STEM Kitchen + Garden

New American restaurant · Mission Bay

STEM Kitchen + Garden

New American restaurant · Mission Bay

1

499 Illinois St, San Francisco, CA 94158

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STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null
STEM Kitchen + Garden by null

Highlights

Nestled within a sleek building, this modern Mediterranean spot shines with garden-fresh ingredients, stunning bay views, and a charming outdoor space with bocce and fire pits.  

Featured in Eater
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499 Illinois St, San Francisco, CA 94158 Get directions

stemkitchensf.com
@stemsf

$$$ · Menu

Reserve

Information

Static Map

499 Illinois St, San Francisco, CA 94158 Get directions

+1 415 915 1000
stemkitchensf.com
@stemsf

$$$ · Menu

Reserve

Features

dine in
takeout
delivery
wifi
payment credit card
outdoor seating

Last updated

Jul 8, 2025

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@eater

"This farm to table restaurant has tons of indoor and outdoor seating, gorgeous views of the bays, and bocce ball and fire pits for when you're ready to call it a day. Lunch includes thoughtful salads, unusual sandwiches, pizzas, and even some bigger dishes like grilled halibut." - Daisy Barringer, Ellen Fort, Caleb Pershan

16 San Francisco Coffee Shops with Free Wifi and Legit Food
View Postcard for STEM Kitchen + Garden

Jessica Ho

Google
Love the outdoor space! I've been around this area many times, and I have never seen this beautiful, hidden garden. The staff were wonderful and the food was great. We'll be back again!

Christine Plank

Google
We ate an early dinner before our flight to New Zealand. Delicious food options as well as a fabulous Chardonnay. Beautiful views of the Bay, outdoor kitchen garden area where you can also eat is huge. This is a must go restaurant. Limited hours though so check first.

Vanessa A

Google
We visited Stem Kitchen & Garden on a Tuesday afternoon and pretty much had the place to ourselves. It’s a very nice and spacious venue with a modern sleek look. The staff were friendly, made conversation with us and made sure we enjoyed the food. We totally enjoyed the food! We ordered the Buttermilk Friend Chicken sandwich and the Skirt Steak Sandwich. Both were amazing! The quality of the food is top notch! It’s just a whole different level from your average restaurant. We left feeling satisfied and not “weighed down.” I love the fact that the veggies are straight from their on-site garden as well! Overall very pleased and excited to return and try more of the menu. Thank you for a great experience!

Masuta K

Google
I rarely rate 5 stars. I ran into this spot and the fact it's not more known is crazy to me. I'm a pizzaholic and this place is it. The outdoor atmosphere is gorgeous, drinks are well thought out (I had the level 3 spicy marg) and the pizza is one of the top 3 in SF. One of the few spots I'll crave on a weekly basis. Keep doing your thing STEM.

Jenny Xu

Google
Came here with one other person and we got an outdoor seat! Good: - Beautiful views - you can get a good view of the Dogpatch area from on top of the rooftop! I'm a huge fan of the area it's in - I liked the Brussel sprouts a lot - super yummy and crispy and there are a lot of them for $8 - The tuna melt was half decent - wasn't something memorable but had a lot of ingredients stuffed inside it and was a big portion size - The chocolate dessert was okay but also really sweet Bad: - Long service times - it was hard to find where to go and it's more of a diner experience than one where you feel cared for - had to flag someone down to give us the dessert Overall felt like this was a decent experience view wise but otherwise didn't feel like somewhere I'd visit again unless they open for dinner, then I'd want to give it another try!

Albert K

Google
Great spot. We sat outside as a large group of 10. The heat lamps were great, especially with the cold breeze. As for the food, it was superb. The pizza was delicious - not the best, but above par (7/10). The halibut was rather small, but it packed a decent punch. I'd rate it 5/10. As for the appetizers, the corn balls were not bad at 6/10, but the meatballs were the highlight at 9/10. The waitress unfortunately spilled two drinks on my back and it soaked my jacket/pants, but I don't want to ding her for it. I'd definitely come back here - just wish they gave us something for the big spill!

Alicia Sanchez

Google
Loved the food, atmosphere and the views are stunning and across the street from Chase Center!

