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    El Mansour

    4.2 (872 reviews)
    ModerateMoroccan, Halal
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    El Mansour Reservations

    Order El Mansour Takeout or Delivery

    El Mansour Photos

    Business Info

    EL MANSOUR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Mansour

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    Reviews With Photos

    Seafood Tagine
    Tracey A.

    A restaurant doesn't stick around for 38 years unless it's got something good going on and El Mansour most certainly does. It looks a little tired when the place is less than full but on a recent weekday night there were three different parties celebrating birthdays (lights dim, an African version of "Happy Birthday" is played, and a candle-lit goodie is delivered to your table), the belly dancer was the most beautiful I've seen (join her when invited), and the multi-course prix-fixe meal (about $62-$67) was very satisfying. It's dinner and a show in an exotic environment far out on Clement Street. What's not to like? A change from my last visit here, many years earlier, is that one doesn't have to order the prix-fixe, multi-course meal. We did though, and enjoyed the lentil soup (salty), bread, and all of the shared platters (salads, Bastilla, dessert). With one exception (an inedibly chewy Beef Kabob that was sent back and replaced with a different entree), we really enjoyed the Lamb Shoulder (with eggplant, delicious), Chicken (with onions and olives), and the Seafood Tagine. Concluding with that dessert platter and authentic hot mint tea, I'm happy to report that El Mansour is still around, still worth a visit. Some poll somewhere identified it as one of San Francisco's funnest restaurants. Gather a group and head there on a weekend evening and I'm certain you'll agree.

    Kelly H.

    So beautiful and delicious! Also loved the belly dancing. The ambiance is amazing, and the food is incredible. We got the chicken and vegetarian dishes and each were great. I also loved the mint tea at the end! This is definitely great for date night or to impress out of town guests

    Interior
    Angela K.

    Came here for dinner at 7:15pm on a Wednesday night. I had a Groupon deal for dinner for 2 + bottle of wine. The inside is very cute, and decorated. I really loved the ambiance of the place. The service was 10/10. Belly dancing show started around 7:30pm. Please bring tip if you are watching the show! We did the signature 5 course menu. The dinner comes with 3 appetizers, 1 entree and a dessert w/ mint tea. We got the braised chicken with couscous and Moroccan seafood tagine which had shrimp and scallops. The braised chicken was so tender the meat fell off the bone. The seafood entree was also really yummy and the portions are huge.

    Tom T.

    As soon as we walked into El Mansour we were transported to the inside of a shieks tent. The attention to the decor detail was impeccable from the oriental rugs on the floor to the overhanging drapes from the ceiling to the low round tables and ottomans. We ordered the 5-course prix fixe sets. Some of my favorite items were the lentil soup, chicken bastilla, braised chicken with caramelized onions, baklava and the mint tea. Everything was delicious. I especially loved the chicken broth used to make the lentil soup and the braised chicken. The waiter also came to wash our hands with water out of a kettle and portable basin. Such a unique experience!

    Veggie platter
    Claire K.

    This place is amazing! 10 outta 10!!! I went here last Thursday for my birthday with my family and it was such a great experience. Good food, good music & beautiful ambiance. We even danced with the belly dancer! I highly recommend this place if you want to try something completely exotic and different. It felt like we traveled to Morocco! I will definitely be returning to this restaurant again.

    Dianna H.

    Such a fun place to go for a date night or celebration! You get a 5 course meal + a belly dancing show for a good price. A couple other reviews mentioned Groupon, so I looked there and found a coupon for dinner for 2, so I got that. Definitely check and see if they have a Groupon available as you can save some money that way. We made reservations for Sunday dinner at 6:30 two days beforehand and were seated promptly when we arrived. Parking was all residential in this area and was easy to find. The inside decor is beautiful with colorful walls and bright yellow curtains hanging from the ceiling. Rather than tables, all of the seating is on low couches, so the experience feels very intimate. It's the kind of place you come more for the ambiance and show rather than to chat, as the seating arrangement can make it hard for large groups to chat. The food is the same for everyone, a 5 course meal with fixed appetizers and dessert and your choice of entree. For the appetizers, you get: 1. harira/green lentil soup 2. Moroccan salad 3. chicken bastilla For the entree, you can choose from a number of options. They offer a good variety of meat, seafood, and vegetarian entrees, so there's something for everyone. You end the meal with some mint tea and dessert, which is a plate with baklava and banana fritters. Our favorite course of the whole meal was definitely the harira. I could have drank a lot more of this, it was SO good! The salad platter was decent as well. My favorites there were the eggplant and cucumber, though everything was good. My least favorite course of the meal was the chicken bastilla, which was like a sweet and savory pie with ground chicken. I couldn't get used to the sweetness of the pie and had trouble finishing this. For my entree, I went with the lamb shoulder and my friend got the chicken kabobs. I thought the lamb was very tender and flavorful and thoroughly enjoyed it. My friend's chicken was good when it first came out as it was warm and tender, but as time passed and it got cold, it became harder to chew and less appealing. Eat quickly if you get this. We were stuffed by the end of the meal. We weren't able to finish all of our food and got a box to go for the leftovers. I saw a lot of other people doing the same, so portions here are generous. The belly dancer of the night was fantastic. She came out twice, once around 7:30 and again around 9 pm right as we were preparing to leave. Once she comes out, they turn up the volume and it's pretty much impossible to talk until she finishes dancing, so keep that in mind.

