Ernest was nothing like I was expecting, but in the best way haha. My coworker suggested checking it out, and she always has the best recs, so of course I said yes. It's such a cute restaurant with its own charm. The whole experience felt fun and special. The only intimidating part for me was the menu haha. I'm a very visual person, so I had a hard time picturing some of the dishes at first. Shoutout to our kind & patient server, plus all the Yelp photos I studied beforehand lol. Everything was delicious. The quality of every dish really stood out, and I'd happily order all of them again, but here were my favorites: * Sushi Rice: SO good. Definitely a must order. The beef somehow almost tastes like tuna haha. * Fried Rice: I'm obsessed with corn, so this was a must for me. * Maitake Tempura: A must for mushroom lovers. Also, the ranch was incredible. * Kakigori: Absolutely mandatory for dessert. No further notes lol. * Lamb Kofta: Really flavorful and delicious, though next time I'd probably try some other dishes instead. * Avocado: A great option if you want something fresh and green on the table too. * Parker House Rolls: These were good, but probably not my favorite. I think I'm biased because I don't really love rolls in general, and the other dishes felt more unique and memorable to me. These were just the items we had, but the menu changes often, so you may see different dishes when you go. The Sushi Rice is one of the staples though, and I definitely think it's a must try. Overall, such a great experience. Our server was so attentive, and the whole meal felt really memorable. Already planning to bring my boyfriend here for a date night. What a special place! read more

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Came here with a group of 6 adults & 1 baby and were lucky to be seated in the private dining room. It's a lovely space & plenty of room for the group we had. We made our reservation about a month ago on OpenTable & they do require a credit card to hold your reservation. They have a 48 hour cancellation policy at $50/person so pretty rigid. We typically do the "Let the Kitchen Cook for You" but decided to do à la carte this time because we had someone with a raw fish allergy. Favorites include the beef tartare dish, and the duck entree but you honestly can't go wrong. The desserts are a must (we got one of each - ice cream with hazelnut/chocolate, shaved ice & basque cheesecake). Service here was top notch. We were seated right away and Oscar was a fantastic server. Very attentive, love the crumbing in between meals & cutlery changes + beverage refills were frequent. Would highly recommend & will be back! read more

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Ernest will always be our family's go-to celebration restaurant. We've been over 10 times and have never been disappointed. This most recent visit was one of the best, perhaps we can thank the new chef de cuisine! Vibes are always immaculate, the tucked away private room is perfect for big groups. Staff is always on top of the service! Food was delightful. The classics hit, and there were some new dishes like the banana bread caviar and asparagus that were lovely. My only minor critique is the cocktail list has never changed! I recommend ordering classic cocktails like whisky sours! read more

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Recommend: - Parker house rolls - squid (a good calamari dish) - fried rice - changes seasonally, snap peas were crazy Also tried the asparagus and porcini, which were both very unique and complemented each other well. There was nothing in our meal that was bland or boring. A few dishes were a bit heavy on the salt, but overall very flavorful. the only meat options were lamb and duck - hoping to come back to try new items!! Service was great! Never had a problem getting any assistance. it's pretty LOUD in there though and the space is fairly big. read more

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Had a great experience at Ernest. Everything was very tasty and the pacing was pretty spot on. The starters from the Raw Bar were all indulgently sumptuous. The Uni Toast had a decent portion of uni. The tuna tartare was solid and well balanced. The Sushi Rice provided a bit of extra substance The BBQ Shortrib was very nice and tender and even though the listed sauce is hoisin, the flavor itself came across as broadly American BBQ to me. The onion rings were a little oily but absolutely nothing else to complain about. The cheesecake was so good. The center was perfectly oozy and creamy and was a wonderful way to end the dinner. read more

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Got treated here for a birthday. When we first came in the music was a little on the loud side but then they turned it down to more of a background music. Service was excellent. The staff came by regularly to clean fill our water glasses and clean our table. We tried the tasting menu and everything was fantastic. A couple of my favorites were the uni toast and Handroll. Definitely need to visit for the dining experience. read more