Michael Coleman

Google
Sat outside and had the burger with bacon. Burger was pretty good but the bacon stole the show a bit. Smokey and delicious! Also highly recommend the brussels sprouts and their lavendar drink (berry soda was out that day but was told it was amazing). Will definitely be back to check out the patio for happy hour. Just look at it.. so much room for activities.

Francis S.

Yelp
STEM has added a great spring garden salad to the menu. filled with carrots, radishes and brie Tartine. It is delivered with a smiling service in a bay view ambience. You can't go wrong for a tasty lunch!

Sherri W.

Yelp
Was on our way to chase center and trying to find a good place for a bite and a cocktail before the show without a wait. What a gem, the service was on point, food was amazing and also delivered by the chef! We were also lucky enough to talk to the general manager Daniel whom was the added cherry on top!

Gabe S.

Yelp
One of my favorite lunchtime restaurants. This place has excellent views and plentiful seating for both indoors and outdoors. The food is always fresh and delicious. It can be hard to find if you aren't looking for it, but if you are in the area, I highly recommend it, especially if you like fresh salads. My only criticism is that the follow-up table service seemed lacking the last few times I have been there. It seemed like they were shorthanded; hopefully, something they could rectify.

Connie G.

Yelp
Great place! Very close to Chase Center, great food, great view, very nice people. We loved it!

Benjamin C.

Yelp
Stem Kitchen & Garden Started off with a summer gem salad which included: peaches, dates, tomatoes, and golden balsamic vinaigrette. Then came the flank steak w/ horseradish yogurt, grilled salmon, with sides of scallion, green beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli. Finally, we ended with some fantastic desserts. The Hazelnut crunch cake, strawberry rose cheesecake, and strawberry rhubarb tart. The horseradish with the flank steak was my favorite part of the meal, and the hazelnut crunch cake was amazing! There's a nice outside area that would be great on a sunny day. The service was great-- the staff was efficient and friendly. Food was overall pretty good, but the flank steaks were a bit over cooked for my preference and the broccoli were too stiff. But other than that. It was a good meal!

Kenny B.

Yelp
Beautiful restaurant conveniently located near UCSF. The back patio was a great place to enjoy lunch and a view. The menu is on the small side but what they did have on it all looked good. Everyone enjoyed their food, so big plus for that. While the staff was friendly, not the most attentive. We stood up at the front register for several minutes waiting for someone to come take the order. They also charge for drink refills..... which is a choice for this type of establishment.

Naomi S.

Yelp
Just had a wonderful team lunch here. It was pretty cold out but my coworkers wanted to sit outside in the lovely courtyard/garden. Turns out they have very strong heat lamps so I was totally comfortable. I had the iceberg wedge salad with tofu and my coworkers had the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich and the butternut squash pizza. I wish I took better pix of the food - it was beautiful and delicious. Service was excellent. Can't wait to go back and try more of the menu.

Jenny X.

Yelp
Came here with one other person and we got an outdoor seat! Good: - Beautiful views - you can get a good view of the Dogpatch area from on top of the rooftop! I'm a huge fan of the area it's in - I liked the Brussel sprouts a lot - super yummy and crispy and there are a lot of them for $8 - The tuna melt was half decent - wasn't something memorable but had a lot of ingredients stuffed inside it and was a big portion size - The chocolate dessert was okay but also really sweet Bad: - Long service times - it was hard to find where to go and it's more of a diner experience than one where you feel cared for - had to flag someone down to give us the dessert Overall felt like this was a decent experience view wise but otherwise didn't feel like somewhere I'd visit again unless they open for dinner, then I'd want to give it another try!

Therese K.

Yelp
Lovely ambiance, the staff was outstanding, the Soba Noodle was delicious! Make sure you spend the time in the garden, comfortable seating and views of the bay.

Sofia S.

Yelp
Stem Kitchen's special this week is enchiladas and it was so good ! The chicken was perfectly seasoned and the salsa verde was amazing.

Amy T.

