Petit Marlowe

Wine bar · South of Market

Petit Marlowe

Wine bar · South of Market

5

234 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107

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Highlights

French bistro with oysters, wine, live music & Parisian vibe  

Featured in The Infatuation
Featured in Eater

234 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107 Get directions

petitmarlowesf.com
@petitmarlowesf

$$$ · Menu

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234 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107 Get directions

+1 415 923 8577
petitmarlowesf.com
@petitmarlowesf

$$$ · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 14, 2025

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@eater

Big Night Restaurants Close Again After Having SBA Grants Rescinded - Eater SF

"Petit Marlowe was slated to reopen as the new Petit Flea at the end of June, but that’s been pushed back." - Becky Duffett

https://sf.eater.com/2021/7/22/22589162/sba-grants-rescinded-restaurants-san-francisco
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@eater

Leo’s Oyster Bar Reopens After More Than a Year in San Francisco - Eater SF

"Petit Marlowe opened a few years ago across the street and a few doors down from the original Marlowe, serving vintage Paris to SoMa." - Becky Duffett

https://sf.eater.com/2021/6/7/22522990/leos-oyster-bar-reopens-san-francisco
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@eater

Marlowe Reopens For Takeout, Flipping Its Legendary Burger into Meal Kits - Eater SF

"Petit Marlowe, just down the block, is now supporting it as a production kitchen." - Becky Duffett

https://sf.eater.com/2020/5/20/21265245/marlowe-reopens-takeout-burger-cocktail-kit-sf
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@eater

SF’s Best New Happy Hours - Eater SF

"Swing through the stylish doors of this SoMa wine bar for half-price oysters and $25 bottles of rose, Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m.- 6 p.m." - Ellen Fort, Caleb Pershan

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-new-happy-hours-san-francisco-oakland-berkeley
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@infatuation

11 Great Restaurants You Can Actually Get Into - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"The tickets you had to the Giants game were actually for last season, so now you’re in deep SoMa looking for something to make the trip worth it. Petit Marlowe is an excellent place for dinner, especially once all the Happy Hour folks clear out. The place feels like a Parisian seafood spot and, along with turning out awesome fresh fish - from the raw bar to the crudos - everything here is good, albeit pricey." - Taylor Abrams, Max Child, Will Kamensky

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/guides/great-restaurants-you-can-actually-get-into
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Ellen Warner

Google
We had a perfect evening at the bar here, mid week. Very busy and noisy too, but a pleasure overall. The service was outstanding, despite a quirk in ordering (one dish we did not order appeared once and we explaIned we did not order it and when another server brought it again we just accepted it, to avoid a fuss). Very welcoming and helpful. Everything we tried was so delicious (burrata, ricotta, deviled eggs, anchovies) and the server helped us select a wonderful bottle of wine. We look forward to our next visit!

Andrew Packard

Google
Wonderful experience! A southern french charm with a uniquely fresh menu. Our waitress made all the difference as she brought her opinion, knowledge, and personable style to each customer. The oysters, prawns, escargot, beet salad, and beef tartare were all her recommendation with the beef tartare stealing the show. Intimate, friendly, and worth spending an evening here.

Marcus Rosti

Google
Petit Marlowe has a legendary oyster happy hour. 1.50 per oyster and a bottle of wine for 25. What a steal. They have great service and a good selection of oysters. They recently, well a few months, added other food such as Panini's and other appetizers but still a great spot for a date or even on your own.

Eric Pratt

Google
Amazing bites! Recommend the deviled eggs, duck, beef tartare, salmon, and all the oysters. Wine list could be better but the food makes up for it

Avery Wu

Google
Ordered the seafood platter and it was amazing. For a group I'd recommend the seafood platter since you get to sample a lot the things off the menu. I've been to many crudo restaurants and this was by far some of the freshest crudo I've had.

