Verjus
Wine bar · North Beach
550 Washington St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Highlights
Euro-cool wine bar, bistro, bottle shop serving French classics
Euro-cool wine bar, bistro, bottle shop serving French classics
"Whether you’re feeling out someone new or mounting a reprisal of your 400th date night, rely on Verjus. You'll probably share a bottle of natural red and something heavily buttered, surrounded by couples quietly competing to look the most in love. This FiDi spot is always packed, but even on summer Saturdays, the wait’s manageable—and the oysters on ice and champagne on the sidewalk set the mood before you step inside. For a prime dinnertime table, aim to make a reservation at least a week in advance. If you’re okay with an early dinner, try showing up at 4pm right when the kitchen opens to secure a walk-in. Verjus also serves lunch Thursday through Saturday with plenty of same-day tables. While you’ll only have access to a short tasting menu during those times, you’ll get to choose from among their best dishes, including the pain perdue, boursin omelette, and pâté en croute." - patrick wong, julia chen 1
"Verjus is a near-perfect wine bar. This charming Jackson Square spot—from the Cotogna and Quince team—will inevitably transform “just one glass” into a relaxed three-hour dinner over fantastic French food. Lit only by candles, the light emanating from the open kitchen, and the movie-theatre-sized marquee menu, the entire dining room has a dim orangey glow. Bring someone new or that person you bicker with over the dishes to join the couples draped over each other while periodically breaking for a forkful of flawless pâté en croute. photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng photo credit: Erin Ng Pause Unmute And the pastry-encased meat isn’t the only reason to stop by. Almost everything on the menu is incredible. Charred sausage is stuffed with creamy manchego, the Boursin omelette is silky and rich, and bread is served with slabs of fancy butter you’ll want to smuggle home. There are very few misses here, and even then it’s small things, like inconsistently cooked lentils with the otherwise excellent duck confit. Online reservations are rare, so try your luck by walking in at 5pm when the wait list opens. You can always wait at the bar and stare deep into your date’s eyes with a glass or two of organic wine. How to get into Verjus For a prime dinnertime table, aim to make a reservation at least a week in advance. If you’re okay with an early dinner, try showing up at 4pm right when the kitchen opens to secure a walk-in. Verjus also serves lunch Thursday through Saturday with plenty of same-day tables. While you’ll only have access to a short tasting menu during those times, you’ll get to choose from among their best dishes, including the pain perdue, boursin omelette, and pâté en croute. RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Bread & Butter See that massive knob of butter in the kitchen? It’s all yours. Use all of it to slather each satisfying chewy piece of bread. Mussels Escabeche These are simple but delicious. This dish makes us wonder why escabeche isn’t on every plate of mollusks. photo credit: Erin Ng Omelette Boursin Velvety and smooth. Once you slice a knife through the middle, it gracefully falls apart to either side. photo credit: Erin Ng Pâté En Croute Pâté, perfected. That’s all. photo credit: Erin Ng Duck Confit Our only note on this otherwise great dish is that, on occasion, the accompanying lentils can be a tad dry. photo credit: Erin Ng Soupe de Poisson The staff might tell you it’s tough to share the soup, but there’s nothing more romantic than splitting this creamy, ruby-red bowl of tomato fish soup with that person you’ve been nervous to see all week. It’ll have your cioppino packing its bags for another bayside city. photo credit: Taylor Gomez Saucisse Manchego Imagine stuffed crust pizza. Now pretend it’s a sausage and have it ooze manchego. Order two to avoid sharing. photo credit: Erin Ng Pain Perdu If there’s one thing you have to do, it’s end your meal with this slightly caramelized french toast topped with vanilla ice cream. We would be overjoyed to come back and order this and a glass of wine seven days a week. photo credit: Erin Ng" - Ricky Rodriguez
"Just one glass of wine at this candle-lit Jackson Square spot can easily turn into a three-hour dinner. That’s because Verjus (from the team behind Cotogna and Quince) is the city’s most charming wine bar. The menu of fantastic French dishes sets this place apart. From a silky Boursin omelette to a charred sausage that oozes warm manchego, there’s no wrong order here. But know that a dinner here is incomplete without the pain perdu for dessert. It will wipe every other french toast you've ever had from memory. If there's a wait, you can always spend time at the bar, staring deep into your date’s eyes, breaking contact for a sip of a low-intervention red. For a prime dinnertime table, aim to make a reservation at least a week in advance. If you’re okay with an early dinner, try showing up at 4pm right when the kitchen opens to secure a walk-in. Verjus also serves lunch Thursday through Saturday with plenty of same-day tables. While you’ll only have access to a short tasting menu during those times, you’ll get to choose from among their best dishes, including the pain perdue, boursin omelette, and pâté en croute." - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong, ricky rodriguez
"In the shadow of the Transamerica Pyramid, Chef Michael Tusk's stylish little wine bar-cum-French bistro returns for its second act as popular as ever. Reservations are a hot commodity, but walk-in guests can angle to snag a seat at the crowded bar or counters. The hubbub makes more sense after considering the appealingly simple, skillfully prepared cuisine, which highlights top-notch seafood and peak produce, as in sweet razor clams anointed with celery brunoise and Meyer lemon. Seasonal offerings change frequently, but you can count on delicious staples like the duck-based pâté en croûte, studded with vibrant green pistachios; as well as a variety of house-made sausages. To finish, a caramelized brioche pain perdu is always in vogue." - Michelin Inspector
"How Far In Advance Should You Book? Same day for lunch, or a week out for dinner. When this Jackson Square wine bar reopened, getting a table felt like an Olympic sport. But with the launch of their lunch service, you can get the same heavy hitters from the dinner menu (we love the omelette boursin, the pâté en croûte, and caramelized pain perdu) without having to bribe a reservation scalper. It’s also a bit easier to get a 9pm reservation for dinner, or you can always try your hand at a walk-in by getting there right at 4pm when doors open." - julia chen 1