Yelp
Came here for an end of the quarter lunch with my classmates. Thanks to the close proximity to UCSF Mission Bay, lunch was a five minute walk. There is street parking and garage parking for a fee. The parking garage on third Street is quite expensive so I recommend finding street parking. Behind the restaurant is a tiny garden. I was told that the restaurant uses produce and vegetables from the garden as part of the meal. They have a big indoor space perfect for groups with dim lighting, and modern looking decor. There are also lots of outdoor seating as well. As for the menu, it's pretty limited and mainly consist of burgers, salads and pizza.

Robin H.

Yelp
Fun place, great location, however, we waited for over an hour for our food and had to leave, as we were going to a concert @ The Chase Center. They were very understaffed and were friendly and courteous, but many people had to cancel their orders that evening. Very disappointing!

Ryan A.

Yelp
Very odd place, no one here at 12 noon sells me the tuna sandwich and soup. Well turns out no tuna and soup took 1/2 hour to make we ate now late for our procedure I had to leave and come back still not done. I was coughing into a bucket of raw shrimp completely odd unsanitary service, ironically in the hospital.

K F.

Yelp
Excellent service and food. Staff is fantastic. I work in the area and eat here several times a week.

Maria Cecilia J.

Yelp
We found it by chance, and are happily enjoying the food; fast service, nice american food! Good for the soul! We miss a soup option especially today, rainy day!!! We are coming back!

Mellissa B.

Yelp
I'm so happy they were able reopen after closing during covid. This spot is such a hidden gem in Mission Bay. Everything on the simple menu is delicious and filling. Amazing patio with incredible views. The service is friendly and the manager always engages. Love this spot.

Rob M.

Yelp
Fresh farm to table ingredients from their garden over-looking the bay! Great social hour Weds & Thursday! Very pleasant service & ambiance in Mission Bay (next to Chase Center)!

Mabel C.

Yelp
Great customer service and the food was delicious. It was a beautiful day and eating lunch in front of the amazing view of the bay. Wish they have desserts back. Will certainly be back.

Kathy V.

Yelp
Looking for a restaurant outside of Chase Center. Location across the street. NOTE no happy hour is offered during Game events nor events happening at Chase. Atmosphere modern with a lovely view. Seating is spacious. I'm assuming they have a seasonal menu, due to some items found on social media are not listed. 3 stars due to the host sat someone in our seats while we had ordered drinks and ventured to see the views outside. I know mistakes happen but please communicate with your team first. Ordered two pizzas. Their sausage kale peppers and garlic adobo shrimp pizza? Hmm I thought the sausage kale pizza was A-ok. I was skeptic about the garlic adobo shrimp, it did not contain the flavors. Knowing it is suppose to be an ethnic flavor of the filipino heritage. Food a little over priced. But glad we save a few dollars from eating inside Chase.

Amy C.

Yelp
Came here for lunch. The view is amazing! They have both indoor and outdoor seating on the patio with a great view of the water/the Bay. The service was pretty good and our waters were refilled multiple times. The menu is fairly compact with a couple salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and entrees. I got the fried chicken sandwich ($16). The chicken was super juicy, hot, and deliciously breaded and fried. I wasn't such a big fan of the coleslaw that came on the sandwich, but the bread was tasty. I wish the sandwich came with some kind of salad or fries.

Debra V.

Yelp
Their Apple Pay system does not work and apparently hasn't for months. The fact that ownership hasn't addressed this is crazy. What a silly business and what unserious ownership by Alexandria. I use Apple Pay all over the city. What an odd choice by Alexandria to not fix. Stem kitchen is not a place to go as they don't seem to care to deal with the most basic business practices.

Greg B.

Yelp
Nice restaurant, classy but casual, with great outdoor patio area with fire pits, games, and water views. Pros: * Outdoor seating with fire pits and water views * Activities and games like corn hole and bocce ball * Easy parking right now, but will be harder once Warriors Stadium opens * Generally easy to get a reservation or even walk-in * Good food overall (three stars for the food) Cons: * A bit pricey for the food quality, I think * Limited cocktail menu * Can be hard to find, since it's inside an office building * They don't serve cocktails past the deck * Closes super early, so not great for lingering evenings

Julie N.

