Long line but it moves fast, so you're in and out quicker than expected. The kouign amann was easily the best I've ever had. Perfectly flaky yet moist, insanely buttery, lightly sweet, crisp on the outside, and it melts in your mouth. The croissant was a bit disappointing. The inside wasn't dry, but the outside flaky crust tasted a little overcooked or slightly burnt, almost like the oven was running too hot. The buttery flavor just wasn't there the way I expected. I'd still come back, mainly for more kouign amann and to try the almond croissant next time. read more

Arsicault Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

A co-worker buddy and I always talk food. And when you live in this fabulous CIty of mine, there's plenty to talk about. Last week an article popped up in his feed. And he came up to me and asked me about croissants. Immediately I said, "Arsicault?" Yup. That's the one he read about. And typically he doesn't eat carbs (why are we friends?!?!) but he was willing to make an exception for these. Well, he commutes from the far North and would never be able to get any with his timing. I offered to get them for him if he didn't mind day-olds since timing doesn't work with my weekday schedule. Plus I think the ones at Arguello are just a skooch bit better than the other locations. He didn't have a problem with that. Went by Sunday. In a rainstorm. Which was a blessing because I only had to wait 10 minutes. Not bad considering how long the line can be. And everyone on the staff were efficient, helpful and very nice. Brought them to him Monday. He and his family devoured all of them that night. Arsicault definitely has new fans. read more

Arsicault Bakery - Only waited 10 minutes because the downpour probably kept so many away! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good croissants but don't get the craze and the line. It's a bit too flaky for my taste. I prefer juniper croissants on Polk more.

These are my favorite croissants in the city. The price, technique, quality, and flavors are all amazing. I like to call these walking croissants since they are so flaky and delicious and all of the locations have nice places to walk after. There are lines at times, but I've never regretted waiting in it. I always struggle to pick between the plain, chocolate, and ham & cheese. This original location is a cute, but small storefront. The other locations are much bigger and very beautiful. My favorite thing here is the chocolate chip cookie. The edges are perfectly crispy with the center still being chewy. Everything comes warm, but the cookie has melty chocolate chips and the flaky salt on top is perfect! read more

Arsicault Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

It has been awhile since I gave a review of this bakery. In my last review I raved about how good the ham and cheese croissant is. Since then I have tried many of the other items on their menu. I have had the following croissants: Plain Chocolate Almond Chocolate almond Ham and Cheese In addition to croissants I have also had the morning bun, currant scone and kouign Amann. They are all delicious. You cannot go wrong with any of their stuff. My favorites are the Ham and Cheese croissant and the morning bun. There is always a line at this bakery but the line moves fast. Come here on a weekday if you don't want to wait too long. Service staff are fast and efficient. There is no place to sit. Take out only. read more

See all

Reviews are correct, plain Croissant is 10/10. Def best I've had in the US. Chocolate almond croissant is 10/10.

This is THE best bakery I have ever been to! The pastries are exceptional and better than the patisseries in France! Croissants are the flakiest, chocolate and almost croissant is BUSTING with fillings, and the cheese gallete paired perfectly as a savory combination. Absolute must try! read more

See all

Arsicault Bakery serves some of the best pastries I've ever had. We arrived at 7:50 am on a Monday before work and found a short line already outside of the bakery. We tried three items: the Blackberry Almond Hazelnut, the Ham and Cheese, and the Chocolate Almond. The pastry dough itself is perfect with multiple layers of texture. A flaky, crunchy outer layer and an airy, honeycomb interior that is soft and slightly chewy. The Chocolate Almond Croissant was my absolute favorite. It was rich, flavorful, and generous with the filling. The Ham and Cheese Croissant was a surprise hit. I usually overlook savory croissants, but the seasoning on this one was excellent. The Blackberry Almond Hazelnut Croissant was my least favorite (relatively). It had plenty of filling, but I felt it mixed too many flavors (fruity and nutty) together. I was hoping for a 'peanut butter and jelly' effect. read more

