sommelier have a great taste in wine. Both were super helpful in selecting wines for the reception. I normally dislike zinfandels, but Isa's Homefire zinfandel was surprisingly tasty! It tastes more towards an old age, reserve grape vine with deep roots - which gives it more of a full body, cabernet flavor. The chardonnays are balanced and aren't sickeningly buttery like so many Cali chardonnays are, and the pinots and cabs are always complex and rewarding to drink. To close: When I first discovered Isa over 13 years ago, they became, and to this day remain, one of only two San Francisco restaurants that I regularly and frequently return to. The urge to eat Isa's scrumptious food just calls to me and my wife every few months in a way we can't evade. To this day Isa remains my favorite San Francisco French restaurant, even above L'Ardoise (and don't read me wrong, L'Ardoise is great!). Every item on Isa's menu is a delight to eat, with well balanced, complementing, often subtle but rewarding flavors! Very few restaurants across the world at Isa's price point can cook scallops so consistently and provide them so fresh and tender. Ditto for the duck confit with its perfectly crispy skin and juicy meat. While our regular orders have often been the lobster bisque, duck confit, scallops, mussels, and mashed potatoes, and creme brûlée you literally can't go wrong with any dish on Isa's menu. *Oh, and always order the bread*. The bread's perfectly crispy outside is wedded to a wonderfully semi-gooey soft inside and complemented by a very subtle, but ever so delicious butter taste. Warning! - this bread is addictive AF. To date my wife and I haven't found a restaurant with a tastier, better textured bread unless we want to fly across an ocean.

Stopped by after the Redbull Formula 1 show. They have a whole new menu now. I got the steak and it was amazing. Melted in the mouth and was a generous size. The host was friendly and welcoming. Our server was knowledgeable of the new menu and gave us suggestions. I ended up getting the crème brûlée for dessert and it was good like last time. They have added a few new dessert items to the menu as well. Looking forward to my next time to try out the other new menu items

We made a Valentine's Day reservation at ISA Restaurant and were not informed in advance that it would be a fixed-price menu. The cost was $100 per person, plus drinks, and the total bill came to approximately $600. Upon arrival, the restaurant was uncomfortably cold. When we asked them to turn on the heater, we were met with an attitude, and it took about 30 minutes before they finally did so. The service timing was extremely poor. We were supposed to receive soup followed by a starter, but after 20 minutes only three starters were brought out -- the soup was completely skipped. After we reminded them, it took another 30 minutes to receive the soup, which was only warm, not hot. Meanwhile, the fourth person at our table still had not received a starter, which arrived 45 minutes later. After that, it took another 30 minutes for the main course to arrive. Then it took an additional 30 minutes just to receive dessert. Overall, the food quality was mediocre and not worth the price. Between the slow service, lack of coordination, uncomfortable temperature, and underwhelming food, the experience was extremely disappointing -- especially given the $600 total bill. Unfortunately, I would not recommend this restaurant.

I have loved Isa for years, which makes this review especially painful to write. I was genuinely excited to celebrate my birthday here with my family after hearing they reopened on the 21st following renovations. Unfortunately, tonight turned into the worst dining experience I have ever had. We arrived at 6:15 PM for a party of six. The restaurant looked fairly empty at the time, yet our waiter was missing for long stretches. It took a long time just to place our order. From what we could tell, the entire restaurant appeared to be staffed by only three waiters, who also seemed to be bartending--though I'm not sure if that's normal. Our appetizers arrived relatively quickly, and the food itself was delicious. We finished our appetizers by 7:20 PM. After that, nothing. We then waited over an hour for our entrees, which never arrived. The waiter and manager explained that this was a "dry run" and that they were short-staffed, but at the end of the day, we just wanted our food. Large parties in the back should not have been our problem to worry about. By around 8:30 PM, we gave up. We paid for our drinks and appetizers and left--six people still hungry, on what was supposed to be a birthday celebration. I never thought I'd write a review like this for Isa, but tonight they lost a long-time loyal customer.