Amy Chen

Google
I am so into this place. The vibes and the food are on point. Very cute decor. The ceviches are very garlicky good. Anchovies related dishes are plentiful. Devilled eggs recommended. Oyster selection is extensive and service is knowledgeable and attentive. Classy place for a date! EDIT: 5 months later... The classy vibe for date spot is somewhat gone from busy saturday nights. Since they implemented happy hour, giant swarms of really loud inconsiderate people have come and made the tiny restaurant unbearably loud. I'm talking clubbing level of noise. I would recommend going on off hours to avoid these types of people. Oysters, food, wine quality still of high caliber.

Stephanie Ngauv

Google
Phenomenal meal from a passionate team. A definite must when visiting the Mission Bay neighborhood!

A Kim

Google
I’ve been dying to try this place... Marlowe is my favorite restaurant in the city and was so excited to hear they opened a sister restaurant (apparently there’s more too). They are more of a raw bar/seafood spot. Came here before 6 and got a bottle of rose for $25 and half off oysters. For dinner we ordered the porc and anchovy egg (1/2 of a deviled egg per order) - both were delicious! Beef tartare and Italian burrata were both good. Pepper and coriander crusted duck breast had a nice smoke to it, though it was unexpectedly a cold dish. The foie gras & jam ended up being a panini - great taste but not my favorite foie dish. Everything was excellent and can’t wait to try the rest of the menu.
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Sally F.

Yelp
Came here for an after dinner drink after eating at Taksim around the corner. This is a super cute wine bar. They have wine by the glass, flights and bottles to share. We ordered a bottle of Bordeaux blend and it was fairly reasonable and service was excellent. The staff was very on top of everything and kept coming by to check on all the tables nonstop. It's a small place, I would recommend trying to do reservations but we were able to walk in around 830/9pm.
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Hemant D.

Yelp
Stopped by for some drinks. Good ambiance Monday evening was half off wine bottles so a great deal of The service was very good. They forgot to take off the discount but seemed like a genuine miss vs intentional
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Dominic B.

Yelp
One of my new favorite happy hours in the city, especially as this wine bar comes from the same team as two michelin star Saison. Available daily from 2-5pm. One option each of sparkling, white, and red wine for $8 each. Tried all three, with the sparkling rose being my favorite. Also recommend the truffle fries for $12 with fresh shaved truffles. The real winner is between 4-5pm when they serve $1 oysters. They had royal miyagi oysters when we visited and they were FRESH. Super clean taste. Our group of four ordered like 60+ oysters. Definitely book a reservation ahead of time. We went on a Monday at 3:30pm and it was slammed! Got lucky and was able to get a walk in seat at the bar.
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Anne C.

Yelp
Managed to book a table for 3pm after not being able to get in for their happy hour our last attempt! We got there at 3 and were surprisingly the first and only people there. We started with the happy hour wines and the French cultured butter and truffle fries. The butter was ok, but the truffle fries were delicious - a generous amount of truffle! The wines were also very reasonably priced for $8 and the waiters were really attentive and nice too. The only complaint would be once a few more parties came in and sat at the bar they didn't really come back to check in on us even though we wanted to order some other things. They also had interesting wine flights that I would be interested in trying next time. Then came the star of the show the $1.5 oysters from 4-5pm, they were displayed really nicely and tasted fresh. Definitely worth a visit during happy hour for sure!
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Florence K.

Yelp
This became one of my favorite happy hour places in SF! There is a daily happy hour from 4-5pm where you can get select bites and wine at a discounted price. It was so good that I came back the following week. I love the truffle fries, oyster and wine here! I would hold off on the charcuterie board next time and definitely try to get a reservation if possible!
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Ziyan C.