See all

Arsicault Bakery is nothing short of absolutely fabulously amazing! This is literally one of the best bakeries for pastries in San Francisco. Yes, you will have to stand in line along with the rest of us to hopefully get the yummy pastries that you may want. Yes, they only allow one customer in the small space in the store at a time. Yes, the line moves fairly quickly. Make up your mind before you get inside to keep the line going. Yes, it's pricey and absolutely worth it! Yes, you should order more than just one or two items because I'm here to tell you one of anything that they sell is not enough. When we got there the line as I mentioned, went fairly quickly, but they had already sold out of a few items You truly will not find a better croissant anywhere. The exception might be abroad, but definitely not locally. They are truly perfection. Their buttery, light and flaky, and this is the first Bakery that literally properly fills the croissant so that you actually enjoy all of it not just a bite of The chocolate, the chocolate almond, or some of the other delectable croissants. Did I mention that the chocolate almond croissant is amazing?! Did I take a bunch of pictures? Absolutely not. Why? Because everyone was so excited to try everything that we ordered, I'm pretty sure. I don't think I've seen food disappear that quickly. After taking my first bite, I totally understood. The people in the shop are quick, efficient, very helpful, and nice. This is literally the smallest space I've ever been into for baked goods, and I would stand in line again just for these delicacies. The ham and cheese croissant was filled with melted cheese, and ham that was melt in your mouth delicious. Yes, even with the feeding frenzy I managed to have a bite of this bite of that! The savory scone is its own food group. We often think that scones are going to be heavy and crumbly. I don't know what magic goes on in their bakery, but this is part of their magic and is a definite must try along with everything else! The plain chocolate croissant was delicious and filled with chocolatey goodness. My favorite though is the almond and chocolate combo. It's such perfection. If you're in the San Francisco area and you really want the best of the best, this is your place. go early and go often! read more

See all

I was driving through SF on the way home and wanted to stop into Arsicault because I have heard amazing things about their croissants. I bough some plain croissants and some of their chocolate chip butter cookies. The cookies are very good and I will need to come back and get more next time I am in town. The star of the order was the plain croissants. They were buttery, flaky, soft, and delicious. I am glad I live so far away because I can imagine coming here everyday for a croissant. Overall I feel like it lived up to the hype. The service was good, even though they were about to close the store for the day. They were all smiles and very nice. The store is overall very small but has such wonderful buttery aromas. I hope you will stop in for a cookie or a croissant. read more

Arsicault Bakery - Chocolate chip butter cookie. Yum! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I always enjoy my experience when I come here. Really good croissants and pastries. Small menu but they don't need more things. There's always a long line that's about 15 minutes long and sometimes they run out of some things, but they usually have exactly what I want. Love coming here whenever I can. It's a treat! I used to go to Izola in San Diego, so it's pretty hard to talk my expectations, but I'm happy going here when I can!! read more

It was worth bending my self imposed low carb diet for these pastries! The store itself is small. There is a line but it does move fairly quickly. Only one party is allowed in the store at a time. The Kouign Amann was delicious that it was eaten so fast that I don't have a photo of it. The chocolate croissant was flaky and rich. I look forward to trying more pastries next time! read more

Arsicault Bakery - Home of delicious treats! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

This is my favorite bakery in all of SF. Every single pastry here is delicious. I love the savory scone and chocolate croissant. During the week, it's easy to pop in quickly and grab a pastry, but be prepared to see a line down the block on the weekends. Even with waiting in line, the service is super quick and efficient, so it doesn't take too long. read more

Food: 5.0 | Service: 5.0 | AMBIANCE: 4.95 ARSICAULT BAKERY, on Arguello Blvd, as we all know by now, is the number one place for the best buttery, airy and flaky CROISSANTS in the Bay Area. The original Arguello shop is a regular stop for me because it was the first location and the closest for me. It's snug and clean, more for takeaway but so appreciative for all the perfect croissants and goodies they serve. There's almost always a respectful queue but it goes rather quickly. The counter staff have it down and are wonderfully in sync. You'll be in and no in a few minutes. Unless you're waiting for a fresh batch of something fabulous like the HAM & CHEESE CROISSANT, warm right out of the oven. My favs are PLAIN, ALMOND or ALMOND CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS; KOUIGN AMANN, CRANBERRY COCONUT SCONES, and either CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES or their SHORTBREAD COOKIES. I'm SO happy After my order's in for all the goodies above, I keep forgetting to also pick up one of their refrigerated WHOLE QUICHES - BACON ONION or MUSHROOM! One day... ARSICAULT BAKERY is a toothsome staple I'll always turn to for my croissants. They now have two locations, one at the Civic Center and the other in Mission Bay. The European-style sandwiches on their house baguette, offered only at the Civic Center and Mission Bay locations, are not to be missed! Tip: Add the optional aged Comté Cheese. See you there! read more