This is not an easy review because everything was delicious except for a few things. But the few things were a really big deal. The foie gras was tiny, over seared, and it had a sauce that overpowered everything. The rack of lamb was roasted, sliced; then seared again in a pan? Was it a rack to begin with? The mussels were again tiny, not enough substance. Oddly enough the scallops were under seared. Every dish was just a huge hit or miss. Our emotions were going up and down so fast I felt like I was getting seasick. I don't know if they were having a bad day in the kitchen or something else. Possibly the cook that knows what these dishes look and taste like took a day off. Moving on to the more impressive dishes. The lobster broth was so good. That and a baguette could have been my lunch for a week. The hamachi sashimi with the thinnest slice of jalapeno was incredible. The duck was cooked perfectly. And for the crème brûlée and flourless chocolate cake, it brought us back to life to pay for the bill so we could get off this rollercoaster. I did have a good time, mainly due to the wait staff. They were friendly and personable. The decor is a little dated. Might consider an interior designer. In conclusion, I felt it was too pricey for what it is. The food portions were too small and I expected everything to be cooked perfectly. It was not. My best advice - if it doesn't look like a "WOW" in the kitchen do not send it out! Redo it. Don't do it. Take it off the menu.

A quaint French restaurant tucked at the end of a quiet alley in the middle of Cow Hollow. Isa offers two cozy dining options - a front room and a covered back patio. The back patio is filled with greenery and strung lights which provide a warm homey and felt like being in someone's backyard. Staff were welcoming and attentive the entire night. Seafood and meats were mostly cooked well, though the potato wrapped sea bass was overcooked/dry. Generally, flavors were good but nothing completely stand-out. The one must-get dish is the truffle risotto. Medley of mushrooms mixed in perfectly cooked rice with a generous helping of truffle and cheese. What is not to like? If you want to support a local business and enjoy French-Californian cuisine and appreciate traditional cooking techniques, come visit Isa.

I love Isa and this was the first time i had ever been!! Dean is the nicest server and offered us homemade delicious lemonade the second we sat down! He described to us his experience and everything on the menu in perfect detail. We loved the food and ambiance and definitely will be coming back! We felt so welcomed even if the food was bad (which is wasn't) we would still come!

It is one thing to already expect a series of servers to adhere to your table; it is another to unexpectedly have 3+ admonish your requests. Nearly 3 years of sobriety is what I have been practicing, and the first 2 (really, likely only 1) servers could make me a decent mocktail, although a listed one suddenly became unavailable. A 3rd server nearly 1/2-way through our time there, who appeared still learning the ways of life, very much insulted me. When offering a "Shirley Temple" as a 1st possible option, he literally looked down at me, and stood accordingly. I ended up with a revoltingly bland NA beer - this cupcake did not grasp what else is available to drink in this current society, at least compared to the previous servers. This utter shock and disdain overshadowed the remainder of my group's visit, and frankly is eating into this review. The food itself was just modest at best, with a rather dry duck overpowered by far too much rice. Only saving grace just might be their pea soup - a soup of the day ("soup du jour") - and for trekking to this Marina District geography, it does not spare anyone from bothering to make a single visit ever. 1.5 stars, rounded up

Very delicious French restaurant and incredible service! Blown away by our server Dean, he has been there for 24 years and he is so knowledgeable about the menu and attentive. They have had the same chef for 24 years which is so impressive! We sat in the back heated patio which was a beautiful ambience. All the food we had was tremendous. Most of the menu is gluten free so no stomach pains here! Can't wait to go back!

Not a good experience in many ways. The restaurant didn't seem busy on a Wednesday, but service was very slow, and our food took nearly an hour to come out. When it did arrive the over $30 entree of seared scallops with mashed potatoes included just three pathetically small scallops. The flavor was nothing special. I also had the worst Old Fashioned cocktail of my life here. Oh, and they slapped an unannounced bullshit fee on the bill. I left hungry with a hole in my wallet.

A vibrant and stylish spot with creative tapas and bold flavors. The grilled octopus and patatas bravas are standout dishes. Great cocktails and energetic atmosphere, though it can get quite loud. Perfect for a fun night out with friends!