Yelp
Went for SF restaurant week since lunch was $15! I've always heard from friends how beautiful this restaurant by mission bay was so I finally checked it out! This place was confusing to find at first since it's inside of a research building but once you find it, the views are amazing! You get a great view of the bay (ask for outside seating) with delicious food so this makes a great date spot! +RISOTTO A bit on the bland side. What I liked most about the risotto was the mushroom, but otherwise I felt like the risotto itself was a bit flavorless and needed more salt or something but the mushroom was great +SALAD Definitely shareable and refreshing. Squeezing lemon onto it added to the salad and I like how nuts were provided as well to add a nice crunch to the salad +cauliflower soup Not my favorite since it was very small and honestly wasn't as impressed with this. It had a garlicy taste to it but that's about it +crispy chicken sandwich I loved the jalepeno aioli added to this since it made the sandwich have a nice kick! The chicken was delicious, juicy and crispy so this was my favorite dish! Overall, I'd come back here again mostly for the ambience, but the food isn't mind blowing. It's good for what it is but the ambience and service is what makes it great

Sherri D.

Yelp
Went here for lunch while my daughter had a procedure at ucsf and it took longer to get our food than the procedure. I asked for a well done burger I got a bloody burger I couldn't eat it. I just left after paying 35$ plus tip PRIOR to getting our food. If I could give this a negative 10 stars I would.

Jenn L.

Yelp
Great date spot forsure! It has an awesome outdoor patio which you can order the food at the bar and just have your tab open. The only annoying thing is the if you want to order more drinks, you would have to walk into the bar again and order but other than that it's fine. The food was so delicious! Here are the things I ordered: - cured trout, frill mustard, grilled grapefruit, pickled onion, radish - pork belly, fermented kohlrabi, apricot, green tomato - grilled local squid, rhubarb sofritto, wasabi mustard - octopus, fermented pineapple habanero salsa - sweet Italian house sausage, spinach, maitake mushroom, red onion

Elena N.

Yelp
We had dinner up the street and wanted to continue the outdoor patio theme. After all, it was such a beautiful day. Our group of three stopped by on Friday, May 19th around 8pm. We were able to grab a spot outside with a bunch of chairs as another friend joined us later. *Lo-hi Spritzer: arrete blanco, mezcal, blackberry shrub, lime, seltzer ($13) *Secret Agent: grapefruit ad juniper infused vodka, lavender syrup, elderflower tonic ($11) *Garden Old Fashioned: rittenhouse rye, chinese bitters, kumquat syrup, candied kumquat ($11) When you walk outside, there's a bar to your right where you can order drinks. The menu on the bar seemed limited, but I think you can order food, etc, from their regular menu since I saw someone ordering from another menu. We got one of each of the cocktails. I got the old fashioned. It was a lighter cocktail than I would prefer, but I was here more for the view anyways. The patio area is huge! They have a couple firepits with seats, giant levels you can sit on, benches, tables, etc. We came while the sun was setting, so it was definitely a gorgeous view with the sky turning all kinds of pretty colors. I'm glad we randomly stopped by Stem Kitchen & Garden as I never knew this place existed. Definitely a beautiful place to go on a nice day.

Kristie C.

Yelp
- Taste: yay - Value:ok - Service: good-ish - Ambiance: yay (so pretty outside, small but cozy/posh interior!!) - Cod (4 stars): perfectly seared, delicate and fresh - but wasn't spectacular or unique in any way. vegetables were super garden-fresh, not overcooked so you still got the california goodness - Patatas bravas (4.5 stars): very tasty and salty, but couldn't been a tad crunchier, really love the ones at gitane for example Waitstaff wasn't particularly friendly, service was fast though. Love their view and garden, but no umbrellas outside.

Stefanie C.

Yelp
Why has it taken me so long to come here?! Stem Kitchen & Garden is absolutely breathtaking. I came here with my husky puppy and sat on the outdoor patio. The sun was shining and a nice breeze was flowing through. I'm guessing the place was empty because we were there for lunch on a weekday. I love that the menu has such healthy food, many ingredients coming from the garden out front. I ordered the pizza garlic shrimp, parmesan, arugula, and harissa aioli, as well as a side of Brussel sprouts. Both were fresh and delicious. The dog thought so too. It wasn't the right day for an adult beverage to go along with my meal, but I would love to come back to enjoy Stem when it's not the middle of a workday. Whether you're by yourself or organizing a group lunch or dinner, it's a fabulous place to hang out. Definitely on the pricey side, being next to UCSF, but worthwhile.