Arsicault Bakery - Exterior of famed Arsicault! Yes there's a usually a little line but we got lucky! - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

It was a bit difficult to find parking, but I eventually found one as I circled around the neighborhood a few times. This bakery has become a quintessential destination. I would often bring out of town guests here and recommend it to all my friends. The offerings are simple, straight to the point, but oh so delicious. I often order the almond chocolate croissant. It's flaky, buttery, sweet, and nutty. A great combination to satisfy a breakfast treat or actually any treat during the day. read more

Amazing croissants here, among some of the best I've ever had! I visited this store around 10am on a Saturday and the line was very long! I waited about 30-40 minutes before getting to order. The line is outside the store along the street and only one party is allowed in the store at a time to place an order. Thankfully they didn't run out of any of them items when I visited, but my friend informed me they have before. My friend and I split the ham & cheese and the chocolate almond croissants since there were both huge! Firstly, the ham & cheese croissant was delicious. It was buttery, crispy, and chewy. The ham and cheese inside was also nice and it was overall a tasty and savory pastry. Lastly, the chocolate almond croissant exceeded expectations. It was a hefty croissant filled with a not too sweet almond paste and chocolate. It was also buttery, crispy, and chewy and the powdered sugar on top was a nice touch. Both of them were so good, I still dream about them to this day haha. There aren't any places to sit and enjoy the pastries, but there is a coffee shop next door where you can purchase something to sit at one of their outdoor tables. Overall, amazing experience here and I wish this place was located in LA where I live. I would visit again if I came back to the SF area. read more

See all

I have nothing new to add but I had a grand ol' time eating a croissant from here while strolling down the street - flaky bits flying everywhere and most definitely stuck to my face. Mmmmm butter. Also, don't sleep on the caramelized puff pastry twists. read more

BEST CROISSANT OF MY LIFE. The ham and cheese croissant is all you need. One bite and my life changed. You NEED to eat it when it's warm otherwise you're missing out on its full potential. The chocolate almond croissant is also VERY good, but it is VERY sweet. You will probably want to share it with someone as it is extremely dense. It tastes really good, but probably because there's a whole stick of butter in one. Nonetheless, the croissants are buttery, flaky, and delicious. 12/10 my life changed. read more

Arsicault Bakery - Ham and cheese croissant - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow- have not had such an incredible croissant in ages! Since France? excellent! Worth everything you have to go through to have one! Service is quick and friendly. It's just a sliver of a spot- walk in one at a time- so yes there's a line- but worthwhile. Immaculate tidy store. If you are nearby- worthwhile! read more

Arsicault Bakery - Didn't realize I'd struggle to find parking let alone a long line that moved rather quickly. - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I avoid lines, but I'd happily wait in line for Arsicault Bakery! There was a long line on a Sunday before noon, but the line moved so quickly that it only took 20 minutes. I bought a ham and cheese croissant, plain criossant, bacon scone and chocolate chip cookie. That ham and cheese croissant was divine - worth every single damn calorie! The plain croissant was perfection and the chocolate chip cookie was thin and very chocolatey, with some sea salt to give it that salty-sweet touch. I'd probably pass on the bacon scone, but I didn't get to eat it warm (it's probably better warmed up). But seriously, walking down the street while eating that ham and cheese croissant made me happy to be alive. read more

