Wise Sons at the JCCSF

Not sure why there are so many low reviews. The bagels here are solid and reasonably priced, and the ambience is awesome - the big sunny atrium makes for a great spot to post up for a while. Would be great to bring a laptop and work for a bit. Service was very kind and friendly. Definitely my new local bagel spot (yes, over Boichik). Look forward to trying other things on the menu as well.

Disappointed. If you are into greasy fried or refried food, this is the place for you. I ordered breakfast with chicken sausage, but instead, I was served a greasy sausage patty. I was thinking of ordering the huevos rancheros but that came with refried beans. I hope they consider healthier choices for breakfast.

The food is here is classic, quality, and tasty. I get the Rueben and the Latkas- amazing. The service here is wonderful, I’m sitting in the store now where I accidentally put my order in at the wrong location- upon noticing, the staff offered to make my order for me free of charge. I’m somewhat in disbelief lol, safe to say I will be coming back again…and again.

This location rocks! I love that I can go to the gym and eat a good lunch! Very convenient and the staff is great! The bagel with tuna was delicious! Not your bubbies matzoh ball soup was good too!

Super nice to have food if you go to this gym. However it's pretty hard to order. I just wanted to get a few bagels to take home. Took awhile for someone to take my order, they handed me the bagels but didn't ring me up and then walked away. It seems like you are supposed to ring yourself up after placing your order with a person which is always annoying to me. I don't really want to have to navigate a touch screen menu for a few bakery items. Probably a place that does mostly online orders, not great for ordering in person. The bagels are fine, nothing to write home about but not a lot of competition in the area

Great food and friendly, accommodating service, but they do not accept cash. Absolutely ridiculous. How can you not accept cash??? Not everyone uses a credit card or electronic pay. I purchased lunch and other items, but had to cancel my entire order because they couldn't take my cash. This is unacceptable and needs to be fixed.

Don’t be deterred by these low (delivery?.. spam?) reviews. This place is awesome. The service was great and so was the food! I especially loved the tuna melt. It’s also just a lovely space to be in.

Good Jewish food, just a little expensive

I have worked with my trainer, Alyona Aikina, for 2+ years. I've trained with her this long because of her professionalism, knowledge, and ability to adapt to my needs as I work toward a healthy and strong body. Alyona's consistency is unparalleled in my 60+ years of working out with various trainers. Alyona was my "free" training session when I joined the JCC--my lucky day.

I am glad that the Jewish community of USA could make positive lasting contributions to the culture and growth of USA years ago..100 years ago... I heard of this community building and didn't go for years..I decided to visit after attending the LitQuake event of 49er past quarterback.. I asked what they do here...there's gym, sitting area, and events...Wise Sons the deli chain is in the lobby...and there's a gift shop that has run for ages...the gift shop is quaint and interesting for Hannukah...didn't you see Hannukah gift traditions when you were a child in New York? haha They offer a list of events open to the public all the time---free and nice.. There's more people...quiet...it's in an open area California/Presidio Streets...bus access..tell me more about using the California 1 line..

After my daughter attended the summer camps, I am sharing my email to Paul Geduldig, CEO of the JCCSF. I am not stating that she was discriminated against. I'm simply recounting our observations and feelings following her time at the JCCSF. To give some context, my daughter is 14, is biracial, and was diagnosed with ADHD and an anxiety disorder "As I think about Thursday's presentation, I can tell you I definitely felt something was wrong with the way the roles were assigned and with the overall way the play was put together. First, the choreography was the lamest I have ever seen. Having kids just standing around the stage doing nothing was something I could not understand. I thought we mentioned you had an expert in choreography, but there was nothing to see of their work. As for the cast, I agree that Xxxx and Xxxx's roles were spot on. The two girls delivered in an outstanding manner. On the other hand, Xxxx and Xxxx were painful to hear as they both sounded completely offkey in their parts. It is essential for everyone to feel valued and included in the camp experience. I cannot remove Xxxx's feelings of being discriminated against this year at the JCCSF. I walked away on Thursday with nothing to include in her portfolio. All the years before, there was an enormous sense of pride in the JCCSF and Xxxx's work. Not this year. Xxxx had expressed interest in returning to JCCSF next year as a CIT. I spoke with her, and she expressed that, due to her recent experience, she was not interested in going back."

