My husband and I decided to eat here since the restaurant looked so comfortable , they offered beef bourguignon which I was in the mood for, and they had three stars in Yelp. The beef bourguignon was instead a beef stew with red wine thrown in. It was not made properly, lacking depth in the sauce. Based on reviews, I think Cafe Mason may be fine for breakfast and lunch. Hence the three (and four!) stars. Think of it as a fancy diner. However, I would not come back here for dinner. I read some denigrating reviews about customer service . While I noticed that some patrons stood around for a while to be seated, our waitress was courteous and pleasant. read more

Better than homemade, great anytime food in the heart of the city! Crepes here are amazing. They have a great pasta selection, amazing seafood dishes and the nicest waitress's. U will love it! read more

Cafe Mason - Corner of Mason and Ellis - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent! It was a 60$ breakfast for 2 but so worthwhile. Seafood crepe was pure perfection. The hamburger patty was delicious. The fruit was sweet and tasty. I quite frankly did not expect much and what I got was just about a perfect breakfast. read more

I've been here twice for breakfast, so I don't know how lunch is. But the last time, my bf and I came to grab some breakfast quickly before our tour bus picked us up. The service was quick and friendly but my breakfast was less than average. I ordered the Chorizo Scramble which turned out to be really salty and such a small portion! It was a good thing I had a side of fresh fruit and potatoes or else I would've been hungry. You are paying about two bucks more than you would at another local diner just because it's located 2 blocks from Union Square. Not worth it for the quality of food you get. I think I'd hit up Pine Crest Diner instead. Another greasy spoon but half a star better. read more

I've come here religiously for 5 years even though I hate their service. First I thought it was b/c they have to deal with all the drunk ppl late nite, but I've been for brunch and lunch and the waitstaff still suck. However, their crab and shrimp croissant melt is the best sandwich I've eaten all my life. I order this every single time, no joke. I slyly tell my friends to order other stuff that I pick on...hehe. It's so good I continue to go there knowing I will get tude from the waitstaff. ***update 2/27*** I came here and the waitress told my party she wasn't serving us...OMG...crazy woman. Yeah, we drank...but like I said b4, this is a late night diner, deal with it. Geez. So anyhow, she said she wasn't serving us and left our food that was already made on the next table. We ate it and left. LOL. read more

Dropped into this cafe late at night after the Yelp Unwrapped Holiday Party and was quite happy with the hearty bowl of beef stew that I ordered on such a chilly night, but what made this place stand out was the service and the hot apple pie ala mode that I had following my meal. It could have been the cold air, but that was the best piece of apple pie I've had in a long time. With a dusting of cinnamon, and a drizzle of caramel, the pie tasted even better than it looked. I'll be back for more. read more

For a 24 hour place they have efficient service and good food. Some 24 hour diners/restaurants only have one person working but this place had a few on the floor, both for the restaurant and bar portion. They also have a good selection of American breakfast food, large appetizers, cafe drinks, and lunch/dinner food. It also doesn't take long to get seated or for the food to come out. My group ordered the french toast, shrimp quesadillas, and fish and chips. The fish and chips were described as an appetizer but they gave us three pieces and a lot of fries, it was more of an entree. The area around here is kinda sketchy but is close enough to hotels/union square that there are tourists walking around, so I felt safer. read more

This place takes a little longer than grabbing a coffee and donut, but the food is worth 45 minutes to sit down and enjoy. I come here for the homemade corned beef hash, but there are so many good things to go with it. Their skillet breakfasts are a nice size and have good variety. The Mason French Toast is excellent, although guys you need real maple syrup. The staff is very nice, and I have not found them to be slow at all. read more

Every time I come in here I'm either extremely drunk or extremely hung over. Ive been here once where there has been slow service but it's expected at a 24 hour joint at 3 am on a saturday night. I am not a fan of their quesadillas. It tasted rather dry and not much queso. BIG no in my book. I love their burgers and their salads (which are pretty big) and am a fan of their breakfasts as well. Their pancakes are good and their OJ is pretty good. The service is nice and since most of the staff is russian, and we're drunkie regulars, Natasha and Ulia are super nice and let me struggle and TRY my hardest to order in russian (brushing up on my russian for the boy toy). I'm a fan and this place never disapoints. read more

Had a shrimp and crab melt. Thought it was average. The croissant was flaky so that's good. We had a huge party 16 people and they were pretty accommodating and wait wasn't long. Price was average. Decent place. read more