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Ernest delivers a bold, American-style dining experience with a really exciting Asian influence that sets it apart from a lot of other spots in San Francisco. We went with the "let the kitchen decide" option, and it was absolutely the right call--it guaranteed we'd leave full (which we definitely did) and gave us a chance to try a wide range of dishes. Every plate that came out felt unique and packed with flavor. Nothing felt repetitive or safe--the menu really leans into creative combinations, and it works. The family-style format was perfect for our group of three, making it easy to share and experience everything together. Service was attentive throughout the meal, and the pacing felt just right. Overall, this is one of the more exciting and interesting restaurants in San Francisco right now. If you're looking for something a little different with big flavors and a fun dining experience, Ernest is absolutely worth checking out. I'd definitely come back. read more

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Came here with 2 friends. The place looks like refurbished warehouse with great ceiling decor and lighting. The kitchen is open to see and lots of staff buzzing through. They offered 2 choices for tasting menu $99/139. We opted for $139. It was well worth it. I took photos of the menu on March 12, 2026 along with the variety of selections they brought. While everything was delicious, my favorites if I had to choose were: oysters and artichokes. read more

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Not sure I understand the hype. I had a quick dinner at the bar, this restaurant is unfortunately not very solo diner friendly as their portions are quite large (except for the uni which was tiny) and so I wasnt able to try much. They also don't do the tasting menu for one person. I ordered several of the theoretical highlights: Ikura and tartare which I was pretty excited about but honestly, I don't get it. The ikura just overpowered the beef so you can barely know it's there. It was decent but not great Oyster was actually really delicious. Great toppings Uni toast... Overpriced and not special. Again good, but not great. Mushroom rice was pretty good but lacked flavor. Maybe their entrees were better but I didn't get there. I also tried to order dessert but the one I wanted was massive with no smaller option. Service was good at the bar, quick and attentive. read more

Ernest - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We managed to get a 5PM reservation on the day of - lucky! We do love a first seating, and the staff were so courteous and professional. Oscar answered our questions about the menu and we ended up doing the tasting. It's a lot of food - such great value! Come hungry. We especially loved the vegetable dishes the most, and I think that's high praise for any restaurant if they can elevate the humble broccoli or carrot. The pork and the sole were perfect; just the right amount of sauce and accompanied by very intentional accoutrements. I'll admit we were drawn to Ernest because I'm a sucker for kakigori but we didn't even end up ordering it because we were full. The dessert that came with the tasting was a great finishing touch, though I'd say I'm partial to the cheesecake more than the sundae. We will be back to reorder a couple of things and the kakigori! read more

Ernest - grilled avocado, appetizers, tartare - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here on a Thursday night for my husband and my anniversary. Our table ended up being ready early so when we arrived we were seated immediately. We found parking right in front of the restaurant. The restaurant is really nice when you walk in. The host offered to take my coat which I thought was a nice touch. We were seated in front of the kitchen which was cool, it reminded me of the bear lol but less chaotic ahha. Our service was SO quick and were so great. They included an anniversary card for us which I thought was super sweet. We ordered drinks to start. I ordered the alpine colada and my husband ordered the shiso gimlet. Both were amazing and not too sweet. Amazingly balanced. I may have liked my husbands drink a little bit more lol. We ordered: - Uni toast (2 orders) - madai sashimi - Parker house rolls - Koshihikari fried rice - bbq short rib - hazelnut sundae This was definitely enough for 2 people. The Uni toast was nice and buttery. The madai sashimi was perfectly citrusy The Parker house rolls were bomb and soft! Fried rice with the short rib and the pickled jalapeños combined were perfect combo. It was a perfect way to end the meal. Loved that it came with onion rings which were surprisingly spicy and yummy. I think the sundae was good definitely tasted like snickers but I think I would have like to try the shaved ice! Def would come back read more

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We decided to keep things simple for a date night/celebration. Since my boyfriend isn't a big fan of uni and caviar, we went with the easier option--"let the kitchen cook for you." The service was nice--everything felt clean and well-organized, and the staff were attentive, friendly, and helpful with their suggestions. The dishes were fresh overall. We really enjoyed several of them, though there were a couple that just weren't quite to our taste. read more

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Delicious food! Definitely recommend getting the tasting menu, it's more worth it than ordering individual dishes. We basically got the whole menu with the $139 tasting menu. My favorite were the tom kha oysters, uni toast, and banana bread with caviar. Super interesting and creative dishes. The service was top notch, the servers were super attentive. If they had a new menu, I would totally come again! read more