Pool, hot tub, both type of saunas, towel service, clean space, parking at your expense. In my experience the staff there doesn't communicate well amongst themselves and customers. The gym and equipment is old and needs upgrading. $175/month, i believe they increased it recently. No guest passes.

This gym is so crowded, expect to wait 15-20 minutes for your turn on certain equipment. It feels like a Crunch fitness where they sell as much membership but all the gym equipment are taken. At least Crunch fitness doesn't charge $183 a month. I really can't think of one reason why this is worth keeping a $184/month membership. In addition, they have a rigid old system that does not allow for flexibility for cancellation or pausing your membership. Highly would not recommend this place, don't waste your time.

I'm a longtime member of the JCCSF and it's a great gym but I in particular I wanted to call out personal trainer Alyona Aikina. She is amazing. A former gymnast (and medical doctor!) she is deeply knowledgeable- she pushes hard but never overly so and is very attuned to your own goals. I have become so much stronger and flexible- HIGHLY recommend.

I have been a JCC fitness center member since June 2024, and have been training with Alyona Aikina for much of that time. Alyona is a terrific trainer. She is fun to work with, and always gives me interesting exercises to do. We spend most of the 50 minute training time laughing. While it is fun working with Alyona, I am also getting stronger. Alyona is a terrific trainer, and overall I enjoy the fitness center.

I'm reviewing both the JCC gym and also my trainer Alyona Aikina, who is the best! Alyona designed our session to meet my needs, is very knowledgeable , professional, and punctual. A big thumbs up. Thank you, Alyona!

This is my all time favorite chill and hangout place. It has everything that I need in a community center. The JCCSF offers great events which includes the speaker series called "Talks and Conversations". I love the JCCSF classes (foreign languages, fitness, dance, music, swimming pool, and more). I absolutely love reading and hanging out in the amazingly beautiful atrium. The cafe is opening soon. Also, the JCCSF is near Muni Transportation and has a parking garage. Please visit the JCCSF and give it 5 stars too ...smile

Alas, back again with an update re: the fitness center. The air conditioning in the gym fell apart last year, and then again this week. Think Bikram Zumba. The whole gym floor is warmer than normal. It's like you don't need to work out to sweat. Last month, they failed to announce clearly that the women's locker rooms would be closed for three days. And earlier this spring, they reconfigured all the gym equipment and removed some popular items. Without surveying gym members. It was a mess. We still don't understand why they made those changes. If it weren't for certain classes on the JCCSF schedule, we would join another gym. So maybe consider that before you come here.

I've been a long time JCC fitness member (since its inception) and have been meaning to write a review. The fitness center has gone downhill while the membership fees continue to rise each year. Cardio equipment mainly ellipticals and stationary bikes were replaced a few years ago. They are horrible and constantly broken in addition to the old treadmills. About a year ago they moved equipment around to make room for a stretching area. The took away many of the new ellipticals and bikes causing people to have to wait to use them while they are in use. The stretching area is dangerous as people stretch and right next to you someone is swinging a kettlebell which can easily slip from their hands and hit someone. In making room for a stretching area they moved all weight bearing machines to the middle of the fitness floor. The gym is crowded and you must maneuver it like you are in a maze. Members are never asked for their input on new equipment, changes to the fitness floor etc. although the fitness management EXOS claims that they are. This is not true, it is false. Since the new EXOS head started about 4-5 years ago the fitness center has gone downhill. The people who make these decisions don't exercise and never ask for input. Yet every year your dues are excessively increased. It doesn't matter if you've been a loyal longtime member. Monthly dues are now $183. Not worth it and often they use the excuse of new equipment as a reason, which they in turn remove. The fitness manager was horrible and is now gone. There are some pleasant employees (front desk, fitness floor, membership). There are people constantly on their phones and that is not addressed. Another issue is with people using machines as chairs while on their phones taking a long time to complete sets and not allowing others to work in. Again I don't believe the $183 a month is worth it. There are better gyms out there for less, which do care about their members input and take their concerns into consideration. The JCC fitness center does not.