SF Restaurant Week, It's always a tradition of mine to partake in this SF restaurant event. When I made a reservation to Isa, this time around, I did not remember that I've been here, 7 years ago, also for restaurant. After checking in with the host, the host, welcomed me back. I was surprised, thinking, I was here previously? After we got seated, I found the Yelp review I wrote 7 years ago. Ah, I was. 7 years ago, Restaurant Week deal was $40 for 4 course meal, and for inflation and whatnot, in Nov 2024, it was $66. Prices went up 50%. When I was ordering, I definitely went back to my review and took my own recommendations. So to sum up my experience: - Service: It's slow, It was slow 7 years ago, it's still slow in Nov 2024. The restaurant was not busy, but it took awhile for us to get our food. I'm thinking it's the good for ppl to have a glass of wine to sip and chat. However, our group didn't order drinks, and we were just on our phone waiting for the food to come out. Let's just say that they did not adjust serving speed to customer's dining behavior. - Food, for restaurant week, we ordered a couple of items to share and got different entrees. 1st course: Maine Lobster Broth, it was the bathwater of Maine Lobster because we did not see any lobster, instead, you get a piece of shrimp. It was kind of misleading. This was also on the salty side 2nd course: our table got 3 different kinds to share, in the order that I recommend: Yellowfin Tuna: I also got this 7 years ago, and this time asked them to omit the siracha, so it's not too spicy for me. I still really liked it. Personally, that was the best app among the 3 that we got. Mussels: The favor of the mussels was on point. I'm not a big mussel person but still thought it was good. Dungeness Crab Salad: This was a bit disappointing. I love crab and was looking forward to this the most. The crab was on top of lettuce leaves, along with apple and other toppings. You could have eaten it like a wrap. However, the favor of the other things, like the apple overpower the carb. While the crab was supposed to be the star, it did not stand out. We thought that it was a bit waste of the carb. 3rd course: Duck breast, From my yelp review 7 years ago, I took my own advice and got the duck breast. And I was very very happy about my decision. The dish came with a little salad on the plate with some potatoes and the duck breast. The favor on the duck breast was sooooo good!! And the salad was also good. So the whole dish was very pretty and very satisfying Lamb chop, My friend got this dish, I'm not a big lamb person, but my friend really liked it and the flavor was on point. Seasonal Fish, Halibut, This options was sad, very sad. The fish was dry and the plating was non-existent. It didn't feel like it was a dish, more like a side of fish. My friend who got this, got the short end of the stick on this course and the previous course and would only give 2 stars on this meal. Dessert: Creme brulee, it was good, not thing to complain about but it didn't wow us Overall, I was happy with the meal, but we did think it was on the pricier side. I don't know I would come back beyond restaurant week though

One of the best European/Western meals I've had in a while. Their signature sea-bass, the their hanger steak (especially the sauce) and the truffle risotto are standouts that made me close my eyes with every bite. This isn't to mention the perfectly shaken Elderflower Vodka Gimlet and the watchful staff. Try to get a seat in their back patio and enjoy the ride.

Good food. The ambiance is not very updated or special. The service is excellent. I was expecting a nicer place. The food is very good. It's a cute bistro.

Came here for restaurant week after looking at the menu. I was really excited for the food, but unfortunately it fell kind of flat. We ordered the lobster broth, sashimi, prawns, lamb, and duck. We ended with the crème brûlée. The broth wasn't salted enough, but the sashimi and prawns were pretty tasty and flavorful. The lamb was also good and cooked well, not gamey. I wasn't too impressed by the duck, but my friend enjoyed it. The server was very enthusiastic and delivered a good experience. He even brought out a little ice cream for my birthday I thought the price point was good for the amount of food, but I was just underwhelmed by the taste of the meal. I think it is worth trying out for restaurant week as it is a good deal!

My go-to neighborhood spot! Isa never disappoints, the food is always consistently delicious and beautifully made. The grilled calamari, risotto, and scallops are my favorites. The owners and staff are so warm and welcoming, and the prices are reasonable for food this good. A true neighborhood gem!