Yelp
My girlfriends and I had an excellent time at Saison Wine Bar! Classy but fun decor. RESERVATIONS We did need a reservation for 5 of us on a Friday at 2:30pm. We called to make this reservation a day ahead of time. It was empty when we arrived but by the time we left around 4:30pm, it was packed. SERVICE Shout out to our server, not sure if it's the "Paul C" listed on our receipt, but he was an Asian gentleman on the more mature side, with glasses, and he was ON IT. Normally I have trouble getting my server's attention, but once a friend was just gesturing telling a story and he immediately came over thinking we were looking for him! He was funny, helpful, and just always there for us. COST Five of us split 2 plates of potato puffs, 2 fries, 1 salad, 1 charcuterie board, and 9 glasses of wine. The total (including tax/tip) came out to $211.45 or $42.30 per person. Very reasonable price. FOOD (HAPPY HOUR) * Pommes Dauphine ($9) - 4.5 stars * Truffle Fries ($12) - 4 stars * Garden Salad ($9) - 4 stars * Charcuterie Board ($18) - 4 stars * $1 oysters (starts at 4pm) - 5 stars * Royal Tokaji white wine ($8) - 5 stars. I don't usually like white wine but I had a sip of this and it was incredible.
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Kendra H.

Yelp
Snagged a reservation a few weeks in advance for their happy hour deals. Be weary because it will be close to impossible to walk-in during the actual HH times (we live close so we tried twice), especially for 2 people. Regardless, I loved the interior and ambiance. It was the perfect mood for a wine and date night. There was a great selection of wines and the food hit the spot too. We sat at the bar and it was pretty cramped and you're basically shoulder to shoulder to the party next to you - it wouldn't be great for big parties (at that point, I would go to district next door).
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Abby F.

Yelp
This place is really great. Great ambiance and great wine. Although service can be a bit slow, recommend for a date night if you're not in a real rush.
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Jade R.

Yelp
I recently visited after seeing this place blow up on my insta feed and I'm still savoring the experience. From the moment we walked in, the service was exceptional--attentive yet unobtrusive, with knowledgeable staff who were eager to recommend wine pairings based on our preferences. The wine list is impressive, with a great selection of both local and international options, and the sommelier was a true expert, guiding us to the perfect bottle. The highlight of the evening, though, was undoubtedly the oysters and caviar. The oysters were fresh, briny, and perfectly chilled--an absolute treat for anyone who enjoys top-tier shellfish. Paired with a crisp Champagne, they were divine. And the caviar? Simply sublime. Served with traditional accompaniments like blinis and crème fraîche, it was a decadent indulgence that elevated the entire experience. Whether you're there for a casual glass of wine or a full-on gourmet experience, this wine bar delivers in every aspect. A must-visit for those who appreciate fine service and exquisite food.
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Vy T.

Yelp
Ive only had good experiences here. Love their unbeatable oyster happy hour deal from 4-5pm and selection of wine and sparklies. Highly recommend their charcuterie board and croque monsieur... mmm yeah I'm already planning my next trip here.
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Amanda S.

Yelp
If you don't want to spend the price point of Saison, their Cellar & Wine Bar is a great alternative, especially for an after work happy hour. Beautiful, elevated atmosphere. We arrived around 3:30pm with no reservation which was fine, but if you arrive later you might want one. Some of the staff was very accommodating, others, not so much. The Pommes Dauphine was one of my favorites, essentially deep friend cheese mashed potatoes and the honey is a nice pairing. Oddly enough, that honey also goes very well on the croque monsieur. We spent an extra $21 to add truffles to the croque monsieur which I wouldn't do again. I love truffles, but the flavor didn't really come through for some reason. I also expected them to be shaved not grated. The sandwich would still be amazing without it. The oysters were fresh though I got several bits of shells in my bites. The salad was fresh and delicious, lovely vinaigrette.
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Paul A.

Yelp
Wonderful place for date night or a meet up with friends. Located close to the ballpark and Chase center. Amazing wine selection with something for everyone. A variety of flights and individual servings are available. They have a great cheese platter, oysters, and a variety of food items. Highly recommended. Probably should get a reservation.
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Meo M.

Yelp
Had a wonderful time with my colleagues, drinking wine, light meal and oysters @ happy hour. Definitely a nice place in this neighborhood.
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Jonai B.