This is regarding the JCC's swim classes: The JCC will not teach your child to be water safe. This is because their instructors are NOT CERTIFIED in anything. Kids are stuck in small partitioned areas of a shallow pool, so they don't have room to swim more than a few feet. As a result, my child could not swim properly after more than two years of lessons at the JCC. My child could not tread water. He could not glide for more than a few feet. He was not water safe because he was NEVER taught to be water safe. We found a water safety certified instructor at another school and, within a month, my kid was treading water and swimming much more properly. He's finally on his way to being a strong, safe swimmer. I just wish I had left JCC sooner. I could have saved a lot of time and money.

Returned to this place hoping to relive the good old days, but was saddened to find that it no longer offers massage services or has a cafe. It used to be my go-to spot for relaxation and enjoyment. Missing the charm it once had.

Some plusses to this gym for sure: clean (excellent cleaning crew), safe (lots of security), well kept equipment and lots of classes. Some negatives that are very important to me, maybe not to you. Important enough that I will start seeking another gym. -One of the main reasons I joined was because it has lots of windows that OPEN. Until recently they were opened and it was wonderful for you health, etc. Now that they close them, gym smells and I feel more likely to 'catch' something. -WAY too many people texting in-between sets. Sorry, but there should be a no communication on cell phone policy (there is only a not talking--but text is quite akin to talking). Thus often a long wait for someone to do their three sets in the time I could have done 10! -At times there seems to be more trainers than gym goers. Said trainers use all the good machine for very lengthy times in order to explain each exercise--this should be limited during peak times! -Trainers (I could see a newbie doing this) using and training folks with a jump rope in the middle of peak times! (great excercise but very dangerous to be performing whilst gym is crowded. I have seen this many times. -Most men are NOT washing their hands when done using the bathroom--yuck. Gym can't control that, but they could certainly put up signs. -The cardio machine are WAY too close to each other. Lose a couple of them (they are never all filled) and create some space! -Emails to staff NEVER get answered. I have sent 3x. -Parking is expensive.

This place was pretty good, but they just removed several of their circuit training machine and moved the machines too close together. The wait times for the machines have increased, so I'll be finding another gym. It's no longer worth $175 per month. Also, the quality of their classes and trainers are not great.

ive been a continuous gym member for almost the past 10 years, and was also a member back in the late 90s, at the old JCC. would normally give the gym 4 stars, but two weeks ago, everyone returned to the gym after the passover holiday to discover that they reconfigured the entire gym floor. popular equipment and machines had been REMOVED altogether, or moved to non-sensical locations and placed more closely together in cramped spaces, while unnecessarily and overly-increasing the open stretching area (as if one cant stretch at home?). it's chaotic and disruptive with so many people fighting over fewer machines and equipment. NO other gym-goers ive spoken to are pleased with this--as one person commented to me, "this is a clear case of if it aint broke, dont fix it." and one of the gym staff attendants said they werent even informed that the changes were going to happen. what level of incompetence is required to make such unwanted changes that weren't based on customer or gym staff feedback? BIG FAIL (MASSIVE) to whoever concocted this plan. please remedy this or you'll be losing members.

Focus Health does a great blended (online + classroom) CPR certification course here from the American Red Cross.

Someone did reach out to me and gave me an email address to contact them, and they STILL haven't reached out.

Great facility! I am taking a beginners Hebrew class, it has an excellent instructor, serious learning atmosphere and a great value for the price!

I belong to the JCC in San Diego. Last week I call this SF location and asked if they had a reciprocal situation with my facility. I was told that they would only charge $20. instead of the normal $30. I did think $20 was a bit steep but I went with my gym membership card, driver license and $25. in my pocket. I arrive and I am told it is actually $30. for members of other JCCs and $40. for walk in guest. When I explained I had just walk 25 minutes for my hotel and only brought $25. the desk person replied "It's $30" and walked away. SF is a beautiful walking city.