See all

I hate waiting in lines and will usually avoid them, but this is one of the few places I'll make an exception for. The croissants here are that good. It doesn't matter what day or time you come, there will be a wait and it's usually worse on the weekend. This bakery is strictly to-go with little room inside. Everyone lines up outside and one or two parties are allowed in at a time. They don't offer a lot of items so the line moves fairly quickly. My favorite thing to get here is the Ham & Cheese Croissant ($6.75) and you have to eat it right away while it's still warm for the full effect. It's perfectly airy, crispy and buttery with the right amount of ham and melted cheese. Their Almond Croissant ($6) is also a good choice for something sweet. This is a popular SF spot for a reason and the hype is real when it comes to these croissants. read more

See all

How lucky was I to reserve my short term rental in Inner Richmond, mere blocks from the most recommended French bakery in all of SF? Of course, I had to walk over to see if the famous sweet & flaky Kouign Amann lived up to its reputation. In case you have no patience to read this full review, it did! We strolled up around 8:35a on a drizzly Friday morning in late July. The line on the Arguello sidewalk had maybe 10-12 people ahead of us and moved quickly. There's a menu posted in the window so you can get your order list together before your turn to enter. Now is not the time to hem and haw at the register. It's 1 in, 1 out, step to the counter, say what you want, pay, and get your bag of goods in quick response. It's a well-oiled machine. Our group of 2 ordered 4 pastries (plain croissant $5, morning bun $5.5, savory scone $5.5, & kouign amann $5.5) plus a regular hot drip coffee with cream ($3.50) for $28.75 with tip. First off, the coffee was great! No need to wait in another line next door to get coffee unless you've gotta have something special. We loved all of our pastry choices, but there is no denying the supremacy of the kouign amann. If you only have calorie budget or funds to get one thing here, get that. Imagine all the best features of a well-executed croissant, then cover it in a delicate and crisp crystalized glaze adding just a hint of sweetness to each bite. We split each of our 4 items, but we were fighting over crumbs for this one. So good! There is no seating available, so plan to take your bag of goodies elsewhere to enjoy. You'll want to sit down and savor it, so a nice park picnic (if weather permits) would work nicely. In our case, we just went back home and enjoyed at our kitchen table. So good! read more

See all

Third time having arsicault this year and I have encountered the first pastry that is a bit too intense and rich. The chocolate almond is delicious, however I would ideally only eat a third of it. The chocolate croissant and the ham and cheese were delectable and flakey. read more

Arsicault Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was a long time Arsicault customer having been buying their ham and cheese croissants since they opened shop on Arguello. On my last two visits I noticed that they have severely cut back on the amount of ham to a single thin slice with barely any cheese. Cutting back like this is unfortunate and I will no longer be buying them. Too bad, they used to be soooo good. read more

Best croissant in the bay! I enjoyed their plain croissant the most, followed by the pain au chocolat, then ham and cheese. Their almond croissant wasn't bad, but I wouldn't get it again. For non-croissant items, I highly highly recommend the bacon scone and chocolate chip cookie. Their bacon scone was the best scone I've had to date! The texture is fluffy, not dense and dry like other scones I've tried. The chocolate chip cookie included a good amount of chocolate and salt, which balanced out the sugar nicely. The line might look long, but it moves very quickly. To-go type of place, no seating space to chit chat and eat your baked goods. read more

See all

I love Arsicault croissants and this place is always a must stop when I'm in the city! I love coming here to grab a croissant and taking it to a coffee shop in the city. I have told all my friends about the magic in these pastries. I don't think they are as obsessed as me but standing in the long line is always worth the wait! The croissants are fluffy and flaky on the outside. The plain one holds its own but all the others are delicious too! If you're looking for a fantastic croissant, this is THE place. Look no further! read more

See all

I don't know if I've ever had croissants as good as the ones here at Arsicault. We tried a few of their croissant varieties and their kouign amann, both right after ordering at ~11 am on a holiday and later that day. And everything we tried was among the best we'd ever had--if not the best. After finishing them, I couldn't wait to come back. The pastries in all formats were amazing, but the biggest standouts were the plain croissant and the almond croissant. Both were as technically perfect in their lamination as I've ever had, and probably relatedly, they had a rich, buttery flavor without feeling too greasy. Besides a flaky exterior, the plain croissant had a beautiful chew inside. And the flavor of the almond croissant's filling was perfect: earthy almond, sweetened just enough to be decadent and filled just enough to satisfy. (It also seems like they either don't use almond extract or just use the right amount so that there's no weird, fakey taste.) We definitely expected a wait when we came, but we ultimately didn't wait long. We got in line when it stretched down to the second tree, and it took us ~20 min to get to the counter. read more

