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Dined here on Tuesday 8/2/2022.
The best dining experience in my well seasoned and full life. There are not enough superlatives. The food was indescribably delicious and explosive, and the paired wine was perfect with each course. On top of which the presentation along with the gorgeous dinnerware was memorable. The service was topnotch - the servers and hosts were attentive, and we had the privilege of meeting the talented chefs including the guest chef. Sitting adjacent to the open concept kitchen gave us a privileged view of the undeniably skilled staff in action, thus creating a positive and educational dining experience as well. The interior and furnishings gave a warm vibe, and the powder rooms were immaculate and beautiful. Transportation-wise we opted to be dropped off and picked up to avoid any parking challenges so we can come prepared with the proper mindset, only ready to enjoy what we anticipated to be an amazing dining experience that became a reality. We will return for sure and cannot wait!
We sat in the bar area and did the abrudged menu with add on waygu, cavier and sea urchin with sake. The meal was paced well. The disappointment was the duck course. Duck was not tender and the duck saisage seemed too gamey. The plusses were friendly team. The pineapple upside-down cake dessert was awesome. The chocolate treat to take home was wonderful. 1k meal for 2 is not cheap though.
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WOW. I was so afraid we were going to leave and feel guilty
WOW. I was so afraid we were going to leave and feel guilty about the amount of money spent. It was worth every penny and we would go back again! This was our first Michelin experience and we couldn't have picked a better place. The vibes are IMMACULATE. I can't quite describe it because it is so unique- fancy, classy, chill, cool, fun, sophisticated, relaxed. The food was amazing and the service was incredible.
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Ridiculously over priced food with beautiful presentation.
Great ambiance and service. Food wise, everything is very VERY tiny (less than bite size) . Everything is good but nothing spectacular. Do not come hungry and be prepared to leave hungry. Food items are very instagrammable so enjoy sharing the awe-inspiring food pictures on social media. Be prepared for a large bill. Cheers!
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This is such an incredible experience! From the experience,
This is such an incredible experience! From the experience, to the staff, to the meal, everything here was on point! We couldn't have asked for a better meal. If you have the opportunity to come here, we'd highly recommend it. We love capturing the moment, so if you're curious to see what it's like eating here live - <a href="/redir?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-RMVo2aqH6U%26t%3D176s&s=13b41edf74924e25a8e830dbc5bd5fc69e1a1cda57e0a8d008bf8f1ae48a1edc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">youtube.com/watch?v=-RMV…</a>Each dish was delicious and full of flavour. Hands down some of our favourites of the night were; the caviar opener, the uni on toast and the salted caramel dessert.
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Went to dinner for my birthday with my wife.
Dinner was absolutely fantastic. My wife is a picky eater and the chef and staff made accommodations to make her happy. Service was top notch, food was delicious!
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Wow is the only word I can say about this restaurant
5/5 by
MrPKI on 06/09/2022
They make amazing cocktails, they have an awesome sommelier, their rare food delicacies combined with wine pairing is an experience like no other. The staff is so friendly and it is fun to engage with the chefs which makes it a special experience.
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One of the top fine dining in America, likely the top in
5/5 by
KK Y. on 05/18/2022
One of the top fine dining in America, likely the top in California. Wildly delicious food, exemplary service, deep wine selection, standout ingredient pairings. Many of their dishes have been imitated by others, but others' attempts rarely capture what makes Saison's food so special. There's so many layers to the dishes, specifically with texture and temperature. Much more than meets the eye in the technique and references to culinary traditions. The kiriko-style plate for "diamond turbot," the fish prepared ikejime for the right texture, with kaiware stems and jalapeno to mimic wasabi, the bone vinegar with konbu and meyer lemon like a ponzu, the resulting effect like hirame no usuzukuri. In this case ikejime is essential to preserving the right crunch and the umami builds as you chew, like it does with particular good whitefish sashimi. Or a looser reference with Chinese reconstituted dried foods - "Fire in the sky" bull's blood beet smoked for days to dry above the hearth, then reconstituted with hot bone marrow and topped with pickled rose and peach vinegar, paired with a Mosel kabinett. Their caviar courses throughout the years have been incredible...Been dining here since 2013 and it's California's standout, in my opinion. They've been through some changes in the chef and team, but the experience remains great throughout. Haven't tried Chef Rich's food yet but I'm very excited to; his predecessors were all great. The methodology and ethos that the restaurant was founded with back in 2011 really set the table for much of the current fine dining landscape. Chef Josh was a culinary wizard and the food, ethos, and experience he created are legendary in American fine dining.