Note: This is the review for my SF restaurant week dining experience at Isa 11 months ago. I posted my review on Google but forgot to add it on Yelp. Better now than never. I went to Isa for SF Restaurant week. They had a 4 course set menu. First, let's talk about the place and the ambiance. The restaurant is in a nice neighborhood, so you can walk around and find some good restaurants and boutique stores close by. Parking can be tough. They have two indoor dining areas- one in the front and one in the back. The front dining area has a very minimalistic look, and it has a darker setting with dim lights. As you walk towards the back seating area, you are greeted by a lush display of indoor vines that climb up the walls and hang from the ceiling, giving the space a vibrant and organic feel. The lighting is warm and ambient, with a combination of pendant lamps and hanging bulbs that cast a soft glow throughout the room. Now let's talk about the food. My friend and I ordered all these dishes - First course- 1. Main lobster broth 2. Potato and leak soup Second course- 1. Yellowfin tuna 2. Salmon carpaccio Third course- 1. Maple leaf duck breast 2. Hanger steak Fourth course- 1. Amaretto 2. Creme brulee Both the items from course 1 were pretty good. They were served somewhat lukewarm. Both yellowfin tuna and salmon carpaccio were served with grilled bread. Yellowfin tuna had mild flavoring, so the grilled bread didn't help. Of the two, salmon carpaccio was more flavorful because of cucumbers and capers. Hanger steak, in my opinion, was more juicy and flavorful than the duck breast. Menu mentioned that duck breast has bacon in it as well, so I was excited about that only to find a few tiny pieces of bacon in the small salad portion that comes with the dish. Creme brulee was really good but amaretto was very disappointing. The service was great. Nice staff. I think it's a bit on the pricey end. I was hoping for a little bit more quality food than what we got. Overall, it was a good experience.

This gem was a discovery while at the SF Film festival. I was able to be seated easily At six on a Friday, but quickly it filled up. The food was sublime. The risotto made me want to cry it was so good. The Arborio was cooked perfectly with the correct amount of bite and the truffle and wild mushrooms were so good! They have a nice wine list and the service is terrific. Many, I was told be my waiter, have been there in excess of twenty years! I'll be back.

Came here during SF restaurant week. Street parking is hard to find so I recommend parking in the residential area, or Uber, walk, bus. $66 per person, 4 courses Course #1 soup - Maine lobster broth with prawns, celery, tomato and tarragon. If you like seafood, I highly recommend this soup. Came with 2 prawns. (5/5) - Potato leek soup with cream, parsley, truffle oil and croutons. (3.5/5) Course #2 appetizers - Oysters : paired with spicy orange mignonette. This was my favorite that I ordered an extra of this. The spicy orange mignonette was so good that I drank it like a shot. It was not spicy at all. (5/5) - Hamachi with watermelon radish, jalapeño and sesame seed. The sweetness of this dish wasn't for my tastebud but it was good. (4/5) Course #3 main - Rack of Lambs : 2 pieces of lamb on top of diced ratatouille. (5/5) - Truffle Risotto: Rice with truffles and other mushrooms. Very wholesome dish. (5/5) Course #4 dessert - Creme brûlée : Pretty standard creme brûlée. You can see the vanilla beans. (5/5) - Semifreddo all' amaretto : Crunchy sweet pistachio almond like ice cream. Comes with 2 mini cookies. (5/5) Friendly staff, great service, all their food is carefully thought through. They don't use starch or any processed ingredients. The ambience was very nice for a date.

The servers were very polite and the ambiance was very romantic. The yellowfin tuna was very well presented and tasted good as well. The steak was a little too charred tasting for me but was otherwise delicious.

They have a nice covered patio area that's good for events. Parking can be a challenge, but if you are willing to go a few blocks south, there should be available residential parking. Arugula salad: refreshing and light Yellowfin tuna with crostini: Japanese flavors from the sesame and nori. An extra $3 for additional crostini is a bit overpriced as they are quite small. Steamed PEI mussels: Surprised these are PEI as they are on the smaller side. Wished there was a bit more sauce. Prawns: Delicious and well cooked Braised short rib: very tender and delicious Scallops: again well cooked Sea bass: Maple leaf duck: sweetness from the figs came throug Hanger steak: nice medium rare Truffle risotto: truffle flavors come out nicely and pairs well with the mushroom medley Server was a bit aggressive and constantly urged us to order more food, which was a bit uncomfortable. Overall, the food is great and would come back, but the pricing of some things seems a bit inconsistent.