Yelp
After frequenting Saison restaurant I was very excited to try their new wine bar and happy hour menu. The decor is similar to Saison, but brighter with the animal heads on the walls. Despite the reviews I took a chance and ordered a few bites. The service was okay; one of our items was not put in-- no worries as they came out quickly. We ordered the pommes dauphine, cheese and charcuterie board, oysters, white and red wine choices. The potatoes were more of a sweet treat than a savory option. The charcuterie board came with one meat, three cheese options, olives, a berry jam, and bread. The oysters were subpar in my opinion and there are better dollar oyster happy hours in the city. The oysters come with foliage and a few of them were bad. Personally, I don't think the value is there. Overall, the best part was the wine. If you're looking for a few glasses after work or a small bite then this is for you. Also, if you don't have a reservation forget about getting a seating. I don't think I'd be back.
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Adrienne L.

Yelp
Marketed as "affordable luxury," Saison wine bar is a sleek space, with deep blue walls and taxidermy. I didn't know I was into sexy modern, hunting cabin vibes, but I'm a new fan! The wine menu has a large selection of wines by the glass, ranging from $11 to $90, many of which you would usually only be able to purchase by the bottle. Along with the wine is a concise, but excellent French food menu. There's a strong cheese and charcuterie selection including Maison Nico pâté en croûte. An instagrammable caviar parfait a la Mina has layers of créme fraîché, smoked salmon, and egg. The traditional croque monsieur (ham and cheese sandwich) is perhaps the best I've tried, with an option to add shaved perigord truffle. And you can't go wrong with classics like bread and butter, featuring Tarts de Feybesse levain bread, or truffle fries. Dessert was also memorable - I loved both the cherry gâteau basque with cherry ice cream, and the stone fruit financier with sour cream mousse and vanilla ice cream. I thought the service was impressively polished just a month after opening. Sommelier Paul Carayas and team were personable and made the affordable luxury experience very approachable as well! Next to the wine bar is Saison Cellar, a private members club with access to climate-controlled personal wine storage. They are offering a founding cellar membership, with storage for up to 78 bottles and a $5000 dining credit.
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Cheri T.

Yelp
5/5 just cause the ambiance was so fun. It's little food for the price so more like pre dinner or post dinner wine spot not for full dinner experience. The servers were all very friendly and the pickled stuff was spectacular
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Katherine L.

Yelp
stopped by for happy hour, was seated by a pleasantly talkative host (Paul C. according to my receipt) that sprinkled some lore about saison/saison cellar/angler every time he passed by my seat. happy hour sparkling wine was very good as were the $1.5 miyagi oysters. charcuterie board was just fine imo, would try the truffle fries next time. ambiance is nice if a little dark, according to Paul the location used to be Marlowe's bar and it used to be beige.
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Emily F.

Yelp
Came here for happy hour and was so great. We made a reservation for 4:30 pm but it wasn't too busy the entire time. I imagine later in the week it's busier. All staff were friendly and great service. We ordered happy hour food and then the croque with ham a bit later. The HH food came out really quick and was delish. Oysters and fries were definitely my favorite. Oysters were fresh and fries were nice and crisp. The cheese and meat board was good but could've done with more fries and oysters. The bread and butter were also addicting because who doesn't love butter. The salad was good but would skip next time. It was so fresh and not over dressed thankfully but I'd rather eat or try some of the other dishes. The croque sandwich had multiple options which was nice. We chose ham but could've done mushroom for a vegetarian option. It was great and all the food was beautifully presented. It's lovely inside and clean and cute. I hope to come back again to check out more items from the menu and wine.
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Yvonne N.

Yelp
Every time I walk by, I wonder when it will open. On this particular Tuesday, the doors were open so we decided to check it out. It happened to be the first opening day for Saison Cellar & Wine. We ordered the a Epoisse cheese and a charcuterie board to start. They did not have the chicken liver pate or iberico in stock today. Both were delicious and came with a French baguette. We also ordered the Croque Monsieur and that was absolutely delicious! It even came with a side salad. Overall, it was great for opening day number one! We will definitely be back to support our neighbors and try the rest of the menu!
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Heather G.