    Chicken kabob
    Aiten H.

    What a fun place! I had not heard of El Mansour but attended a celebration dinner with a group of 11. Everything was perfect, the ambiance, service, food and entertainment. I was not expecting the volume of delicious food, or the easy going pace of the night, but will be prepared for a 3+ hour experience next time! Dinner is a 5 course prix fixe, with your choice of entree. I chose the chicken kabob plate, and the chicken was cooked perfectly and delicious. Honestly, everything we were served was delicious. Then there's the belly dancer, who danced two sets, and encouraged patrons to join her and dance. It was a fun night all around and I shall return.

    Shivam S.

    El Mansour puts on a spectacle for you to enjoy! Great atmosphere and service with several courses of food. If you are vegetarian - they can still accommodate! Highly recommend.

    Appetizer
    Chris M.

    First of all, this was a fascinating place in terms of ambiance. It is very reminiscent of actual restaurants in the Middle East. The food was good, though I have to admit that while the lamb was just fall-off-the-bone juicy and flavorful, the beef kebabs were tough and way too chewy for the price. We did the dinner set, though, so got to try a number of their items. All were good, except the beef. The belly dancer was advertised as the whole evening, but we were lucky to see a little of the show. It was good, but could have lasted longer. Or the advert should be updated to set expectations. Service was terrific. I give it 5 stars altogether and will revisit sometime soon.

    Priscilla L.

    Excellent to come here with a group of friends or just a nice date and great for any occasion really. Everything is a wonderful ambience and environment like you are in someone's grand living room. They bring warm water pitcher to wash your hands before meal. The female Belly dancer comes out at around 8pm or when majority of the tables are filled. You can even join the dancer too. At end you can tip her. She takes Venmo! I would love to comeback again to try more dishes. I would like to try the lamb shoulder next time. The set dinner menu for everyone one is Signature 5 Course Dinner ; 3 Appetizers 1 Entree of your choosing I was able to get 3 people to order the special platter to get a sampling of their popular dishes where we would share the dishes which was great for us to see which items are good and when we come back later we would know what to order next time. Desserts was sweet and bite size A La menthe is sweet moroccan tea and the El Baklava is layered pastry filled with tree nuts + fried banana fritters. This made me think I was at a tea party. All in all I enjoyed this event, I had a group of 15 people so we took up 1/4 of the dining room. And yes, I would love to come back again! Fun to bring out of town guests to as well!

    Menu
    Pamela L.

    I have been here several times for special occasions. Each time, I had a great time. It's a dinner show with belly dancing. The belly dancer encourages customers to join so it's interesting to watch those that gladly join and others hiding. The dancer passed out "tip" business cards to those that did not tip while dancing with her or just for her dancing. It's no different than those money dancing at weddings. I had the 5 Course Prix Fixe Dinner that was $58 per person that includes 3 appetizers (soup, salad and pastry puff) on a table shared plate, one entrée and two desserts (baklava and banana fritter) on a shared table plate, and a cup of Moroccan mint tea The food was interesting - Middle Eastern food. After ordering your food, the waiter comes with water so you can wash your hands. It's typical in Morocco. Since I had it done several times in Morocco, I asked my waiter to pour the water as high as he could and surprisingly, he accommodated and did well just as I had it in Morocco. My waiter was patience, explained the menu in details, out-going, friendly, and professional. He made frequent checks to see how the food was and if I had any questions. It's a an enjoyable place to take out of town visitors or a treat to yourself. It's like you are in Morocco.

    Juanita A.

    I've been wanting to try this spot for a long while and finally, I'm here. We came on a Saturday, limited street parking. We were able to snag a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. We came and waited until they opened for dinner (reserved, but was seated early). Walking in, I felt like I was walking into a whole new world, I loved all of the decor, art, and intimate sitting areas. The customer service is AMAZING!!! The food is finger licking good!!! The aroma and spices!!!