The service was great and the staff were very friendly! The staff have been there for over 10+ years and that is due to it being a great place! The food was very good. I would recommend the hamachi appetizer! They were also very accommodating to drinks and food requests! Will be coming back!

We made a reservation on a Sunday night, we were greeted as soon as we walked in. Everyone was very friendly and we got seated right away. Ambiance gives me chill and relaxing vibes, can be intimate but also casual. I am really impressed by the service here, it was outstanding! Our server has been with the restaurant for 20 years, he was really warm, friendly, patient, gives great suggestions and makes our experience here fun and enjoyable! Now let's talk about the food, absolutely loved everything we've ordered, and surprisingly good portions as well. Appetizers: Dungeness crab salad (4/5) - tasty and refreshing, but a bit blend for me. Yellowfin tuna (5/5) - this is a MUST! If you don't know what to order this is the one. Entree: Seared Scallops (4/5) - I enjoyed mashed potato more than scallops, but the scallop itself was good just not amazing. Seared Fresh season fish (5/5) - MUST try, a one of a kind dish you won't regret getting. Maple Leaf Farm Duck Breast (3.5/5) - a bit disappointing with the sauce personally, but my family loves it. Truffle risotto (5/5) - very rich and creamy Spaghetti (3/5) pretty average

Fantastic restaurant! I've hosted two 50 person events here in their back patio. The back patio is absolutely beautiful. Gorgeous venue to host an event. The service is great. Some of the waiters have been working there for 20 years, and bring incredible energy to the dining experience. The owner cares deeply about giving every person who walks in a high-quality experience with top tier food. The food is delicious. We did 5-course menu options both times: salad, prawns, soups, chicken, steak, risotto, and creme brulee / ice cream. All delicious. High quality restaurant and experience!

Why 2 star! We order lobster broth and Prawns . The server Sergio suggested a grilled bread to dip in the lobster broth. The lobster broth has no flavor or creamy as suggested in the menu. The prawns came out hot plate but there were no flavor in the prawns . Location is good ! The ambience is good! Service is ok ! We won't be back!

Wanted to try this restaurant as part of SF Restaurant Week and made a reservation via Yelp. Unfortunately they have two reservation systems - one with Yelp and the other with opentable, and our reservation got lost in the mix. They were able to pull out a table within 10-15 minutes with a heat lamp in their parklet, but it was still so cold that I couldn't feel my feet by the end of the night. It was also really hard to flag down their waitstaff, understandable because the restaurant is so long and narrow and hard to maneuver through. As part of SF Restaurant week they had a choice of soup, appetizer, main dish, and dessert. I was excited because they had basically their entire menu as a tasting menu rather than only having one or two dishes as part of restaurant week (that so many other places opt to do.) While I love the flavors, the portion size left me feeling hungry still... AND my feet were cold. Unfortunately, Isa falls into the category of expensive food that leaves you hungry.

*Review from Oct 2022* (2.5 Stars) Isa was one of the French restaurants I bookmarked on Yelp for years and also a place my husband wanted to take me for a while. My husband wanted to do something special for our last weekend together before our baby's arrival so he suggested having one last date night for just the two of us. That weekend happened to land on SF Restaurant Week at the end of October. I suggested trying Isa since Sons and Daughters was booked out and it was the perfect time to try fancy restaurants in SF without paying double the price. First of all, parking in Marina already sucks. To top it off, it was even harder to find parking because it was on a Saturday night during Halloween weekend. We ended up parking six long blocks away on a cold night. When we arrived on time for our reservation, we were completely ignored by the host. We waited at the outdoor podium and the host literally walked up to the podium, did not even greet us or make eye contact despite standing next to us, and just continued to help other customers (not even a busy night with lots of emptied tables). Other customers who walked in to the restaurant after us ended up getting seated before us. The person who eventually took us to our seat seemed like he was the manager. He gave us an envelope with a surprise inside to use the next time we visited. After trying the food here, I must say it was not a great experience. Lentil soup was boring, crab salad was ok, lobster soup was bland and tasted like the ocean, truffle risotto was good but not great, maple duck was flavorful but a bit dry, prawns were somewhat tasty but odd, grapefruit granite was like grapefruit juice in shaved ice, and the vanilla bean creme brûlée tasted exactly as it was named. Definitely one of the worst French restaurants we've tried! To make matters worst, my husband ended up with food poisoning that night. He was nauseous and had the worst stomach issues for over six hours. It was bad! I even called a family member who worked for SF's CDC to see if there were incidents reported from the same night we ate at Isa. We believe the culprit falls in the lobster soup not being cleaned since I did not drink much of that due to my pregnancy (thank goodness). Although the ambiance was nice, it was not worth the troubles from bad food, food poisoning, and terrible services. Not coming back for sure. PS. The envelope the worker gave us to open for a gift prize the next time we visit was a free glass of champagne.