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Saison is amazing! Awesomely prepared food.
We all ordered multiple items so we could share and taste everything. Everyone agreed that all items were expertly prepared. No complaints from anyone in our party. Will be visiting again soon.
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Hands down one of the best restaurants in SF.
We came here for a birthday celebration and it was perfect. The food was delicious and packed with many unique flavours. Some of the interesting combinations included geoduck with cucumber and coriander, caviar with kelp butter, and antelope with kumquat and polenta. Of all the dishes, our favourite ones were the diy amberjack lettuce wraps with crispy skin and jelly toppings, as well as the sourdough brioche with red miso butter. For a carb lover, this bread was to die for. These were definitely the highlights of the night for us. My boyfriend and I also got a wine pairing to share since I didn't want to be too drunk to enjoy the food lol Overall, the service was impeccable and we loved the attention to detail. It was worth the splurge for a special occasion.
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One of the best experience restaurant in the Bay Area so
One of the best experience restaurant in the Bay Area so far for myself. Maybe I'm being biased because it's my birthday but still, for me the food the service was great!!!I made the reservation 2 weeks in advance to make sure that I have the reservation booked. I have the early seating which was 5.45 pm and I think it's perfect for 2 hours ish dinner.First off they welcome us with a champagne for my birthday and they asked what I want to drink , I couldn't drink much so I told them to pick 1 white and 1 red to enjoy throughout the meal. Which was great. They start the course with- herbal tea ( smell good )- the warm caviar was nice, I love that they used local ingredients such as the seaweed from Mendocino - the clam was sour with refreshing cucumber , it's good maybe I could have a little more hahaha- the sashimi , amberjack fish was great , the sauce that made from fish head and the gelee kohlrabi also crunchy skin all together in one bite was superb and end it with the fish rib which was good , could get some more char on the meat though - the bread, I was looking forward to this because bread at angler is amazing but here a little different the bread is good but the red miso butter to me is a little too salty and had that funky smell which I'm not fancy with- the asparagus was great! The truffle sauce and mushroom purée, yum! The star of this dish it's morel mushroom - the Uni toast , to me it's the only dish that I dislike - the white kimchi dish is so refreshing and crunchy, complex flavor , love it - antelope, nothing to say it's just so tender OMG!!!- wagyu , amazing and the mushroom!!! Again the smokiness - sorbet and jasmine ice brilliant - Apple tart with warm whiskey sauce YES please!And thank you for the birthday cake from the team saisonAll of this just a great experience to me , I would love to come back even though you have to spend $$$$ on the food but yes!!!! Before you leave they also give you a chocolate bar to take home also Recommend this restaurant for who you want to have a good time at a Michelin star restaurant .
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Finally crossed Saison off my list.
Prepaid non-refundable via Tock. Warm caviar wrapped in bamboo leaves to start: on a bed of light cream base with spring peas. Caviar swims deliciously down your throat. Lettuce wrapped fish of which the name escapes me. Korean concept yet amazingly Saison. Trout smoked on open fire- this was my favorite dish of the night. Uni toast- the word "scrumptious" was created for this dish. My first time eating Antelope - surprisingly tender and flavorful. A5 Wagyu was expectedly butteryJasmine shaved ice with green tea sorbetUpset down pineapple cake- by now my dress was too tight for me to reasonably enjoy lol! But best believe your girl still finished all the dessert. Overall: not my favorite 2 star but I love the American and the modern concept.
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In my opinion if you're dining at Saison, you have taste,
In my opinion if you're dining at Saison, you have taste, appreciate the details, and of course have some cheddar to spend. Service is top notch all of the staff were personable and knowledgable about the menu items. Many items I tried for the first time while celebrating here. Music was great and I left feeling full and satisfied. Overall a great experience with great food perfect for celebrations or if you're just curious about Michelin rated restaurants. Out of all the dishes I had I'd like to especially shoutout the sea urchin toast and wagyu beef!
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I absolutely loved this place! I am a can of Japanese
I absolutely loved this place! I am a can of Japanese inspired food and so I enjoy the tasting menu here a lot- I think this is probably my favorite Michelins star restaurant in SF... I've been to two others in the area but I will not share the name here since the others are good respectively. My sister did the wine pairing and she said she enjoy. Highly recommend getting the supplemental item that was offered. The uni toast was definitely a highlight for the meal for me. Service was impeccable. I am hoping take the husband here soon.