Ernest - Kakkigori was superb!! - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The stuffed duck/mushroom was bussin as hell. I'd come back just for that. The hanger steak was also good. Kakigori was good too. This place is solid and banging like a biscuit. read more

Ernest was a beautifully crafted dining experience that I would highly recommend to others. While not every bite was life-changing, each dish was enjoyable, tasty, and had an interesting quirk that made it a fun adventure to dig in and explore. Smoked Fish Dip (8.5/10): The dip had a pungent smoked salmon flavor that was balanced by a super creamy texture. The cranberry was the perfect counter, adding a sweet-tart contrast to the fishiness. The wonton crackers were the perfect vehicle, adding a subtle crunch. Uni Toast (8/10): While small, the bite was extremely decadent. The uni was buttery and smooth on the palate, with the polenta cake-like toast providing even more richness and satisfaction. It was small, but honestly, the perfect portion and well worth it. Parker House Rolls (7/10): The rolls were very well done. They were soft and plump, and the butter was so fresh it added a slight cheesiness. A really great bread, but in the end it's still just a dinner roll, which can only be so good, and I wish it were complimentary instead of needing to be purchased. Ora King Salmon Sashimi (8/10): The salmon itself was super fresh and had a distinct, smooth flavor. The star of the dish was the sauce, which was indescribable. It was tangy and kept leaving me wanting more. I kept dipping other items into it and am still thinking about it, even though I can't quite describe it. It was unlike anything I've had before. Sushi Rice (8/10): This was a simple but well-done dish. Typically, beef tartare dishes don't have much excitement, which is why the fish eggs on top provided the perfect spark to brighten it up. Nothing super special, but a solid and well-executed handroll. Grilled Savoy Cabbage (9.5/10): Shockingly, this might have been the best dish of the night. The smoky cabbage was charred perfectly, allowing it to keep a nice crunchy bite while soaking in the sauce. And that sauce was sour, tart, and extremely addictive. It brought the whole dish together. Dungeness Crab Chawanmushi (9/10): The texture of the chawanmushi was incredibly silky. The egg was perfectly steamed and melted in your mouth. The chunks of crab were plump, savory, and tasted like sucking the juice out of a king crab leg. The chili oil had an almost tom yum-like flavor, and the small bites of ginger added the spice and heat needed to tie everything together. Roasted Hangar Steak (7.5/10): The steak itself was tender, soft, and perfectly cooked, providing the rich, savory bites you expect from an entree. The black peppercorn sauce was tasty and creamy, but didn't quite match the vibe of the earlier dishes. Most of the dishes we had leaned seafood-forward, Asian, and bright, while this felt more steakhouse-inspired and a bit out of place. Hazelnut Soft Serve Sundae (8.5/10): The soft serve felt like a fancy Snickers sundae. It was nutty, creamy, and had a great crunch from the nuts. It tasted slightly coconutty, which I believe came from the chocolate sauce used to help it harden, but it added to the flavor and didn't take away from anything. A reinvented take on the simple dipped cone. Creamsicle Kakigori (8/10): Overall, the concept was great. The shaved ice melted easily in your mouth without causing brain freeze. The panna cotta inside was a nice switch from the crunchy, icy texture. The delicious orange flavor was very natural and didn't taste artificial at all, almost like a mandarin orange. However, some bites were very zest-heavy, adding too much bitterness and taking away from the subtlety. I do think that with a different flavor, this could have been a 10/10 dessert, but orange just wasn't our favorite. Ernest is a cute, simply decorated restaurant with helpful, responsive, and professional staff. The food is extremely exciting, with most plates packed with addictive, flavor-bomb sauces. With a wide range of creative options to share, a revolving menu, and not a single item I didn't enjoy, I'd gladly continue bringing friends and family to eat at Ernest. read more