This fitness center is very expensive and has really been unable to provide a high level of service since before the pandemic. The cafe keeps closing so there is no food in the building, not even a machine, and they no longer offer spa services /massage or a store (so if you forget your socks or your goggles, you're out of luck). There are constantly mistakes in the exercise class schedule. At least the fitness machines seem fairly well cared for and up to date.

love this place because they have so much to offer. very fun workout group classes. I love their swimming pool and I just started a beginners class for Hebrew.

Amazing gym. Great programs. Nice staff. Clean facility. Always welcoming and warm environment.

Great asset to the community. Been coming to the fitness center since 1998 (yes, before they tore down the old JCC and rebuilt it), and it's always felt welcoming (I'm a gentile!). The pool and fitness equipment are well-maintained, and the staff generally friendly (save for some grumpy ones here and there. but big kudos to the pool, front desk, and security staff!). And props to all who brought the fitness center back to life during the pandemic. Was one of the first few back when it was still quite dead and empty - good to see the JCC operating at full capacity again.

I am a fitness club member for over 10 years, and really care about my relationship with the JCC. However, yesterday was very rude and unprofessional behavior and i hope, whowever is in charge, will train staff accordingly. Yesterday, when i finished shower after my workout, and was changing next to my locker, one of the cleaning people, suddenly, without any warnings, started to wipe dust from the top of the lockers. He had mask on his face, the rest of us got all covered with dust, so i had to wait for him to finish and go to shower again. This is very unprofessional, and this kind of work need to be done after hours. I can believe that that expensive gym, have so unprofessional employees. I am giving you 1 stars because i am very pissed. If i see this again i will probably quit my membership.

the camps here are fantastic, even as non-jews we feel welcomed in this community.

"community center" is the appropriate phrase here. The JCC is clean, comfortable, but not unwelcoming. Good people everywhere and an easy-going attitude all around. I always felt welcome. Had all the machines you could want, though ultimately it's a little small in the gym portion. Parking is a pain, but better than other gyms in the city. As we left SF, the membership office was fair and helpful with our move - not something you see every day in the fitness industry. Sad to leave, but we left to LA. Will miss this place.

I've had a great experience with JCC as a gym. Clean gym, equipment. The staff is friendly enough, there's no friction with anything here. Everyone that attends the gym seems to be respectful of one another in my experience. The basketball courts are great. The membership services team, in my experience, is awesome. Signing up for the gym was a breeze, all questions related to the membership during my time with the gym have been addressed. Tony C, who is in charge of memberships, is easy to reach and communicate with. I think communication of maintenance/closures can be better, but this is to be expected at most facilities. I would recommend this gym to others in the area. It's convenient and it's up there competing with Equinox and UCSF Mission Bay.

I have to start by saying the Jewish Community Center is BEAUTIFUL! The inside of the center rivals some smaller scale convention centers I've been to. The building is located on California street and is massive. You can't miss it! The atrium in the center is large with access to the downstairs area where the gymnasium is. There is a resource desk and several different rooms named "Halls" after I'm assuming Jewish community leaders. The staff is extremely friendly and kind which makes for a more pleasant visit. I'll definitely be back to patron this center! Great place! Also near the Academy of the Sciences!!

I really like JCC gym. Plenty of cardio machines. Good mix of equipment. Many classes throughout the day. There's a separate Pilates studio and they offer personal training. There's also a big parking garage attached. The women's locker room is always clean and toiletries are always full and available at each vanity station. There are several vanities in the locker room, each with a hairdryer, tissue, hairspray, deodorant and Qtips. There's a dry sauna and an iron station. Cups and mouthwash in the bathroom. Monthly membership is a bit expensive but I feel that I get my money's worth. I like to workout in the morning. I'll bring my work clothes and shower there before heading to work. I wish they were open later, especially on weekends.

I did not write the previous review rating the JCCSF with 1 star. I have used that center since the 1998. It is one of the best ever! Someone hacked into my account. Ciena R

Fantastic. Lot of classes and offers and friendly staff! I wish there were even more benches inside the lobby area. I wanted to sit one day because I was real tired but many senior folks stared me down until I felt extremely uncomfortable and gave up my seat to them. Omy gosh

Great place to dance and swim. Mask signs horrible. Can not find in the gym, signs need to have large pictures on the correct mask to use and the correct way to wear them, like they have in the hospitals.