Cafe Mason - Crab and shrimp melt - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

My review here is from a limited experience. Our group arrived here at 2am with a craving for desserts. Would not recommend this place for desserts at 2am. I cannot speak for the rest of the menu but their desserts were Denny's quality and slightly more expensive. Other than that, the venue itself is modern and clean, the staff is friendly, AND they open past 2am so that makes them awesome in my book read more

Ducked in here with my family for breakfast on Sunday morning after seeing that there was a line out the door at Dottie's. I was pleasantly surprised! The servings are not huge, so if you are looking for an omelet the size of your head then this is not the place, but they were the perfect size for a healthy portioned breakfast where we didn't leave feeling stuffed. I also loved that a side of fruit was one of their standard options instead of hash browns, and it was more variety than just a few chunks of melon :) read more

I am not gonna beat around the bush: they served me the SMALLEST omelet I have had in my entire 34 years. The kicker was that they put it on a big plate and basically made the thing look bite-size. In fact, it took 4 bites to eat. The orange juice was decent but it doesn't make up for the child-size portion of food. Totally not worth the money. read more

I've eaten two times here now. It's right next to my favorite hotel, so it's usually my breakfast spot (if my wallet agrees so). Both times I've ordered the veggie frittata & both times it's been delicious. The only flaw is how long it takes for the waiter or waitress to come back and take your order after they have sat you down. That has been a problem both times I've been here. Last time I was with my friend & it was full so I guess I kind of understood. This time I went alone and there weren't that many people. They're nice but I'm not gonna take 30 minutes on deciding what I'm going to order. Other than that it's a good place. TL ; DR?: Good food but slow service. read more

Yes, your correct. I will change my review to 3 stars in response to the GM's message to me. Still I will not go here in the future. I'll have to learn how to make "to die for" crab melts on my own. GM's response: I'm sorry to hear this love affair has ended, Clementine, and it's troubling that this one experience would cancel out all the great ones. You're completely right to expect a warm welcome every time you're here, and I'm sure you would agree that this was an unusual situation for us. While I respect your decision, I'm hoping you'll give us a chance to make things right with you in the future. The shrimp and crab melt will be waiting. read more

It's just an alright diner. Had the Portobello Mushroom Burger and it was decent. It wasn't amazing, but it was alright. Only came here because it was near the bar/lounge I was heading to later the same night and it was only 2 blocks from it. If you get a window seat, it's a pretty good people watching spot. The waiter was okay. Nothing special here. Nothing that I could say you have to come here. I think the fries that I got with the burger could have been better. They looked and tasted like they were fries they got out of a frozen package. However, they were just alright too. read more

While unexceptional, the food here was a lot better than I had expected. Had the tortellini, which was tasty, albeit a bit heavy. Drenched in cream sauce, and served with two slices of garlic bread (lots of garlic). The service was good - despite the place being busy, the staff was attentive. Not exactly fine dining, but a good place to get a quick bite before heading out to the bars. read more

I'm attending a conference this week and wanted to get a good and solid breakfast in order to stay focused during the day. I was a block away from Cafe Mason so I figured I'd be able to find something worthwhile here. I was wrong. I ordered the Smoked Salmon Benedict, which was simply tragic. The eggs were poached decently enough, but the hollandaise was pretty bland, the english muffins were burned, and the salmon most certainly was not smoked salmon, but just regular dried out salmon that tasted pretty tragic. I opted to get the home style potatoes alongside my breakfast and those were decent, but get real... It's potatoes, not fucking rocket science. Service was decent as well, but the whole place smelled of despair. It seems like the kind of diner you'll come in when you've reached the end of the line. read more

Yummy food and excellent service. Will definitely come back. The waiter was kind and efficient and my food was delicious.

It's a decent place, clean and convenient with a large breakfast menu. Even at 9:00 am that Saturday, the wait was just about 10 minutes for two, but a line was definitely forming up. The dining room is orange, large, a la cafeteria/diner style. It reminds me of those large buffet rooms in Vegas. The food were fresh and well prepared, but they didn't knocked me over. I thought the menu lacked imagination. Overall, a good place for the familiar...a not so good place for day dreaming or experiencing something new or different. read more