Yelp
this review is for happy hour only. I came for the $1 oysters and wine and these are by far the best happy hour oysters I have had. They are on the creamier end (my friend said it's bc they are spawning? lol) so may not be everyone's preference but I really enjoyed it. They come garnished with some dill and were very well shucked and clean bc usually $1 oysters I've had have shards and bits of sand. We also got some white wine from the happy hour menu and it paired nicely with the oysters. Definitely going to be back for HH
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Idy L.

Yelp
Great new wine bar by Saison. We walked in at 6:30 on a Thursday and were able to get the last few seats at the bar. Their wines are reasonably priced and they have a good selection of accoutrements. We had the truffle fries which were 10/10. I loved how crispy the shoestring fries were, and the truffle aioli was delicious. We also had some cured meats. The coppa and salami siciliano were my favorite. The chicken liver mousse was also very good. They happily gave us more bread for us to finish the mousse. The vibes inside were so cute it would be perfect for a date night. It is definitely a high end wine bar with an elevated crowd. I would love to come back and try their $1 oysters happy hour special.
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Karen N.

Yelp
Nice selection of French cheeses and delicious fries. A tasty and filling croque Monsieur. Had a few glasses of Sancere and tried the Bordeaux wine flight. Attentive service, and a nice bar setting but maybe it was just a quiet night, for being a new place with some good press it was fairly empty. While we had a reservation we ended up at what was a half empty bar. Instead of adding an 18% service fee they'd probably get more for the staff letting patrons add their own personalized tips. We would have but since it was first overlooked and we almost added an additional 20% I wasn't inclined to add a few extra percent, maybe would have if someone pointed it out as they often do at restaurants with this policy. Sorry but kind of took a star away.
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lizzie c.

Yelp
I was excited to try this place and it was great. I loved the vibe. Food, wine and champagne were all good. Had the caviar parfait (4/5) oysters (5/5) croquet monsieur (5/5), and couldn't resist some more caviar (5/5). Service was a bit slow, even when it wasn't busy at 2:30 on a Saturday. I wasn't sure what to expect since there weren't many reservation slots available on a Saturday afternoon but we absolutely could've walked in there without a reservation. Most of the tables were empty but the bar was fairly full. Overall makes for a great date spot.
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Lisa B.

Yelp
Saison is a nice addition to the neighborhood. I really like the navy blue and gold decor and the staff is super friendly and welcoming. If you're planning to hit the 4-5pm happy hour, just be prepared for a bit of a wait. The $1 oysters are definitely the best deal, and we also tried the truffle fries, potato balls, and charcuterie board, which were okay. I'll definitely come back for the oysters and the relaxed atmosphere.
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Lex F.

Yelp
Lovely space, Lovely snacks, Lovely wine, Lovely staff! I don't normally get south of market much these days but will definitely make it a point to meet with friends for drinks here. The space is so pretty. Last time we were there, we saw several ppl who were obviously meeting for their Tinder/Bumble/etc first date. It was fun to ppl watch :) The wine is divine and the staff are friendly and helpful.
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MeeSun B.

Yelp
Two words! WOW! AMAZING!! I've wanted to dine here since I learned Saison took over this space.. randomly today, I left a meeting and scooted past at an "off time" of 3:00pm. A time most places are CLOSED for lunch.. and I was starving from having missed lunch due to a meeting, and was pleasantly surprised that they were OPEN. A friendly welcome by Indy Amanda lured me in. I was ecstatic that they offered lunch! I started with Pomme Dauphine- which was a pillowy soft potato puff, filled with cheese and served with side of wildflower honey! Delicate and Delicious! Then I had the Truffle Fries, adorable presentation in a mini-copper fryer with side of truffle mayo!' A must! The BEST was the Croque Monsieur! INSIST you MUST have it with the Burgundy Truffle! I love Truffles so I was in heaven! I usually skip lunch but what a decadent TREAT! GM Paul recommend the HH $8 white Burgundy (as a Sancerre lover .. this was delicious!) DEFINITELY RECOMMEND this place! Little Insider: come at 3:00pm.. not as crowded and sit at the bar!
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L L.