Kathy N.

Yelp
We're trying to set up a holiday work dinner here and have been emailing/calling/using their reservation system and have not heard back from anyone for over a week. Why do you have multiple ways to contact you if you are not going to reply? I have been here for an event a few years back and remembered it being a good time, but with the lack of communication from STEM, I will suggest our department to never use them again.

Kenneth R.

Yelp
My five-star rating stems from an extremely pleasurable two-hour visit with a birthday group that had reserved the front area of Stem for an evening get-together. I liked the look and feel of the place and thought that the food and wine were both excellent. My interactions with the manager and staff were very positive. There was nothing not to like. We were served the potatoes, the Brussels sprouts, the risotto, at least two different pizzas, cheese boards and charcuterie boards. Truly it was all good. I thought that the risotto was exceptional and ate lots of the potatoes. People rave about the Brussels sprouts; sure, I liked them, but I kept going back to the risotto. Our group was served the Groth sauvignon blanc and what must be the current "vintage" of the Sean Thackery Pleiades. (I didn't record the roman numeral on the label.) Both wines were wonderful. The Pleiades was over-the-top excellent. Sean, you did really good! Uncharacteristically, I am not in a position to comment on the quality/price ratio at Stem: we were guests of the organizers and never saw the bill. Amazingly, I even got free parking in the building's garage, which normally would have charged me $1 for every 20 minutes for my stay. Because the credit card reader at the exit didn't seem to be working, the parking manager waved a prox. card at the gate and let us exit without paying. (There's no success like failure.)

Adriana C.

Yelp
My sister had been eyeing this place for a while so I was her partner in crime when she finally got to check it out. The place was pretty empty except for some young professionals hanging at the bar. We split a salad that had goat cheese and radishes but it was really bland. The pizza was just okay, but I did really like the Brussel sprouts and the sauce they cook them in. We both weren't big fans of the drinks we got but didn't care enough to say anything to our waiter and I hate sending anything back. I settled on three stars because I would not suggest this place to return to with all the other options in the city. When I started this review I had to go back and look at my pictures because I honestly could not remember what we ordered or what it looked like. I was informed however, that they have a really nice outdoor area for when it's nicer, so that might be the way to go.

Abigail M.

Yelp
Stopped by on a walk around the neighborhood, hadn't known that they had reopened post quarantine (and some work on the building). Very quiet, but I hope the news gets out because the food was great. I had the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich and T had the burger, both with salad not fries. The salad was fabulous, we both finished our salads first. Next time I'll try one of their salad bowls. Very friendly service, nice space, can't wait until it's warm enough to sit outside in the garden.

Lewis C.

Yelp
Ten of us had lunch here recently. Because of the size of our group, we had a family style meal, sharing platters of: - salad with kale and burrata - margherita pizza - grilled corn pizza - seared tuna sandwich w spicy aioli - pastrami sandwich - butterscotch bread pudding - warm chocolate chip cookies The tuna sandwiches and the pastrami sandwiches were excellent. The pizzas were reasonably good, but nothing to write home about. The desserts were fantastic. Especially the bread pudding - little fried cubes of yummy-ness. Outside table setting was beautiful. Couldn't ask for a nicer group lunch.

Samantha C.

Yelp
Honestly, the reason I made it out here was because my coworkers were trying to decide where to eat for lunch during Restaurant Week. The location for Stem Kitchen isn't the best, especially since it is now tucked in a building that's covered up by a crap ton of construction, but if you come out on a nice day, definitely sit in the patio to get a glorious view of the Bay. The food here isn't impressive by any means. I ordered the 1/2 sandwich and the salad combo and while the smoked salmon sandwich I ordered was tasty, it was incredibly limp..as in it felt like 10% smoked salmon and 90% bread. Maybe this is because it's technically the 1/2 sandwich combo, but it definitely wasn't memorable. The brussel sprouts were good but could use less oil and a stronger chili flavor. The reason I am giving four stars is for the service my group received and the ambiance of the restaurant. It doesn't feel like a cafeteria type restaurant in an building at all and is very upscale for a lunch spot...and I can imagine this as a great location to hold a lunch meeting. I'm glad to have tried this place but I probably won't come back unless it's a company luncheon.