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From the minute you walk in the door, you know it's going
From the minute you walk in the door, you know it's going to be on your highly recommended list. The customer archive is unparalleled. Restaurants should take a page out of their book. They have covered their bases. Their staff thinks ahead. You are never without. The chef curates such an impeccable and lovely tasting, each and every time. The pairings perfect. The quality of food is stellar. The freshness, nothing tops it. We've been 7 times, and each and every time, they never disappoint. Please add this to your must try list. And, I encourage you to ask the chef to make something special, in addition to, just for you. Enjoy...
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For being one of the best and highest rated restaurants
For being one of the best and highest rated restaurants this restaurant does not miss. First if you don't mind spending the money then Saison is no doubt a must try. The food is the highest caliber and will leave a lasting memory. However, the highlight of the night is not the food its the staff. Our server went above and beyond to make sure we had the most amazing night possible. Gave recommendations on other spots in the city and gave us a card to get us into another exclusive Michelin star restaurant in the bay.
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Can't give one star because a couple of dishes were very
Can't give one star because a couple of dishes were very good but overall the experience was a disappointment and more than one thing left a bad taste in my mouth, pun sort of intended. The wine pairing seemed very off, the desserts underwhelming, and some dishes looked pretty or even impressive in preparation but didn't meet expectations in taste, with one being actually bad, and I'm rather offended now after I recently reviewed the wine list (not for a price comparison but just to see the exact name of a certain drink) and realized it now costs half of what I paid for it when I went just 3 months ago. It's one thing to inflate prices - every restaurant does, I understand that - but such an egregious markup as to warrant a 50% reduction to current patrons is quite a slap in the face to past patrons, especially the very recent patrons. My advice if you feel you must try this place is to go in the springtime. For whatever reason, the drinks will be half the price as they are in winter. Also, choose your own drinks rather than trust the sommelier, but watch out for those zig-zaggy prices. Call ahead to ask if they're charging hundreds more or less depending on the month/week/day you go, because they will not refund you after the fact if you point out the excessive charge. I feel extremely insulted that my exact same experience would've been $200+ cheaper if I went now instead of when I went 3 months ago. The dinner was already a disappointment but I did not think of it as a waste until now. Go if you must, but I recommend spending your money elsewhere.
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Everything was delicious.
Loved the forager mentality and how different parts of the dish would show up during each course.Got the wine pairing. Some were hits, some were misses. It also seemed that they didn't have a dedicated sommelier, so different people would present the wine to our table and some were more educated about the pairing than others.Had to deduct a star because we left still hungry. I was a bit surprised at the only one main meat dish (antelope) and the lack of dessert courses. It seems like they didn't have a pastry chef either.What was also funny was when we first came in, they offered to take our coats and insisted we'd be so warm from the fire/hearth. I tend to get cold in restaurants because they run the air conditioner, so we insisted on keeping our coats. When we got seated, we saw that the fire was on the other side of the room. Literally could not feel anything from it.
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I love their extremely large tables and the interior decor
I love their extremely large tables and the interior decor is so beautiful. They play loud 90s music which is fun but a little too loud to enjoy a conversation. The wait staff is extremely friendly and hospitable. Some of the dishes were extremely salty to the point of being inedible - particularly the caviar with kelp and spinach. I LOVE caviar, and it broke my heart to see it go to waste in this dish. I didn't love the antelope or duck. Overall, it Didn't live up to the hype of 2 Michelin stars but was an enjoyable experience due to the service and presentation of dishes.
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The parking was a disaster.
We knew there was no valet and really weren't thrilled about the $80 roundtrip uber ride, so we had planned on parking at the garage mentioned in the email. After a tremendous amount of traffic we arrived at our reservation time at 5:45pm, but the garage was closed. Cue frantic searching for parking on the streets during rush hour. We finally parked at a lot for $40 and arrived 30 minutes late to our reservation. The waitstaff was so gracious: they calmed us down, took our coats, and seated us. We were seated in front of the open kitchen and were able to watch the chefs at work, which was a lot of fun. Blankets are provided at the tables, and our waitstaff never left us for long whether it be to clear our plates, wipe the tables, top off water, or to check in on us. They presented each dish beautifully, and intricately described the process and ingredients. I just wish I could actually hear their descriptions over the din of the music and kitchen. For the caliber of this restaurant, I had hoped to love every single dish - even the ingredients I don't usually care for. I usually despise carrots and tangy sauces, but was delighted with the roasted carrot dish. The beautiful presentation of the radish palate cleanser didn't quite overcome my dislike of radishes. I absolutely LOVED the caviar dish. It was flavorful and the right amount of salt for me. Meanwhile, the uni dish was on the other side of being too salty.Saison delivers flavorful dishes with style. Definitely worth checking out!
