Frances, San Francisco CA

To say we were underwhelmed would be an understatement. To pay over $100 per person after taxes and fees, not including any drinks, before we stepped foot in the restaurant, before a taste of the menu, only to wind up sharing the entire menu, even the dessert- well, it's no wonder they make you pay ahead of time. Why are we paying double for the same portions one person would get, firstly? And why, in god's name, would you ever serve a custard that smelled like rotten milk and eggs that had been sitting in a pile of hay underneath a pig on a farm for 6 months in 100 degree weather (not an aged cheese kind of smell, but a barf in your mouth kind of smell) to the table, especially when we're all sitting so close together? ! I ate it just to stop the smell from permeating the restaurant and because it was so expensive! All-in, after one wine pairing (wine pours were incredibly generous and nicely paired, thank you), one cocktail, and a beer, we forked over nearly $350 for a completely forgettable meal. The service was great, the ambiance was good, too, but wow, definitely never coming back and ashamed we paid so much for not a single thing that felt elevated, special, or worth it.

Came here with some friends for a group dinner, and while the food was tasty, it definitely underwhelmed. There were several pairings that were just strange (petra sole and pasta, mole-ish and squash) and just didn’t quite work. The chicken was also very underseasoned, with only the caramelized onions and chantarelle mushrooms attempting to give it a flavor boost. We also paid $6 for 5 pieces of sourdough bread. Much like its sister restaurant Octavia, Frances kind of fell flat for us unfortunately!

Amazing experience. Food was delicious, the atmosphere was intimate and enjoyable. For how busy they restaurant was the service was great. Highly recommend!

We had a great time here. The pre-set menu was so good! The food was a little much for us though. We went with a party of 3 and I feel like we might have gotten a portion for 4 people, because they only worked in portions for 2. Great service, nice people.

We had a very nice dinner. Very good food and friendly people. De pasta we had was delicious.

Been here like a dozen times. Food is always solid here. The food selection is sometimes small. It is usually difficult to get a reservation here but they recently added outdoor seating that I think now or is easy to get a table here. They changed the menu to a family style prix fix menu, which is interesting. The food was solid. It is very odd that I had to keep asking for serving spoons and sharing plates and it was hard to get them and I had to wait for them a number of times during one meal.

Great food, interesting mixtures, the steak was really tasty as the salad. West Hollywood vibes behind the smell of Santal candle.

Great addition to the Castro. The tasting menu and wine pairing is outstanding, as is the service. Great experience.

We have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of Frances for over a year now. Before the pandemic, it was our favorite restaurant in the city, and our go-to for everything from special occasions to a fun Friday night. We loved the first come first serve seating in the window, where we’d nosh their mouth watering panisse and self pour house wine. We returned to our beloved Frances quickly after they reopened, and while the ambiance and the service were as excellent as ever, the food just isn’t what it used to be. For about $400 for two people (tasting menu ~$90 and wine pairing $65), there are simply better options in the city now. Signature Frances foods are still available, like the lumberjack cake and the panisse, but they’re added a la carte to your tasting menu and they aren’t worth the add anymore. The lackluster Lumberjack cake left me missing the delicious caramelized outside, sweet ooey gooey toffee chew inside of the legendary OG Lumberjack. Other old favorites at Frances, like the delicious, self pour (affordable!) house wine, aren’t available at all. Our meal began with a rockfish crudo and carrot “hot sauce” that was under seasoned and one note. Zero heat despite the “hot” promise, not enough acid or salt, and the large, tough chunks of rockfish weren’t helping. The melon salad and panzanella that followed also weren’t anything special: the goat and sheep’s milk cheese wasn’t sharp enough to contrast with the melon and sort of flopped sadly overtop of it; the tomatoes in the panzanella were mushy and tasteless, lacking sauce and salt and especially surprising given the delicious tomatoes available in the Bay this time of year. Of the starters, the dip and the bread were the best, but overall, these five courses were not what you’d expect from a $400 meal. Chips and dip, panzanella, melon, bread, and rockfish…I would have traded them all for a bite of the old panisse. The pasta was lovely, with dragon balm both folded into the dough and sprinkled on top. More flavor like this, please! The final savory dish was duck, and it was cooked well, but here again, not the taste sensation you’d expect from Frances or from the price tag. Just some properly cooked duck served dry, with a chunky cauliflower sauce and some greens scattered on the plate. The meal closed with a cake (not the lumberjack cake), which also left me wanting. Like the rest of the food, it was…fine I guess? A dry brown cake, scattered around ice cream, with a few sprigs of mint. In every bite, I looked for my old friend Frances, but each course was another round of, “this is ok, but we could make it better at home. ” Not what you want for a $400 price tag. Sadly, after years and years of building our weekends around this sweet little neighborhood restaurant, I don’t think we’ll return to Frances again. I’m so glad for the years we had there before the pandemic. Smile because it happened, I suppose.

Since the day it opened, this little, very intimate restaurant run by Chef and Owner Melissa Perello has been a huge success in the neighborhood. It is excellent for a low-key dating night as it is for supper with the kids since it is both stylish and always filled with patrons. Even though it is very hard to get a reservation at this establishment, the incredibly homey atmosphere, which is catered to by a kind staff, is reason enough to plan ahead. Instead of serving fashionable powders and foams, Perello opts to provide robust and seasonally appropriate dishes like roasted baby octopus with handmade yogurt and olive tapenade. A pork chop that has been brined in honey is served on top of a slaw made with creamed escarole and fennel, and carrots from McGinnis Ranch are roasted with sunchokes to create an unusual combination of sweet and salty flavors. Desserts that are light and refreshing, such as a black sesame pavlova with chicory root ice cream, are a great way to round up the meal. Along the process, indulgent supplements may be added, such as charred A5 Wagyu steak and delicious uni. The dinner comes to a conclusion with a sweet and soft mochi that is dotted with adzuki bean paste. This is a surprisingly mild way to cap the meal.

We had dinner tonight at Frances, after excitedly reserving now that it’s re-opened after the pandemic. While the food wasn’t horrible, it doesn’t hold a candle to the Frances of the past or even their sister restaurant Octavia.
The menu was set and for the price, the amount of food and portions were not worth it. Every dish lacked any umph and all could’ve just used some salt. The pay for what you pour wine is no longer available which was also a bummer. The timing of the food was off the entire meal at no fault of the servers. Service was impeccable and deserves 5 stars!
I will say that for $85 a person there are much better options in the city.

One of the best underrated restaurants in the city.

Excellent food.
Excellent service.
Perfect for a date night or nice dinner out.

Have never had a poor experience there.

American food and service at this place is excellent. Got there near seven, it wasn't very crowded. Next time I'll be back with my friends. The prices are good for what you get. Feels like a place in Los Angeles I loved.

Really liked Frances. Have been having a hard time finding a pleasant restaurant with good food and affordable prices in SF. Frances might be just that. It's a bit difficult to get a reservation which is an indicator of its success.