Jaime F.

Yelp
I chose to check this place out with friends for my birthday because it looked great in the pictures and seemed like it had a great view. It didn't disappoint. You can either take the elevator up or walk up the stairs and enter through the back of the restaurant. The patio and garden area were beautiful, but it wasn't as large as I imagined. For one, this is not on Portrero Hill as listed on Yelp. It is within Ilumina, one of biotech giants of Mission Bay. Employees in the area sure are lucky, I must say, because right after work, they can come here for happy hour. I'm sure I would frequent this restaurant if I worked there. In fact, there were groups of employees around at the bar seating. Modern architecture delights the surroundings and interior of the building. There is a sparkly, tree-shaped piece of art as you head upstairs. There's a very modern feel around the building and inside it. Everything looks brand new, polished, and well maintained. There is plenty of metered parking here as well. I did make a reservation through Yelp and was an hour late to it, but that was no problem. There was plenty of seating. We were seated instantly as STEM wasn't too full around 5pm. More people came in around 6. The tables are situated comfortably apart, so you can't hear conversations apart from your own. We sat indoors next to the windows, which was nice and comfortable with a view to top it off. The outside seating has heat lamps, but it was a little chilly so we did not go for that. Now to the food. I finally got to experience a restaurant with an open kitchen. I could see the chefs flipping pizza dough and hard at work yet enjoying themselves. For an appetizer/shared plate, we shared the beet salad and meatballs. The meatballs were not as big as they look in the Yelp pictures! I was expecting large ones and these were bite-sized. They were delicious nonetheless. The beet salad was great as well-- I liked the crunch from the pine-nuts. I'm inspired to make something like this at home. For the main entree, I got the maple-glazed pork shoulder with smoked chili and stout pork sausage. The plate had purple yam croquette and grilled treviso. The pork was very tender and flavorful. The plating was very appetizing to look at as well. Their dessert menu looked delicious, but my friends brought a cake for me. Just an FYI- there is a $3 cutting fee per person. Overall, STEM is a new American health-inspired restaurant. All ingredients are fresh and plates well-crafted. I would definitely come again with a larger group and maybe try the outdoor seating next time. I will definitely try their cocktails, dessert menu, and other items for my next visit. I give it five stars for the ambience, open kitchen, price vs. quality of food, service, and the easy parking in SF sways me enough.

David I.

Yelp
Great waterfront restaurant for a comfortable mid day bite or just to lounge with friends. I stopped by around noon and there was no wait and service was quick. Grilled chicken sandwich roll was perfectly grilled and seasoned.

Rebecca C.

Yelp
4.5 stars. One of my favorite places in the city for lunch. Given that's in the Illumina building, it's not mobbed. One can tell that this place uses the best ingredients to compose the Californian-style menu. I love getting the soup of the day (sweet potato soup) with a salad. (They can customize the seared tuna sandwich and turn it into a salad). The burger is excellent here as well. On a great day, sit outside and enjoy the outdoor patio of this hidden gem in SF.

Glenn M.

Yelp
Made our first visit last night and was very impressed. Notes in descending order of impact: + Shrimp pizza was the finest individual gourmet pizza I've ever had. Crust was thin but very crispy but not burnt. Shrimp was put on late enough to not be overcooked - had a nice pop. + Brussels sprouts with honey-chili - so good. + Cocktails creative and interesting, though there's only about a dozen of them. + My wife knocked a glass over getting into our table and as I reached to stop it from falling off the table, my leg shot out as a counterbalance and I knocked a waiter's salad plate out of his hand and onto the ground in a big shatter. And nobody made me feel bad about it. They were cool. + This place is right next to the new Chase arena... it's going to go nuts there when that opens. + Despite all the space around, you have no place you're allowed to park. Gotta pay the $1.00 per 20 minutes in the garage.

Sarah T.