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I think overall Saison is a 3.
5 star experience for me when accounting for the price tag. The service was very attentive and friendly and overall the food was good. There were a few standout dishes like the amberjack tacos and wagyu beef (which is extra charge). There were also dishes that were a bit of a let down, which were the amberjack collar (bbq flavor wasn't my favorite) and uni on toast (flavor was good but too buttery and salty, wish it was lighter).Definitely worth trying at least once if you can. The ambience was lovely and the experience watching chefs cook in an open kitchen was fun!
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I definitely expected more at a 2 star place.
Maybe that's why they lost their third star......Food --A few S's to describe it - style over substance and salty, salty, salty. Way too salty even for someone like me who people say have a high salt tolerance and cook with too much soy sauce.Everything was presented beautifully with multiple elements that showcased different and unique methods of cooking. However, I really don't care for this many elements when most of them don't taste good nor add much. I appreciated what they were trying to do but really just not tasty enough to warrant a return. The antelope course was a perfect example. - The saddle - Fine. It was tender enough but nothing to rave about. Sauce was too salty.- With it came a skewer that was way too salty which took away from the tenderness and juiciness of the meat. - The grits with braised antelope and truffle. Good lord that was so, so salty I couldn't even taste the slices of truffle. You would need a bowl of rice to eat with it. Needless to say, I did not finish it. I just picked out the truffle.- The antelope soup. Salty. Did taste unique but seriously needed some fresh rice noodles to go with it because it was too salty to be drinkable by itself. Did not finish.Uni toast - I thought this was their signature so I was looking forward to it. Uni if good quality always tastes good so you can't really go wrong, but the toast with brown butter was soggy and a bit too salty (maybe too much of it?). The flavor combination was admittedly interesting enough but really wasn't delivered well.Caviar dish - Fine. Too much caviar (I can't believe I'm saying this) vs the spinach. It's nice and savory and umami but too much is also too salty.Wagyu - Fine. I've had it better elsewhere. Salt was not evenly distributed on the mushroom. Most bites fine but one bite was especially salty. The amberjack course was quite good. No complaints here, but I can get the same or a better curated fish dish at a kaiseki or sushi restaurant.The highlight of the evening amazingly was a piece of carrot. Probably the best piece of carrot of my life. It was smoked for 3 days. Tender and smoky and sweet. Truly amazing. The brioche that came with it was so mediocre. Was it black truffle infused? Made from a 60-year old starter? Salty. Can't taste the truffle. Did not care for it. Again. The style over substance.Dessert wise...Jasmine and lime sorbet. Fine. Nothing to write home about.Smoked pineapple upside down cake. They brought this whole smoker thing to smoke your pineapple upside down cake at your table. I have no idea what that added because I can't get the smokiness when eating it. Smelled good though. In the end, it was basically a slightly too sweet and whelming piece of pineapple upside down cake. Style over substance.Service and Ambience -- They do not pick up the phone during service hours which I find is odd and annoying. Their website said they offered valet service but we didn't see any out front, so that's why we tried calling. Called a few times but just goes into voicemail. Once you got inside, however, the wait staff was amazing. They were incredibly attentive. Your glass was never not filled. They flipped to the right page for you in the wine book. Someone came to wipe your tables as soon as dishes were cleared. It was like a whole song and dance.When people said they blasted 90s music, they weren't kidding. They BLASTED it. Really too loud. I get it's more of a lively place but still doesn't need to be this loud. Decor was cool and fits the theme of the restaurant - wilderness, hunters and gatherers, etc. but this small two person table in front of us had a huge skull of uhhh maybe an antelope?! on their table. Bit much.Conclusion --All in all an average food experience. I wouldn't say it's not worth the money but it was just simply not good enough to be on par with other 2 star, even 1 star or no star places.