Yelp
Beautiful space. Excellent drinkies and friendly staff. Came by with some friends and had a terrific time. Can't wait to return
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Sara S.

Yelp
$17 truffle fries $18 croque Monsieur $26 three cheese; $38 5 cheese $9 for bread/butter and radish!
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Xi T.

Yelp
I visited this place on a Friday night 6pm, we were surprised that it was already very busy and happening. Thankfully we got a table quickly. Everything we ordered was delicious, carefully curated, and accompanied by good wine selection. The service was attentive by the staff, and the owner would hang around the talk to each table! Great ambience too. Highly recommend!
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Sabrina M.

Yelp
2.5 stars. The staff is nice, the wine and food are okay. So why only 2.5 you ask? Well, the place is EXTREMELY LOUD. Not because of the music, but as soon as one or two loud parties are in there, everybody else has to scream to be heard. I felt bad for the staff that has to work in this noise. Maybe they could dim the lights and make the ambiance a bit more intimate to encourage people to turn it down a notch.
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Ben C.

Yelp
Oysters were great, cheese was great, service was great. It's cute and delicious. We did not come during the dollar oyster time, and it was very chill.

Jay D.

Yelp
Granted, this is not Saison the restaurant, but one would think some of the qualities that earned the restaurant its Michelin stars would have rubbed off on this offshoot, or that management would at least want to protect the brand of the overall group. Unfortunately, that wasn't our experience. The staff is very friendly and accommodating--almost to the point where they seem apologetically aware of the establishment's shortcomings: the food was exceptionally okay and overpriced, the kitchen is slower than molasses, and the interior is unkempt and poorly designed. The nail in the coffin was the hidden 18 percent service charge automatically added to our bill. That's just poor customer service. In S.F., there are better options. Not worth a visit.
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Armani B.

Yelp
Love it here. Cozy and cute with really great vibes. Happy hour is great with truffle fries and a great selection of wines at a discount.

Winnie B.

Yelp
Food was great. Wine was OK. Ambience is nice. My largest concern is their attempt to overcharge me. My tab was $60. Shortly after giving my card to the waiter to pay, I got a fraud alert notification on my phone for $188. Then I look at my card charges the next day - $377 was pending. My bank asks me to call them, and they advised Saison initially tried to charge my card $1,885!!! These clearly weren't "fat finger" mistakes punched into a machine. Please look at your credit card statements if you come here.
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Lou P.

Yelp
So this new addition to Townsend Street right across from the Beacon is trying to play the "sorry you don't have a reservation?" game perhaps to build up the buzz. My wife and I live in the neighborhood and we walked over on a Saturday night and sat down at 2 of the 6 open bar seats. The hostess came over and said those seats were reserved, so we decided to wait outside. Half hour goes by and at 9:15 we walk back in and sure enough those bar seats were still open but "reserved." Sorry, we don't play that game in SF. Too bad. We'll find another new place that doesn't play the exclusivity game.

Grace G.

Yelp
Truly a disappointing experience after such excitement. :( i truly thought this was suppose to be a top tier wine bar. I paid $50 for the sparkling wine flight. All three were flat and the server tried to explain to me champagne was a region in france to me. The servers were way to verbose and couldn't take social cues well, interrupting friends excited to catch up and schooled you on basic facts. Looks pretty tho.

John H.

Yelp
Fantastic wine bar. Great selection glasses and bottles. Really good food and wonderful service. Feels like sitting at the bar at a Michelin Star restaurant, only with tables.