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I'm earnestly not returning. Granted, Ernest offers upscale dishes with respectable quality. But, there's gripes, which feel hard to look past given the price. My friend and I came here for a special girls' night and opted for the prix fixe menu to sample a range of dishes. Ernest has two options, $99 and $139; we chose the latter. In hindsight, not super convinced that the upgrade's worthwhile; honestly, the lower tier might have been underwhelming too. The first round of courses are pleasant but unremarkable. All dishes are served simultaneously, and when I asked about an ideal progression, our server replied, "however you like." Idk maybe this is an attempt to appear unpretentious in the pompous fine-dining climate, but the experience was simply disjointed. Some dishes are noticeably heavier and overpower more delicate flavors, which made it hard for us to appreciate the menu. I also noticed some flavor combinations lacked cohesion altogether. The caviar was served atop banana bread. Sure, it's quirky but lacks practicality in execution: the sweetness and density of the bread completely swamps the caviar and its subtle brine. Salty banana bread? Not a fan. Not sure if that bold flavor is intentional, but it might make more sense to forgo the caviar entirely. Save yourself the $100 Golden Osetra price tag, Ernest, and use mentaiko instead. That said, I guess I'll name a few highlights. The sushi rice with a generous portion of ikura was satisfying, and the oysters were fresh. I feel like these are more a reflection of ingredient quality than culinary ingenuity though. Second course was also disappointing. We were served only short rib, whereas I've seen other diners receive both short rib and cod, along with additional desserts, for the same price. It feels inequitable that smaller parties receive fewer dishes; I feel like diners would prefer smaller portions across the full menu rather than a reduced selection altogether. One would imagine that paying the same price warrants a comparable experience. The parkerhouse rolls, tantalizing in aroma, are also altogether too dense for a roll. Lacked gluten formation, maybe underproofed or overkneaded, like Wonderbread. Overall, the meal's standard, with few memorable dishes. At this price point, I can think of 139 other and more compelling ways to spend our money. The kakigori's good though. read more

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Went to Ernest for a friend's birthday and we booked the private room. The space itself was great for a group and felt special for a celebration. Our server wasn't too thrilled about us closing the door at first, which was a little awkward, but things smoothed out as the night went on. The food was the highlight. The seafood course was easily my favorite and overall there was way more food than I expected, which was a pleasant surprise. Left very full and happy with the meal. Definitely a solid spot for a special occasion, especially if you're dining with a group. read more

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This was my second time dining at Ernest, and I can confidently say - we can't wait to be back! I came here a few years ago and tried the set menu, which was abundant but a bit too much. This time, we went à la carte - and that made all the difference. Everything about the experience was elevated. The service was warm and attentive throughout the evening. I also have to give a shoutout to the plate ware - gorgeous and simple stoneware that totally matched my aesthetic. Such a thoughtful touch that made the meal feel even more special. Now, for the food: - Delicata squash tempura was a standout; light, crispy, and packed with flavor - Parker House rolls are a must, no duh; rich, pillowy, and perfect! - Koshihikari fried rice was deeply satisfying, with such great texture and umami - Roasted hanger steak was another highlight; cooked perfectly and so flavorful - The one miss for us was the duck confit; presented like a Chinese beef pancake roll, but the execution didn't quite land for us We skipped the raw bar this time, simply because we had so much other food...and even with that....sadly didn't have room for dessert by the end! In terms of cocktails, they all sounded amazing on the menu. We tried the PSL Colada, which sounded better than it tasted. However, the Mexican Firing Squad totally delivered - delicious and balanced, would definitely order again :) A really sweet and thoughtful touch: we were celebrating our anniversary, and the team had a handwritten card waiting for us on the table. It's those small gestures that really make a place feel special! All in all, Ernest continues to impress. If you're debating between the set menu and à la carte, I'd highly recommend the latter. Can't wait to return and explore even more of the menu! read more

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Growing up in Sf, my memories of the mission district wasn't the fondest but with my recent visit to Ernest to celebrate Christmas, my views of changed. Parking: no lot, street parking and for a Saturday evening, my husband and I got really lucky with finding a spot about 2 blocks away from the restaurant. Ambiance: industrial, modern decor. The outside is a garden and the first floor is an open bar area with limited seating while the second floor is comprised of the majority of the dining tables plus an open kitchen. This is the spot to celebrate special occasions with family, friends and your significant other. Service: 4/5. We had a reservation so we were seated promptly after checking in. Tap water was provided. Ordering to food arrival time was quick. The timing between courses could've been a bit better though. We didn't even finish the previous course and the next courses were brought out. Our table was small so it was difficult to eat with so many plates. Food: 4.5/5. We decided to do the tasting menu ($99) and it comprised of most of the menu items. The first courses include: hog island oysters, sushi rice with ikura and raw beef, ora king salmon sashimi, smoked trout roe dip with chips and chilled mussels. The highlights were the salmon sashimi (flavors were dynamic and it was wry refreshing) and the sushi rice with ikura (which went very well with the toasted nori). The second courses: Parker house rolls, grilled matsutake, chicories salad. The highlights were the Parker house rolls (hot, soft, buttery) and the grilled matsutake with Asian pear and pine nuts (smokiness flavor was very unique). Third courses: koshihikari fried rice and the roasted hanger steak with frites. The fried rice was a bit too salty but the steak was cooked perfectly, medium rare. Last course: hazelnut soft serve sundae. Not too sweet and the hazelnut flavor is strong which I love. Plating was beautiful for each of the courses and portion size was very reasonable. My only recommendation is to provide 2 more pieces of bread and cut the chicory salad portion size in half. I got the ostrich non-alcoholic cocktail and it tasted pretty good. Portion size for that was a bit on the smaller size though. Cost: $$$. 7% SF health mandate. No mandatory service charge though so just sf tax and tip. Meal for 2 tasting menus with 2 drinks total came out to close to $300. Not too bad for fine dining where you walked out of the restaurant full. Ernest definitely deserves a second visit. read more