Just started infant swim classes here in the newly remodeled aquatic center and it's been wonderful so far! Amazing, attentive staff, very covid cautious precautions and a wonderful new facility. In our class of 5 infants, there were 3 instructors (plus parents) which felt like a great ratio. Easy underground parking. Classes filled quickly and they're well worth it!

As an out of towner looking for a full size pool and gym to workout, this JCC was great, just wish there was a facility as nice near my hometown. $25 guest fee may have initially seemed high, but I definitely left with an exercise high, so worth it! Swimmers looking for a good lap pool should be very pleased here. Very clean locker room, sauna, steam and jacuzzi. And I appreciated the pool schedule which noted how many lanes would be open and which hours would be busiest throughout the day.

This is hands-down the best gym I have ever joined. I have so many classes to choose from on a daily basis. Today for instance I think I had 8 different cycling classes I could've gone to. Any broken workout equipment is fixed immediately, the hot tub sauna and steam room are clean, the showers are nice, there's towel service. My only complaint, and there is a complaint, is that they don't seem to manage the excessively loud talking that goes on in the sauna and men's room. For me, it's not conducive to a healing supportive environment, when I feel stressed after working out when trying to calm down in the sauna

My home away from home! The JCC is truly a presidio heights neighborhood staple. The community center is equipped with an auditorium, basketball courts, swimming pool, full floor of gym equipment/machinery, dance studio, cycling studio, yoga studio, spa and locker rooms. It's hard to imagine a general activity, fitness pursuit or community event that the JCC doesn't offer. The JCC offers cycling, group exercise and mind-body classes. There are around 4 CYCLING classes offered everyday, and they are conducted within their designated cycling studio. There are also MIND-BODY classes that focus on yoga and restorative movement classes. Perfect for recovery from the more intense classes! Also, my favorite...the GROUP EXERCISE classes offer Zumba, Boxing, Sports Conditioning and much more! It seems like there is ALWAYS some class going on in one of the three separate studios. In addition to the fitness offerings at the JCC, (as the name implies) there are several community centered events that revolve around local lecturers, book clubs, after-school camp for the kids, and adult learning courses. I truly get a welcoming and heartfelt vibe everytime I visit. The overall mentality of the JCC is a perfect environment for engaging in the SF Presidio community and reaching your fitness goals. Also...the locker rooms are faaaannnnnntastic!!!! They are SO CLEAN! The lockers are operated by using a membership card to access the key to the locker. No need to remember a code or go through the hassle. Just bring your key ring into your workout! Also, both the male and female locker rooms have a sauna, steam room PLUS showers equipped with shampoo/conditioner and body wash. No need to remember EVERYTHING to bring to shower. Bottom Line: Presidio Heights' best neighborhood fitness destination!

This building is GORGEOUS and they do a great job of inviting interesting speakers for various lectures and such. Such a solid lineup. A few weeks ago, I attended a program (I'm not a member but I enjoy their lectures) and one of the employees was super rude to me. She has dark curly hair and a rainbow lanyard for her badge. I have a medical condition and I needed to find a restroom quickly. She was clearly upset that I was outside of the auditorium and that I'd opened the door - even though it was at the rear so no light could get in. She was rolling her eyes and sighing with exasperation. I'm hopeful this was just a one-off thing. I can definitely understand she might have been having a bad day, but it was just a really rude interaction and so out of character for the normally warm, welcoming vibe of the JCC.

It is WAY too much money, high join fee, $30 day notice close fee, no discounts for lower use rate or not using all amenities (I don't have a child, why would I need childcare to be included). I would only use for gym equipment, steam room, and Brendan's Zumba class (Thursday and Friday nights). If you live close it might be more worth it.

Phenomenal facility as with all JCCs. Tons of cardio, lifting etc. Locker rooms are impeccably clean with towel service, hairdryers, mouth wash etc. TVs on all machines. Staff is incredible.