Yelp
Thursday evening, my boyfriend and I are rushing to Stem Kitchen and Bar to catch their happy hour that ends at 6. First timers + Chase Center construction, it was hard to find. Stem is located inside an office building so you won't see store front signs. We made it 10 minutes before happy hour! Only to find out that hh only applies to bar seating... and we were a party of 5, so no happy hour for us. My group ordered: *3 pizzas (margarita, grilled corn, and arugula pesta) $15-$20/pizza. They were all good sized but I can def use more topping. *Charcuterie $18 - I think this is where the experience went downhill for me. It was a board with 3 different kinds of meat. Salami, prosciutto, and ham. 3 pieces each, a smear of mustard, and some bread and pickles... Was not worth $18.. All in all I'd say the experience was 3 stars but +1 star for their beautiful and spacious outdoor seating. I wouldnt return for casual dinner but maybe for drinks on a warm night. (Or not since traffic is going to be crazy once the Chase Center opens)

Premila M.

Yelp
The three stars are for the ambience and service. The food is mediocre. The service was really nice, the kitchen was extremely kind to accomodate our request to make something vegetarian for us outside of the menu. The vegetables were fresh but the dishes lacked flavor!

Kelly G.

Yelp
Really good food. We got a multi-course meal of salads, meats, side dishes, and desserts. All very good. I had a stomach ache (came to the restaurant already having one, so do not blame the restaurant) and I was still like eff it I'm going to keep eating no matter how much this hurts right now. I love the outdoor area where the bocce ball is. You don't even feel like you're in the city any more.

Karen G.

Yelp
I've had this place on my radar for a couple of years but seldom make it into the city to eat much these days. Had some foodie friends in town who wanted to take me somewhere great for my belated birthday dinner with them. Fire pits. Bocce ball. Farm to table. What could be better? It turns out, a lot could be improved upon. Outside wasn't an option. Fire pits are broken and have been for sometime now. Evidently they've been waiting on their landlord to fix them since last year?!?!!? Very, very small menu, with not everything even available. Which was disappointing because we wanted to do family style and share. We ended up with 3 salads for appetizers (2 beet salads and one strawberry asparagus -- all good) . No lamb meatballs in the house. We also ordered house potatoes (these were very good) and 2 sides of butter beans (fabulous!). We ordered the $49 rib eye medium rare for dinner. It came out with one end charred and the rest of it totally rare. Like RAW. Like not even warm inside. Inedible. We had to hunt down someone to tell them to please take it away. We each had a couple of bites (trying to make it work) but it was just gross. I honestly have no idea how anyone could have plated this steak and felt okay with doing so. They cooked us a new steak but we were all kinda queasy from the first raw steak. We took it to go but on the way to the parking garage looked at one another and said hey, we are NEVER going to eat this thing. We threw it away. Yeah, $49 literally in the garbage. Of course they apologized for the steak but seriously, the restaurant wasn't even busy. No excuse for what happened. And now we have both been sick for a couple of days and we are pretty sure we got sick from the raw steak since that's the only thing we both had. Terribly disappointing. Not a very happy birthday. Sigh. Try at your own risk.

Julie L.

Yelp
4 stars for the ambience of the restaurant. 3 stars for the price you pay for the food and if it's really worth it. The prices are probably a little bit higher because they're a farm to table restaurant I believe. However, some dishes were just ok. Some were much better. I recommend the Shishito peppers, the potatoes, and pizza. I had their half sandwich/soup/salad combo. The salad was just huge chunks of leaves. Not really salad sized leaves. The soup of the day was a cauliflower soup, which was pretty bland. I guess it could use some pepper. The sandwich was just ok. The fish didn't taste as fresh in it and I felt like I could barely taste the aioli that was used it in. This place is great for a view though. I love the rooftop patio, the fire pits, bocce ball and corn hole. The inside is beautiful too. Go for the ambience. Not the food.

Latoya W.

Yelp
Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions Micro-aggressions There is a manager/leader named Claudia that looked at me and my colleague like we were shot standing on the restaurant. When her host tried to help us figure out our dining options she rudely interrupted and scolded her in front of us, failed to acknowledge us and clearly let us know that "our kind" is not welcomed here. NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL I COME BACK HERE. EVER!

Veronica T.

Yelp
Good location for a business lunch near UCSF Mission Bay and The Warrior's Stadium. Light and airy space. Good service. Food was good but not outstanding

Casey S.