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3.5 STARS Amazing food! Really subpar service. We were asked how the food was and if we needed anything maybe once, and had a caterpillar incident with our salad. I booked a table for 4 on a Saturday night to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. The bartender acknowledged us when we arrived, but we still waited a bit before anyone came to talk to us. After we were seated, they brought out a cute birthday sign for the table. We brought a 1.5mL bottle of wine and just paid the corkage fee, and then each opted for the premium tasting menu. The tasting menu is split into 3 "courses" and a dessert course. The portion sizes were HUGE! Each course was made up of numerous dishes (3-7) and is actually literally everything on the menu. The first raw bar course was by far all of our favorites. Each dish was unique and had an explosion of flavor. The banana bread in the banana bread with caviar dish was possibly the best banana bread I've ever had. The second course was a mixture of vegetables. The sauce with the tempura was the perfect touch, and the mushroom salad was rich and flavorful. 2/3 of the way through eating our salad, we encountered a live green caterpillar crawling around. We alerted the waitress who responded with "our lettuce is just so fresh!" and didn't acknowledge our discomfort. She offered to get us a new salad, but we were off-put by the caterpillar. We declined multiple times and were still brought out a new, much smaller salad, which none of us wanted to eat. By the time the third course came out, we were all quite full. The leek and the fried rice was a bit salty, but all took little bites of each before packing the rest. Along with the dessert they brought out an additional ice cream with a candle which was very nice! Overall we enjoyed the dinner, but left feeling disappointed by the service, especially considering how good the food was. read more

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The FOOD! So interesting, unexpected and delicious! Some dishes were completely new to me or a different take on something I'd had before so eating at Ernest is a culinary experience. I reccomend the banana bread with miso butter and caviar! I've never liked cooked carrots on their own but I've changed my thoughts with their Stracciatella Roasted Carrots. The fried rice was dreamy as was the chicory beet salad. Dessert was delicious and Kakigori (picuted below) was Meyer Lon and Cream- great light tang to end an amazing meal. It was a private room family style and the staff was lovelt, wine glasses magically always filled. And..... We pulled up in front of the restaurant and parked... In FRONT of the restaurant! (Good thing I was wearing high heels for the first time since covid). I will not be wearing he's again but would love to eat at Ernest again... Soon! read more