    Baklava and tea
    Karesha M.

    I bright my sister here for her birthday. The service was amazing they didn't rush us or ask questions during bite . The entertainment was amazing and the food was outstanding we had the lamb shank with couscous and the seafood plate. I was so intrigued I forgot to take photos of the food before we started eating . We will we making the trip again to try more.

    King's platter this was Beef Kabob, Chicken Kabob, Lamb,  shrimp.

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    The food is amazing! This is a fun delicious place to eat. The staff showed us a great time. We loved the music!

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    5 months ago

    Great food, service and experience! My favorite Morroccan restaurant in the Bay Area.

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    What an amazing place to learn about culture, dancing, and food! The staff and the dancers were amazing.

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    Page 1 of 22

    El Mansour Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Mansour

    Are there any gluten free options?

    They are very attentive to the gluten-free crowd, and it is explained on the menu.

    Do you have wheelchair access?

    Do u have belly dancing for tonight?

    Hi there , Yes ! We have our belly dancing show every night Thurs-Sun at 7:30pm.

    Do they have any gluten free options?

    Hello, congratulations on reopening on July 9th. Are you doing belly dancing nightly and when are the timings for that? Is there a kids menu and a different charge for that? Is there a vegetarian option? Thanks.

    Hi there, We have belly dancing at 7:30pm and 9:00pm every night. We do offer a vegetarian dish and a pescatarian option as well.… Read more

    Looking forward to the day this beloved restaurant reopens. Any updates?

    Would love to know as well! :)

    When is this place going to reopen?

    We are reopening on July 9th !

    Is this a good place to bring a toddler? Especially for one of the evening shows.

    Should not be a problem. It’s a family friendly restaurant. Best regards.

    Is your meat and chicken halal?

    All the lambs are halal not the chickens. Sorry.

    How much is family meal option.?

    We offer fix price five courses for about $40 a person. Thanks

    It says nightly dancing, but when do they perform? I don't want to miss it.

    That’s a good question : we have belly dancing performances every night . Sunday through thursday at 8pm , and Fridays and saturdays we have 2 shows : 1 show at 7 30pm a second show at 9pm .

    Is there a kid's plate option? My 7-year-old is very well behaved and I'd love to take her to this restaurant (one of my old faves)... but there is FAR too much food for her on the main set meal option.

    Is there a cover charge?

    There was not when we were there. It was a weeknight, though, so you may want to just message the restaurant to make sure there is not one on the weekend. (I would be surprised if there were.)

    Hi how much the price for one person?

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    Tajines was such a pleasant surprise, especially since it was my first time having Moroccan food. I…read morewent in mostly curious (and a little worried) about the spice levels, but the dishes weren't too spicy at all and were still super flavorful and delicious. The service was a bit on the slower side, but everyone was very kind and attentive once they got to us, so it still felt like good hospitality. My favorite dish of the night was the chicken bastilla - the mix of savory, sweet, and flaky pastry totally won me over and honestly made the whole experience a hit. Overall, a really good restaurant that made my first Moroccan food experience a great one, and I'd definitely come back.

    I've tried just about every Maghrebi restaurant I could find in San Francisco over the years, and…read morethis one has become my favorite. There used to be another spot on Polk that I loved, but after the pandemic it changed significantly. Since this restaurant opened, it's been my go-to and it is my favorite in SF! Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared. The vegetables in my couscous were cooked perfectly--the carrots were tender and flavorful, soft without falling apart. The chickpeas tasted freshly prepared rather than canned, the harira soup was delicious, and the pastries were outstanding. In fact, I would go as far as saying these are some of the freshest Maghrebi sweets I've had in San Francisco. They had been delivered that very day, and it showed. I only regret not taking more home with me. The owners are incredibly kind, and I really appreciated that they were able to make the mint tea with much less sugar upon request. Food is more than a meal--it's hospitality, tradition, and care. This place delivers all three. Highly recommended. (And if you're curious, when I'm not reviewing restaurants and cafés around the Bay Area, I'm sharing local food finds on TikTok @BayBitesNSips and creating handmade jewelry for my Etsy shop, MLEColorshop.)