This was recommended to us by our cab driver as we were leaving the club! The service was good, we were sat right away. I ordered homemade corned beef hash. - too homemade for me. It reminded me of the corned beef sandwiches I tried in New York. The meat was very piece-y. I prefer the out-of-the-can stuff. When I go to a diner after clubbing, I'm expecting greasy, salty fatty food. Not the organic version. They served wheat toast with my meal - so SF of them to assume I would choose wheat. My boyfriend had the chicken apple sausage with eggs over easy. - I had food envy because the sausage was really good. But the portion was really SMALL. My room mate had the Philly cheese-steak and said it was average. It hit the spot at 2am though. read more

So my Friends and i were looking for a place to eat after watching Beauty and the Beast in Golden gate theatre . First we went to my Favorite Japanese place on Geary but unluckily, it was so crowded so we decided to eat here. I ordered Tuna melt and it was soooo yummy!! My friends ordered some pasta and they were all delicious too. l Love this place and will definitely come back here! =) read more

Wait was way too long. Service was not adequate or welcoming. Food was definitely not worth the prices. Note to self: I was starving so we ate anywhere nearby. Next time I'll pass. Sorry Cafe Mason. read more

Been here twice and always great service. I ordered the cheese omelet and their home fries and both were excellent. A lot of cheese if you like cheese! You can also order the homemade banana nut bread and they bring it to you nice and warm! Was very good. The coffee is very good. My sister ordered the eggs benedict and she even liked more than Sears Fine Dining! I would definitely recommend this place to locals and tourists. Prices are fair and you get seated quickly even if it's a full restaurant! Will be going back soon! read more

the food came cold and took a long time to come. overall look of the place is bad an doesn't really go together. bathroom is dark and has no mirrors, and doesn't look the cleanest. read more

My partner and i just walked in this nice diner in SF and must say it surprised us greatly. We had omelete, fritatta and pancakes and the food was very well seasoned and nicely prepared. It was clean and the service was superb. Dasha was our server and she was cordial and very helpful. If in the neighborhood we will eat here again. Good coffee and tea ! Highly recommended Ralph read more

Clean, efficient, and quality food. Nicely redecorated space. Impressed by the number of staff that form an efficient team. Nicely cooked vegetables in the veggie frittata; tasty fruit side; good coffee. Lunch and dinner menu look good too! read more

Took me a while to warm up to this place... but I do have to say taht the shrimp and crab melt late night are very yummy and help out with a hangover. Also last night I did have the banana nut bread and it was amazing, firstly they serve ti warm with butter and syrup on the side!!! Yummy!! If you need something just signal the waitresses and they re actually really god about getting what you need. Great place to have some yummy food and sober up after a night of partying.... read more

What a great find! My boyfriend and I stopped here twice last weekend, since we were staying at the hotel next door. The staff was very friendly, and the restaurant smelled amazing and was perfectly clean. First we came in for a late-night dinner around 1am. Our onion ring & bacon cheeseburgers were delicious and perfectly cooked. We also ordered a side of fries to split, a couple beers and a chocolate milkshake. The prices were very reasonable and the food arrived fresh and hot. The next morning we enjoyed a great brunch on our way out of town. It was extremely busy (being a Sunday morning) but the service was still great. My boyfriend ordered French toast and I had buttermilk pancakes, and both meals came with sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs and a few banana slices on the side. Once again, everything tasted fantastic and was cooked perfectly. The coffee and frozen lemonade were also excellent. If you're staying at the hotel next door, this is the perfect place to sit down and grab a bite. You might also get a coupon from the front desk, too! read more

We ordered *Grilled Cheese *O.Ring Bacon Burger *Santa Fe Sandwich (cilantro pesto) *Ravioli Au Roquefort *Cheese sticks *Onion Rings Everything was DELICIOUS! From a scale from 1-10 food taste and quality is a 10! We're visiting from L.A. and so HAPPY we walked in to this place. Thank you cooks for making fulfilling yummy food. The cola tasted terrible but substitute it with Sprite and you'll be fine read more

Some friends and I arrived at Cafe Mason at around midnight on 12/14/2016 and ordered from the late night menu. It was my first time eating here. I had the Vegetarian Quesadilla, which was delicious. However, at $10.95, I think it's a bit pricey. According to the menu, the veggie quesadilla has mozzarella and jack cheeses, mushroom, spinach, tomato, and bell pepper, and the tortilla is made of whole wheat. It's served with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa fresca on the side. Also, some tortilla chips were placed on top of mine. Our waitress was nice, and the service was good. I'd visit again. read more

Cafe Mason - Vegetarian Quesadilla - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