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Excelled with a solo diner
Incredibly creative, nothing else like it. I had lamb about 7 ways, bone broth, leg, roast, foam, heart. I sometimes dine alone and they achieved my expectations and more. Very knowledgeable and interactive staff. Variety of tastes and textures was unbelievable. One of my best meals ever.
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Hello, We booked a reservation here to celebrate my father
Hello, We booked a reservation here to celebrate my father visiting the bay area. The food was an absolute delight. There was a deep array of textures. I think the wagyu might have been the best thing I've ever tasted. The most stand out part of the experience however, was the staff member Liz. Liz had an outstanding balance of playfulness and professionalism. Liz answered all my questions, had fun dialogue, and was very knowledgeable. This will be a dinner for the books.
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I'll try to keep this brief.
There's a behemoth of 5-star reviews for Saison and I agree with all of them.Service: Perfection. It felt like you had a whole team to your table but never noticed them at the same time. Everything was cleaned/replace promptly and quietly. There were one or two people that actually spoke to us out of the 6+ people that touched our table which is ideal. They were very social yet professional, a perfect balance!Food: Refined.Every part of every dish was well thought out. Flavors coated every part of your palette and had a clean finish making you want to take another bite. None of the flavors were heavy or lingered too long which was a great feat to accomplish. My personal favorite- Dry-aged Antelop Backstrap.I loved the casual ambiance and open kitchen. Drinks were very well made and the bartender came and spoke to us in detail about some of our cocktails. Love the knowledge that everyone here has!
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Unless you're the 1%, this is a special occasion spot.
And what better occasion than my husband turning 40, we and some of our closest friends all got babysitters, and we're having another baby in 2 weeks, so this was last meal status for us. Yes, it's $$$$, but if you can afford it, and value this type of experience, it was so well worth it. First off, quick background: I've made my Michelin rounds this past year. Angler (eh?), Mister Jiu's (fine), Acquerella (meh), and hands down Saison coming in with 2 Michelin stars takes the proverbial cake. If you're deciding between any of those... Saison. From start to finish every bite won. That famed uni toast was bites of pure heaven, the antelope 4 ways (loin, marrow sauce, sausage (with black truffle) and broth) was incredible, the spinach with caviar nailed it, and the carrot? Who knew one could make a carrot so damn delicious. This was just a few of the incredible dishes. Every dish was executed perfectly. Bravo to the chefs and all who make this meal such an incredible one. Presentation of each dish was impeccable, service friendly, but formal, and ambiance was dark, hip and fun. And although it's a multi-course meal of small bites, I left full, but not overly. And now, can we talk about the playlist? Yes the playlist gets its own paragraph. Damn. Y'all, our table of 6 was seat dancing the entire time. It was an ode to 90s hip hop and r&b. Biggie, Monica, The Fugees, Whitney Houston, Soul for Real (yes, I did just throw out Soul for real) just to name a few. Combine that with incredible food and service, we all agreed: best Tuesday night in a real long time (granted we're all parents, but nonetheless). I'd return to Saison for another special night out. Our party of six all agreed: one of the best SF meals we've had. We had so much fun, the food was incredible and it was such a wonderful way to celebrate with people we love. Thanks Saison and team!
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What an experience! The minute I walked in, the amount of
What an experience! The minute I walked in, the amount of attention to detail and service is absolutely impeccable and unmatched. I have been to many tasting menu/fine dining experiences and I really feel that the service is almost as important as the food and the service here really shone. A great amount of education was provided with each dish as well as each wine pairing. They were very militant when it came to how the dish was presented and how to experience it properly. Not only was everyone we interacted with extremely knowledgeable, but they added some fun conversation and banter so it wasn't just high and dry. Sitting there for almost 4 hours was well worth it. Best part: They blasted 90s hip hop/r&b/Pop....it definitely spoke to my soulThe food was divine, some dishes I enjoyed more than others. There was a perfect amount of richness provided and the pallet cleansing dishes were so strategically placed through the tasting that it wasn't rich on rich on rich. I have to say my top dishes were the caviar which I was surprised to learn it was local, the wagyu, the carrot (I imagine this was what a "vegan rib" would taste like), the bread pull apart, and the amberjack lettuce wraps. I'm drooling as I'm typing this. Definitely a wonderful experience. I must even share that I asked for an iced tea, they didn't have it on the menu but went to brew it fresh for me and I like to think myself as an iced tea connoisseur and they blew my mind with their rendition of iced tea. Would definitely be back.