Yelp
Threw my friend a surprise birthday party here. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. We made a reservation for 10, but 12 of us showed up and they quickly shuffled chairs around for us to make it work. They also didn't make us switch to the prefix menu when we had more than 10. The food is pretty good and the outdoor Bochy area is great for hanging out with drinks. The only downside is that the way the buildings are located it blocks the sun from the patio so make sure the bring warm layers if it's supposed to be chilly outside.

Michelle W.

Yelp
What to say about Stem...well, the only reason why I even heard of this place was through a coworker. I had tried her LEFTOVER SALAD which was absolutely delicious. To think, the ONLY reason why I wanted to try this place was based on leftover salad...that's gotta tell you something. Any who, I decided to give this place a try on a Friday night! They were pretty empty at 7pm but looks like the later crowds came around 7:30-8. They have outdoor seating which you should definitely check out! They also have bocci ball for when you're done eating and still wanna hangout :) Drinks: I decided to try the Tradewind and dogpatch cobbler. Tradewind was ok but the dogpatch was so much more refreshing! Appetizer: The steamed clams and mussels. My favorite! I love steamed clams and mussels and the broth they had was To. Die. For. Mains: the Margherita pizza was alright. Nothing special. The tri-tip was pretty yummy, I really liked the garnish on top which was a mixture of capers, onions and pickles. Paired nicely with the meat. Dessert: cookies with cream, i love cookies especially when they're warm but this wasn't something I'd order again. Bill came out to around $110 for 2 people. The view itself is something I'd come back for. Service was good, parking is impossible unless you park in a nearby garage. Overall, I'd come back to try the other things on the menu but aside from the clams and mussels, I probably wouldn't order the others again. Side note: this building is beautiful!

Elizabeth L.

Yelp
This place reminds me of San Diego. It has a classy, minimalistic and modern yet organic décor. It also has an outdoor patio and garden that is located right next to the waterfront in Mission Bay. It's a perfect brunch and lunch spot for the summer. I met up with my mom to have lunch. She started out with a sparkling white prosecco, but I stuck to water for the time being. They are a bit pricy, but everything on the menu looked fantastic and gourmet. The chefs definitely took their time developing and creating the menu. I had a soup and a salad, and my mom had a sandwich and soup combo. We both had the corn soup, while my mom got the chicken salad sandwich and I got the special salad of the day. Everything tasted SO fresh and vibrant. You can really taste the quality of ingredients they use. The way everything was plated was also very classy and tasteful. The soup had flower petals adorning the surface as well as other sauces that were laid on top in a special design. I would definitely come back here, but it's a big expensive for a frequent meal. I guess you are paying for the quality, the creativeness and the ambiance/location. Loved this place! Ambiance: 4.5/5 (it is located inside/right next to an organization) Food: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 Overall Experience: 4.5/5 (not a 5 only because I feel like I didn't try their main entrees)

Jenny K.

Yelp
Really nice place! I never knew that this was in that area before. Delicious food, great interior, and nice servers. One of the pizzas my group and I shared was a sausage one--I forgot its name--but it was very good. Great beer selection too--can't go wrong with the "flowers" IPA. The only thing I wasn't too thrilled about, and it's not a big deal, was that we had five different servers, at least. A different person approached our table for each interaction: water, menus, taking orders, bringing food....we had no idea who our "actual" server was! This is a cool spot to check out before a show or game at the Chase Center! It's just a fun place to eat.

Yasmin B.

Yelp
When we arrived we asked the host if they had gluten free pizzas and he said all their pizzas were gluten free. We got so excited and when the waiter came and we asked him again, he said they absolutely DO NOT have Gluten free pizza. What a bummer. We then attempted for find something on the menu gluten free and Cow milk free and could not find much. It was pretty grim. We finally settled on the risotto and the Halibut. The meal was super bland. Very flavorless and the texture of the food was "wrong.". My fish was very tough and was not soft. The service was also very mediocre and the ambiance of the restaurant was very cold. It was basically a restaurant set up in what appears to be the Lobby of an hospital/office building. It was very convenient in that it was close to the Chase Center, but other than that, would not recommend.