We decided to stop here because it was by our hotel we were staying in and I am so glad we did. The food was amazing and I loved the diner feel. Everything was clean and employees were nice. read more

OK diner. We went for breakfast. The service was a little bit ditzed out. The coffee was OK. The omelettes were pretty good. Surprisingly, they were served with a single piece of toast. You can get fruit instead of potatoes for no additional charge. OK place for breakfast. read more

Late night eat in the mix of the tourist/street bums/drunkies. We arrived at 1am and watched all the clubbers walk in to soak up the alcohol and glance at each other to see if they can hook up with each other. We ordered some blueberry pancakes and a chicken omelette. Pretty solid taste for the late night scene, I would recommend if you need to eat real food late night in the city. read more

I really dig this place. Sure, I may have been biased since I was famished and utterly desperate for a nice, warm meal when North Beach Pizza wouldn't heed my call; admittedly, probably anything at that point would have tasted pretty fabulous. But the thing is... I actually can't wait to experience this cafe again! I am *almost* an automatic fan of anything open late or 24 hours, but couple that with some pretty awesome menu choices and it's a pretty solid guarantee I'll return pretty often. Started off with some onion rings because, well, if they're on the menu, I'll have to try them at least once. I had the Philly Cheese steak meal which was delicious. A titch dry at some points, but it was flavorful and just well put-together. They came with a choice of fries or salad. Go ahead and guess what I chose. Oink. Now, that fourth star, alone, is reserved for the hot apple pie ala mode. I took a few seconds just to soak it in and smell the caramelly, crusty goodness. The presentation was excellent. Maybe the caramel drizzle and cinnamon sprinkles were supposed to be for looks only, but that plate left the table c l e a n! Cafe Mason didn't have that "typical" 24 hour diner vibe, IMHO. And my glass of water never went empty. Simple pleasures but I appreciated the attentiveness and timeliness all-around. Can't wait for my return visit, CM! read more

Great French-influenced breakfast. I love the pumpkin crepe, the Swedish pancakes, the eggs sardou with Dungeness crab and shrimp and hollandaise sauce.. This place is very busy at breakfast often, and the almost entirely eastern European female wait staff is rushing around a lot and they may ignore you entirely for quite awhile.. (many of these women, most of whom speak Russian, are very beautiful, by the way...) I have had breakfast here countless times, always found it to be delicious, although a bit pricey like much in downtown SF.. Orange juice is fresh squeezed which is cool but you pay for that labor intensive process as it is $4 a glass, albeit the glass is fairly large.. read more

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This would've been an exceptional breakfast spot if the service and food were better. We had to track down our own coffee from another waitress after having ordered it and waited long enough. Once it came the coffee was way too dark and tasted like it had been sitting on the warmer for too long. Good thing we didn't want anymore because we were never offered a second cup. Our food arrived cold, hashbrowns were over cooked, ham was tasteless and rubbery. The aesthetic of the building was beautiful. Beautiful wooden booths with lots of room. Their homemade hollandaise sauce was delicious. Overall we would not return. read more

Don't be fooled by the run down exterior- this place is a hidden gem! Our server Hope gave us a very warm and pleasant welcome and was very attentive right through the meal. The menu is very extensive and all 6 of us said that we would happily come back and try something else. We all went for the burgers - chicken & vegetarian - and one of the girls got a Thai chicken salad. The portions were generous and it was great value. Pity we only found this spot on our last night! read more

[Staying at a hotel in Union Square] Woke up hoping to get a decent sized meal but find a quiet place to sit. Passed a couple brightly lit, loud and crowded diners - then gratefully stumbled upon this cafe. Great menu and plenty to choose from. read more

I've been going here for about 3 years on a regular basis and my how things have changed. When I first went here it was the typical cheesy, not very good, 24 hour diner food and decor. Now they have upped the decor, yet have kept a classy nod to their diner roots. Although I do sort of miss that plastic palm tree... Whether I come in at 4 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon, I like breakfast. Cafe Mason has never disappointed me with their variety. The only thing that has changed is that the coffee used to be terrific and now it just seems to be diner coffee. It does not keep in line with the food. They do have excellent fresh juice. I recommend any of the omelets or pancakes. They have nice sides of fresh fruit and bread. Yesterday, I had the best marble rye toast ever. As a few others have mentioned, the staff can be bit of a hit or miss as far as service, and they all seem to be pretty non-local men or women. Most of them are very nice though. read more