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    Foreign Cinema

    Foreign Cinema

    4.0
    (5.9k reviews)
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    Foreign Cinema is an institution, and I've enjoyed coming here for the past 18 years. The space is…read morebeautiful: the inside dining room is cozy with its fireplace and features stunning flower arrangements. The outside courtyard is airy and sunny, and they play movies on the side of a building at night. The other indoor space is an art gallery. It's all very tasteful and consistently makes for a fun experience even after many years of coming here. The food is also exceptionally good. The signature madras fried chicken is seasoned with a light curry powder in the batter which makes for a tasty and subtle shift of a very well executed buttermilk fried chicken. The radicchio salad is beautiful, and the dressing, Parmesan, and anchovy balance the bitterness of the fresh radicchio nicely. It also has these lovely little flat crisps on top that are satisfying to bite into (and that I prefer to a thicker crouton). The fresh oysters are always good, and this most recent visit I got the white prawn cocktail (which I've always wanted but never ordered). It was delightful: the prawns were perfectly poached and were of extremely high quality. I also got the Heirloom porchetta, and was pleasantly surprised at how crispy the outside skin was and how flavorful, well seasoned, and juicy the inside pork meat was. It also came with some pearled cous cous which was a wonderful starch pairing to the rich flavor of the pork. Finally, I commend Foreign Cinema on their kids menu. It would be very easy to just trot out some frozen chicken nuggets or a lesser version of the adult mains (like a burger of lower quality beef or a red sauce spaghetti). Instead, Foreign Cinema chooses to deliver excellent food here as well. The kids meal starts with a very tasty plate of crudités, featuring fresh, high qualoty fruit (kiwi, strawberry) and vegetables (endives, beets). The entrees are a smaller portion of the adult entrees (e.g., a single piece of the madras fried chicken) or very good versions of a kids only entree (e.g., the Trofie pasta with either butter or marinara sauce). There's even a dessert of home made ice cream. As a parent who often has to pay exorbitant prices for crappy kids menu items, I really appreciate this and feel it's indicative of Foreign Cinema's desire to deliver on all aspects of a dining experience.

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    Lavash Special: Shashlik (two lamb chops), Joojeh (one chicken kebab), Koobideh (one lamb+beef kebab), veggies, rice | $54
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    La Méditerranée is a true gem in San Francisco. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with a…read morewarm, welcoming, family-style atmosphere that immediately makes you feel at home. Service attentive and friendly, adding to the overall experience. The food is excellent, with rich, authentic Armenian and Mediterranean flavors. A standout is the Armenian coffee--strong, rich, aromatic, and perfectly prepared with mini bakhlava. It's the perfect way to end a meal. A place of both comfort and quality.

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    5.2 mi
    $$$$

    Dinner at Kokkari last night and it reminded me again why open fire cooking is undefeated. Had the…read morebranzino, fried smelt, and the mesquite roasted pork chop special. There's just something primal and perfect about smoke hitting a juicy piece of pork... honestly any meat... or even fish like the branzino. The flavor gets deeper, richer, more alive. You can taste the fire in the best way possible. The pork chop was the standout for me -- smoky outside, incredibly juicy inside. The branzino was clean and delicate but still carried that subtle char from the grill. Even the fried smelt disappeared fast. Kokkari just understands how to cook over fire without overcomplicating things. Simple, rustic, confident food.

    Super clean flavors, quality ingredients, and a menu that feels elevated without trying too hard…read more It has that classic San Francisco charm while still feeling a little bougie. The area itself can be a bit off putting with the number of unhoused individuals nearby, but once you're inside it's a completely different experience. Stephanie was our waitress and she was absolutely amazing. So warm, attentive, and genuinely kind. Her service alone is one of the reasons we continue coming back. Being married into a family that specializes in Mediterranean cuisine, I admit I'm a bit biased. The flavors here lean more Greek inspired, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I found them to be a little too subtle for my personal taste. I tend to gravitate toward bolder Mediterranean flavors, so I wasn't extremely impressed by the food itself. That being said, I can absolutely understand why this restaurant is so popular. The dishes are approachable, balanced, and refined in a way that I think appeals to the American palate. The food is consistently good every visit. My favorite dish is the octopus, and I also love the biscuit platter from their selection of sweets. Everything tastes fresh and thoughtfully prepared. The restaurant itself is beautiful, although the seating near the entrance can feel a little cramped when it's busy. The vibe is formal casual, if that makes sense. Maybe don't show up in training clothes like I did once, but even then they were nothing but kind and welcoming. Super cute spot and definitely the type of place where the men with trust funds who are somehow 6'5" seem to gather for lunch and after work drinks. Calling ahead for reservations is your best bet.

    Photos
    Inside with roasting lamb in the back
    Inside with roasting lamb in the back
    Kotopoulo Souvlaki/Chicken Souvlaki
    Kotopoulo Souvlaki/Chicken Souvlaki
    Sardines

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    Sardines

    El Mansour - moroccan - Updated July 2026

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