Arsicault Bakery - Plain croissant (10/10): Literally one of the best (if not the best) croissant I've ever had - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Arsicault Bakery is everything people say it is and then some. My wife and I stopped in for croissants and were blown away from the first bite. The layers are impossibly flaky, the crumb is tender, and the buttery aroma hits you the moment you open the bag. We tried a classic butter croissant and one filled, and both were perfect crisp edges, soft center, zero greasiness. Yes, there can be a line, but it moves fast and it's absolutely worth it. Staff were friendly, the pastries came out warm, and you can taste the care in every fold of dough. Easily one of the best croissants in San Francisco our new must-stop whenever we're in the city. Highly recommend! read more

See all

Worth the wait! We came here on a rainy day, and there was a long line that went quite quickly given that the bakery only allows one party inside at a time. You can smell the almond scents in the street. The warm croissants are delectably fresh, flaky, and buttery. Their almond croissant and chocolate almond croissants have a creamy center that pairs well. We also got a few other pastries, but if it's your first time, I'd try them all since you spent the time to wait in line. read more

See all

Good food, great service, and To-Go ambiance is the description I give Arsicault. The pastries are very good. Buttery, and flavorful. I got the Akoign Amann (might've misspelled that) Chocolate croissant, Morning Bun, and Ham and Cheese Croissant. The Akoign Amann was good, flaky and buttery. The Morning bun was extremely delicious and flavorful. Every bite was perfect. The Ham and Cheese Croissant was also tasty. Crispy and flaky, with the perfect amount of ham and cheese. The Chocolate Croissant is a double croissant that has rich chocolate inside that pairs well with your favorite coffee or an espresso martini. Arsicault lives up to the hype. I will definitely be back next time I'm in the city. read more

See all

This is my favorite bakery in SF. Don't go to the other locations in Civic Center or Mission Bay - this one is the best and worth it despite the line (which is never too long, especially compared to places like Butter & Crumble which will have a two block line an hour before the bakery opens). I've gone a few times around 10-11 AM and gotten through the line pretty quickly, plus they've never been sold out of anything. Another plus of this location is its proximity to Golden Gate Park; when the weather is nice it's great to pick up pastries from here, find a grassy area in the park to put down a blanket, and have a mini picnic. My favorite thing to get here is the chocolate almond croissant, especially since it's fairly unique and not too many other bakeries do it. Everything is perfect from the almond filling, the flaky croissant, the crunchy baked almond filling on top, and the melted chocolate. It's pretty heavy and dense though, even when hungry I can only get through half of it. It's still good later on (even after a day or two) but nothing beats it fresh. I also like to get the plain croissant and their kouign amann. The kouign amann has the same buttery, flaky layers as the croissant and has this caramelized sugar coating that I love. Don't love their chocolate chip cookie - too much chocolate and not enough cookie. But everything else I've tried from their is so worth the drive over, line, and prices. read more

My favorite pastries in SF. I've tried some of the top croissant places and these are my favorite. Less of a line and quality is always great. Flakey, buttery, and rich. My favorite is the koign amann and for savory ham and cheese is really good. It's a takeout spot, no tables except for outside. I recommend. read more

Arsicault Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was quite surprised to see a huge line for this bakery in the Richmond since I don't frequent these parts, but after trying their Croissants, the line is unfortunately very very well deserved Probably one of the best and most bang for buck croissant I've had - nice and buttery and has a really delicious filling! One croissant by it self feels like a whole meal! Would definitely return given the chance read more

Arsicault Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

The kouign amann, amazing. The ham and cheese croissant- great. The chocolate almond croissant- okay. The kouign amann has the perfect glazed, buttery, and sticky texture with an amazing crunch. I highly recommend this. The ham and cheese croissant has a wonderful croissant, though I think you can get away with just plain croissant as well. It is buttery and flakey with my friends proclaiming it the best croissant they've ever had. The almond and chocolate croissant was good but way too sweet.The almond paste was overwhelming and made the croissant a bit soggy. Overall, Ariscault is a must visit bakery! read more