Incredible! One of the best in SF! Local secret. The food is unreal. So fresh. The service is the best. The staff has been working here for 20 years. The ambience is French bistro. Go!

I love restaurant week because it takes you out of your comfort zone to try new places and this one was the place this time. We snagged a resy for 8:00 and the place was packed with a line out the door. We got sat after a bit of a wait and boy it was so loud. Like... I had to raise my voice even to speak to the people around our table. We all shared and got to taste a lot of the menu. My least fav course was the dessert. Would definitely recommend! 4/5 Potato and leek soup 4/5 Lobster broth 4/5 Roasted 1/4 Rack of Lamb (2 pieces) 4/5 Organic Loch Duart Salmon Carpaccio 4/5 Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels 4/5 Pan Roasted Rocky Jr. Free-Range Chicken 4/5 Grilled Golden Gate Natural Angus Hanger Steak 4/5 Oysters 3/5 Chocolate ice cream 3/5 Amaretto ice cream 4/5 Crème brûlée 2/5 Grapefruit sorbet

Had dinner with the pre fix menu, which is part of the sf restaurant week. Our reservation was at 8:30 pm and we were seated right away. Our server is very friendly. Food is yummy, and the service was good. It includes 4 courses meals. The second course is sharable. Love the lobter soup, mussle, shrimp, scallop, lamb, and crab salad. The hanger steak is ok. I like the halibut too. The dessert was good. It was a nice dinner with friends. It was busy night.

My friend took me here for the first time to celebrate my birthday on Friday night. We were surprised because it was quite empty. We would expect the restaurant was full given it was a weekend night. We were told the food was prepared with a chef who worked here for 24 years. All dishes were special and would give us great joy of experience. Cool.. finally the food came. Yellowtail hamachi: fishy and salty. Mussels with tomato sauce: they were NOT fresh. It tasted disgusting. Duck breast: it seems like leftover fried Chinese duck with feather smell (yuck). Tuna tartare and dungeness crab salad were okay. I gave one star for the ambiance and service. The server was overly attentive. I guess because they didn't have a lot of customers then. I wish he didn't interrupt our conversations too much. Oh and $17 for a mojito with an old lemon taste (I forgot to take a photo). We wouldn't recommend/ come back again.

I rarely write reviews. But this restaurant was underfilled on a Sat night and it deserves much more attention from diners with high expectations! A month ago we ate at this restaurant and loved it, so we came back with another couple, hoping it would be a consistently good experience. It was even better! Be sure to ask to be seated in the back patio. It is warmed with plenty of heat lamps and is much more cozy than the front of house seating. Our friendly server, Jonathan, was attentive and great with recommendations. He tells me the restaurant has been there 30 years with the same owner and chef and menu! That says a lot about a restaurant! Based on my two visits there, here were our favorites: --Butter lettuce salad w poached apple, mandarin and blue cheese --Baked Goat cheese w pesto and grilled bread. --Sautéed mushrooms with garlic --Seared Alaskan halibut --Duck breast -- and to my surprise - something I've never had before... Sweetbreads (served as a special). -- the warmed Flourless chocolate cake was light in texture, soft, almost creamy inside. The best I've had! The flavors were intense and perfectly created. The wine recommendations were right on. We look forward to our next visit!