Stopped by today with some questions and a really nice young gentleman from the office helped me. Answered all my questions and explained how everything works at the pool. He also gave me a guest pass to bring my daughter in next weekend since we are thinking of having her start taking swim lessons. The two gentlemen sitting at the entrance of the pool were very nice as well and were greeting the kids upon arrival.

They have a kids room where they change babies diaper and feed them. All staffs there are so friendly and take care of babies so well. They have a parking garage downstairs so it is very convenient. It does add up membership fees and parking fees but it is worth paying for the convenience-! The facility is so clean and cleaning staffs are always on site taking care of everything. Highly recommended-!

At first blush, I want to be a fan of this gym. It seems spacious, has lots of machines, plenty of weights and an active staff. However, it loses serious points for missing the details. We all have our workout routines. And most of us like to stick to them. And I doubt any of you have a workout that only consists of a treadmill and an arm curl machine. Translation: we all have odd or unique pieces of equipment that we love to incorporate into our routines. (not to mention, those odds and ends are usually the ones that reinforce stabilizer muscles and stave off injury, just fyi). This place is seriously lacking in those items. Bands, yoga balls, bosu balls, medicine balls, they are either lost, missing or the selection is seriously lacking (one time, I was told that certain items were only for physical trainers). It's cheaper to buy a bosu ball on eBay for $79. Just sayin. The other loss of stars for this location are the clientele. Pretension blankets this place like fog on the bridge.

I am very impressed with your facility. The staff are very polite and they work really hard to make sure the cleanliness and ready for guests to use. Your guests reps are on it when a guest reported an incident happened in woman's locker. I hope it can be resolved right away. I wish I live in SF so I can join.

When we first moved to San Francisco, this was a community center we looked into and really appreciated. The fitness center is well-maintained, clean, and everyone is very respectful of each other. My husband and I thought the men and women's locker rooms were also very clean and safe spaces. Having just moved from a suburban neighborhood, and as it turns out, not all parts of San Francisco (or the Bay Area for that matter) are clean, family friendly, safe places.

I live close by and always received ads in the mail from them. I got one saying I can pay only $1 a day for the next 2 months and signed up. During the sign up process, I specifically and repeatedly told them to not save my credit card information as I was using a company card (fitness reimbursement). Fast forward to 2 months later and they charged the exact same credit card I told them not to... As for the actual facilities, I can only talk about their fitness facility as I did not visit the pool or attend any classes. And it was definitely NOT worth their standard price. For $1 a day, it might be worth it. But $120 dollars a month not including membership dues? You're better off finding a better gym. Their free weight section is tiny and always crowded. They seem to only have 1 of each machine, making you wait a long time at each station. If you want to work out with a friend, they have to pay $25 bucks for a guest pass that is only good for 1 day. I tried to find a basketball court to shoot around a bit after working out, but their courts are always booked for leagues/tourneys. Free shoot around hours were only available at very early morning times, which is inconvenient for me since I don't wake up at 5:45AM every morning to play basketball. If you don't use free weights and don't want to use the basketball courts, than this gym could be good for you. Otherwise, I'd look elsewhere.

This is the best (affordable) gym in the city. It is clean, clean & well appointed. Every class and machine your heart could desire. I hate gyms, and I like it as much as I possibly could. If you wait until the fall to join (October), there is usually a deal where you pay only $1/days of the month. You still have to pay the joining fee ($200 I think) and the monthly is about $103 (as of 2014).

The worse customer service at front desk! This people are supposed to " help you"treat you like you asking for something free and have a very bad mood. Hire people with great personality this position is the face of your community!

I dont hang around this area much, so I knew nothing of the JCC's existence. Now I'm going to be there twice in a span of a month for some talks. Saw the Lucky Peach Live talks which had Nic Balla of Bar Tartine, Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese, and Ivan Orkin of Ivan Ramen talk about their experiences cooking food which they didn't grow up with. They then had a sample of their cuisine afterwards. Very cool setup. I hope Thomas Keller does the same for his talk. Nice auditorium and very well built, clean building. Now I know this space exists!