Ernest - Meyer Lemon and Cream Kakigori - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Ernest is one of my favorite seafood, asian fusion places in the city - and I've been to tons of them. The dishes are inventive, the presentation is on point, and the restaurant itself has a beautiful modern decor. But the service can be inconsistent and the restaurant could be better at how they handle big groups. I've been here multiple times and dining in the main room and ordering à la carte is definitely the way to go so you can choose exactly what you want instead of committing to the tasting menu. The reason I am giving four stars instead of five is because my recent experience in the private room was honestly not that great. If this review were only based on my previous meals, it would be a solid 5/5. Food: My absolute favorite dish is the ikura tartare. I could easily finish an entire order by myself, maybe even two. The ikura is incredibly fresh with a deep savory pop and each little bubble bursts cleanly in your mouth. The tartare itself has a perfect texture, the temperature of the meat and the flavors balance each other instead of competing. The rice and seaweed tie everything together and make each bite even better. On top of that the dish is gorgeous and totally instagrammable - if that sort of thing matters to you. The desserts are the other standout. Honestly if you are doing the tasting menu, it would be worth it for the desserts since you get to try several of them. The soft serve with chocolate is silky and the flavors melt together so well. The Meyer lemon shaved ice is also incredible. When our server brought it out everyone at the table literally said "WOW." It was beautifully presented and was as big as my head. The texture was fluffy with no hard icy bits and the lemon had the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness. Everything else ive tried has also been great, like the oysters, grilled mushroom, squid, fried rice and a bunch of their smaller plates. Recent not so great experience: Be aware that if you have a big group and end up in the private room, the wine ordering situation can get really frustrating. The night before, we got multiple emails pushing us to pre select wine within a few hours, and they would not accept any flexibility outside of what is pre selected. It felt unnecessarily aggressive and stressed out our group for no reason. They also would not provide a wine list for this pre selection and the bottles listed on the website ended up not being available. The person emailing kept insisting this was all mandatory to create a smoother experience, but it ended up doing the exact opposite. The whole thing was strange and we were left wondering why they were making it so difficult when we were literally trying to spend money. Once we arrived our server helped fix some of the confusion, even though none of the advanced communication was her fault . honestly she should not have had to deal with all the issues caused by whoever sent those emails. That said, the room itself was beautiful and the food was still excellent, but the lead up was poorly handeled and made the experience more annoying than it needed to be. I hope the restaurant can improve this process by reaching out earlier than the night before, providing an actual wine list with what is available, and making the policy clear up front, so guests are not pressured or confused. Other than that it remains one of my favorite spots in the city. read more

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The menu rotates, but I can assure you that everything we had was a hit. However, if you are on the fence about the hanger steak, this one is okay to skip. It was tasty, but not unique. I really enjoyed the Grilled Matsutake mushrooms. The bright bits of Asian pear paired surprisingly well with the smoky mushroom flavor. Fried rice with sunchokes was also a unique take on fried rice. Sushi rice was also an interesting take on steak tartare as you eat it on a bed of vinegar rice wrapped in a seaweed. Pork tonkatsu was also exceptionally prepared. The exterior was light and crispy and rivaled some of the best tonkatsu in Japan. Lovely space. Great food. read more

Ernest - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Fun place for a variety of food and celebration! Went as a party of two and did the "let the kitchen cook for you" option ($139 per person). Service was friendly and efficient, though you could tell they were quite busy! We really enjoyed the variety of dishes, especially the seafood. The only thing we wished for was more than one final meat main course. Since there were two of us, it would have been nice to try two different meat dishes instead of sharing just one. We started off with the Hog Island oysters, sushi rice with ikura, and chilled Monterey Bay squid. We also had the uni toast, osetra caviar, Japanese egg salad, and steamed buns. The Parker House rolls were great too. We pretty much tried most of the appetizers, and they were all excellent. After that came the Zuckerman's asparagus, followed by the hanger steak. I really loved how they prepped the asparagus! Dessert was the hazelnut soft serve sundae and the medium rare Basque cheesecake. The cheesecake was the most runny version I've ever had so it wasn't my favorite, but I can see why others might love that texture. Overall, a fun experience and a great pick for a celebration or date night. I think the "let the kitchen cook for you" option is reasonable for two people, but if I went with a larger group, I'd probably order a la carte so you can try more dishes for the price. read more

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We came on a thursday night and parking wasn't too too bad, although we had to circle for a bit so maybe we just got lucky. We picked the more expensive "tasting menu", which is essentially just almost everything on their a la carte menu but sized down. It was actually a ton of food and my stomach was hurting near the end, and i usually eat a lot of food! We sat at the bar but service was still great. Highlights: Uni Toast, Parker House Roll, Brussel Sprout Fried Rice, Short rib (a tiny bit tough to chew), and the amazing amazing shaved ice read more

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A lot of things were great, I loved the halibut sando, the cheesecake and the soft serve. Also the uni toast was tasty as were the mushrooms! Our challenge was two fold: the two mains - lamb and collar were very hard to eat (lamb had 75% fat and collar was not near enough for 4 taco shells and also hard to get off the bone) and when someone celebrates a bday I guess I have gotten in the habit of one thing being added or free. The candle and note were fine but felt like more should be included given it was a 400 Meal for two people. read more