This may be a great place to do fine dining in SF. We got Yellowtail Hamachi and Dungeness crab salad for appetizer, seabass and beef brisket for entree, and brussel sprouts with bacon and garlic for side dish. For dessert, we got trio gelato. I have to say the service is pretty great and staff was very friendly. Overall, the dishes we ordered are also very well balanced in flavor. The ambiance is really nice indoors. They also have a great outdoor patio where you can enjoy nice decors. Apparently, the staff said this has been opened for over 20 years and there are several long standing staff members who've been working there for that long. You can chit chat with them if you wanna learn the history of the restaurant and the chef!

We had an elaborate weekend planned the week after my birthday, so on my birthday, we just picked a restaurant spontaneously. Hubby found Isa and it was such a pleasant surprise. The restaurant has a large backyard patio and was quite empty given it was OSL weekend. The Cali-French menu is meant to be shared and everything is made fresh. The staff is also super friendly. We got the butter lettuce and pear salad and braised calamari to share. Both were delicious, particularly the calamari. It's refreshing to have calamari that isn't fried. I got the duck breast and hubby got the flat iron steak. Both meats were cooked perfectly with delicious sauces. Our friendly server made a point to tell us that the chef doesn't use cornstarch or any thickening agent for the sauces; they're made from the au jus. All in all, it was a delicious, cozy meal without the fanfare. Sometimes low-key birthdays are the way to go.

Same menu for decades but still executed perfectly with very friendly long term staff. The back covered patio is cozy. We had a very nice time as usual.

sf office holiday dinner! * seared scallops with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, white butternut squash, bacon & topped with truffle sauce * japanese yellowtail hamachi w/ watermelon radish, jalapeno, toasted sesame, daikon spro * dungeness crab salad with avocado, apple, grapefruit, tarragon & mustard aioli * grilled local calamari with red bell peppers, spice, flageolet beans, arugula & red aioli * maine lobster broth with prawns, cream, tomatoes, celery & tarragon * simply sauteéd sea of cortez wild prawns w/parsley, garlic, lemon, shallots, tomato confit & brown butter * vanilla bean crème brulée

Went here for my birthday dinner. The server was so polite and was excellent at entertaining the customers! Every plate was intricate and savory! I'm personally quite used to eat Asian food. I love the ambiance of French restaurants and like to visit these places on special occasions, but not all the food in all the French restaurants matches my taste. However, I feel the food in this restaurant has quite neutral taste :-) In addition, the price is quite affordable. Definitely recommend this place!

I love dean!! Best waiter ever and really enjoyed the food. Dean is the best - super nice and made our evening enjoyable

In love with this restaurant! My fiancée took me here on one of our first dates and we recently came back again. Even better than the first time we came here! We even got the same friendly waiter (who I think his name is Lee) again. Lee is such a wonderful guy and makes the experience even better. He's so friendly and welcoming! He deserves a raise! We arrived when it just opened with no reservations and was able to get seated right away. For our starters, we got Tomales Bay oysters and the Arugula Salad. You can't go wrong with oysters from Tomales Bay! So good! The Arugula Salad was light and refreshing. Love the sweet apples and light dressing. My fiancée was so excited when she saw that they had their "Spaghetti" on their menu, and I was excited to try it because it's one of the dishes she raves about. It's not always on their menu, which is very surprising. Their Spaghetti is delicious! It's simple but all the ingredients in it were so fresh! I could taste the truffle, tomatoes, and basil. I don't think I have ever had such good spaghetti. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The Truffle Risotto was tasty, but I definitely would choose the Spaghetti over the Risotto. The entrees are meant to be shared. The service was quick! The staff were friendly and attentive. We ended with Espresso Martinis as our desserts. Everything tasted amazing and we wish we lived closer! One of our favorite restaurants in the city!

Isa was easily one of the best dining experience for us in the SF area. We have been to many "high end" restaurants in the city that claim to be "French or French inspired that were an absolute let down. Having traveled all over France on extended trips, we have a good point of reference of what French food should be. French food focuses on quality and super fresh ingredients. This is where Isa did not disappoint. Every thing we ate at Isa was incredibly fresh, delicious and just impressive right down to the bread. We are planning our return trip already. Oh and I forgot the cocktails and their selection of wines are fantastic.