See all

The best croissant ever. Better than the ones I've had in Paris. In fact I usually don't like flaky pastries that much but Arsicault converted me. The ham and cheese croissant literally sent me to another dimension -- buttery, yet light. Flaky yet holds it shape. Not too cheesy. I also like their other croissants but I prefer savory treats so this is the best one imo. I've also gotten the scones and apricot bostocks -- they are good but not as incredible as the croissant and can be found at other bakeries. The Inner Richmond location has the worst wait by far (even on horrible weather days in a weekday midday I've seen short lines) -- so would recommend checking out the Tenderloin and newly opened Mission Bay ones. read more

See all

Heard of this place many times but never had the chance to try it until Saturday. The exterior looked quite normal and a bit too humble for its reputation. But as you walked closer to it you could smell the butter and the bakery aromas magic. There was a line and I imagine there will always be a line. But the line moves quickly. As we stepped inside, there's minimum decorations, you can't call it a cute cafe. The variety of pastry is also less than I thought. You couldn't find cakes for example. The croissants look huge and the kouign-amann was sold out at 12pm. The next batch needed 45 minutes wait. I didn't like that it was hard to take a good picture of the bakery and their labels without the reflection of the glasses. We bought 2 croissants for the first try. The almond chocolate and a cheese and ham. They are not the buttery but empty airy nothing but a hole kind. They are dense and solid inside, well, worth the $6+ each. Hubby wanted a decaf cold brew but they didn't have it. The cashier was very friendly and kind and kept offering other choices. All together, 2 croissants, $13.5. I think they are good, but maybe a once awhile treat only. read more

See all

The best croissants I've ever had, nothing else really even comes close. Better than in France I swear to god. This is how you should do a croissant, filled and heavy. Get the chocolate almond croissant. They don't skimp out on the filling. The photos and reviews can't do this place justice. Wait might be a bit long (30 min for us on a Saturday) but absolutely worth it You have to try this place if you like pastries. Every time I go to San Francisco I have to go here read more

Arsicault Bakery - chocolate almond croissant - Bakeries Near Me - San Francisco, California

Hands down one of the best (or the best) croissants I've ever had. Seriously, I still remember the butter & the croissant crust even after 2 weeks. I'm so glad I made it to Arsicault this time. Luckily, there was a small queue & I got my almond, ham&cheese croissants & morning bun. I was actually surprised by the price of these pastries. I don't know how to put it in words but everyone should try these croissants at least once. It remained fresh even after 6 hours. That's amazing TBH! Bakery is very small on the inside & this place will probably be the constant in all my future SFO visits. P.S: I've also learned something new that Morning bun & cinnamon rolls are very similar but not the same. read more

See all

I was skeptical that Arsicault would live up to the hype, I'm so often disappointed by places that you hear raved about all the time. Happy to report that Arsicault is indeed amazing and well worth the wait. We got here right at opening on a Saturday, and had a 20 minute wait. Since ordering is pretty simple and they pack everything for you on the spot, the line does move pretty quick. I've seen the line get super long though, so if you are in a hurry, try to get here as close to opening as possible. Since it was our first time we decided to go big and ordered a ham and cheese, chocolate, and chocolate almond croissant, scone, and kouign amann. In an absolutely shocking surprise to myself, the ham and cheese croissant was my favorite. Not usually something I choose to order, but so glad I did, and don't think I could ever come back here and not get it. Truly everything we got was fantastic. The croissants were so warm and flaky, and the ingredients on the inside warm, gooey, and oh so flavorful. Definitely would come back and order any of these items again, though if I had to pick between the chocolate and chocolate almond croissant, I'd go with the plain chocolate because the other was super rich - still unbelievably delicious, but rich as can be. read more

See all

Best croissant in San Francisco! Hands down the best compare to other croissants spot, this is where you can find the most buttery and flaky croissant in the city !! Nothing can compare to Arsicault, get their ham & cheese croissant !! It's my go to when I pass by this place. Lines can be long , but worth the wait. Get extra napkins cause the croissant flakes are flying all over my shirt!! read more

See all