We came here to celebrate my friends birthday and ordered the tasting menu. I think that's the best deal at the restaurant because it's only $99 and you do get a large portion of their menu. There's so many reviews for this restaurant and I think it's great to go with a group because the portions are quite large if you do the tasting menu. I really loved all the fresh seasonal ingredients such as the heirloom tomatoes and the watermelon burrata. One of the main entrées that was my favorite was the short rib and the fried rice. The squid was a little bit salty. It would've been better if served with some rice to balance out the saltiness. Service is very attentive. We had multiple servers bring out the dishes and describe them to us. Our main server was also friendly and always looking out to refill our water and drinks. Some of my friends got the cocktails and they were refreshing. They also have good prices for wine bottles for the table . The restaurant itself isn't super large but as well lit and a great place for I get together with a small group of friends or date night I probably wouldn't go with a large group because I don't think they would be able to accommodate. read more

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A stand out. I go there once a year and every visit was worth every penny. The food is innovative and absolutely delicious, the ambience is welcoming (but sound level could be high), and service is always on point. They even gave me a small soft serve as my birthday celebration! I will return for their highly seasonal creations! read more

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Wow! Wow! Wow! Food was amazing. We went with the tasting menu, which was a good deal giving a sampling of the courses. read more

Ernest - Appetizer course for tasting menu including uni toast - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here for a birthday dinner, and it was such a great experience! The space feels chic and lively, with a hint of sophistication--perfect for a date night but still welcoming to a younger crowd. The counter seats sparkle and make for amazing photo moments. Every dish was beautifully presented, but what stood out most was the flavor. They incorporate Japanese elements in such a refined way. The sea bream with its rich dashi essence was the absolute highlight! I also tried a shiso-based mocktail--refreshing, unique, and perfectly balanced. What I loved most is how light and well-balanced everything was. So many places in the U.S. lean heavy, but this menu felt thoughtful and harmonious. Definitely a spot worth visiting in the Mission District! 5/5 - Uni Toast - Milk Bread - Tartar - Fries - Sea Bream read more

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Loved our dinner here last night. Reservations book fast, they open it up 30 days before. We had a 5.15pm reservation and left before 7pm We opted for the $139 option and were so glad we did. They basically bring you almost everything that is on the menu, so you are able to try so much. Service was very low key and friendly, everyone was very nice. Will be recommending these to others and would come back again as the menu changes frequently read more

I wanna start by saying we got the prefixed menu, I believe $140 each? I had booked the spot for a bachelorette dinner and they gave us the more private area without having to ask! We ended up getting damn near everything on the menu and the AMOUNT of food we got was definitely worth the price. I don't even have it all pictured here. Every course of the 4 was amazing and we were extremely full by the dessert course. Their desserts were unique, their hazelnut chocolate ice cream being my favorite. The entrees were honestly my least favorite but not sure how much of that was because of how full I got. The salads were unique and definitely a favorite, and the fried rice was good for dayssss after. Would definitely come again! read more

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A very solid experience and meal here at Ernest! We had a reservation for 5:30pm on a Saturday and service was great the whole night. We chose the "Let the kitchen cook for you" $99 option as we were a party of 6 and were told to order 2-3 dishes per person anyways. They didn't have caviar that night, but we could add on the uni toast for those who wanted it for an extra cost. The amount of food we got was substantial. The appetizers included oysters, chicharron, avocado salad, beef tartare, and tuna tostada bite. The dip with the chicharron was delicious. I couldn't eat the raw food, but my family let me know it was fresh and amazing. The second round of apps were also so tasty - fried salmon sticks, parker rolls, heirloom salad, and shishito peppers. Every dish was so flavorful and well thought out. Entrees included a thai style fried rice, roasted sand dab, morel mushrooms stuffed with duck, and lamb shoulder. By this point we were quite full but these were so delicious and cooked perfectly. Some of the entrees had a bit too much sauce than I would've liked, but all good nonetheless. For dessert, we had their soft serve, kakigori, and a complimentary basque cheesecake for a birthday celebration. Huge portions and the cheesecake was definitely the star! The soft serve was lacking a bit of sweetness. We couldn't finish it all but it was tasty! Overall, we had a great time here and would come back. read more

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We came to try the pre-fixe menu on a Wednesday night and opted for the $99 Let the Kitchen Cook for You option which includes highlights across their a la carte menu. We first started with the Sushi Rice, Oysters, and Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio which were presented as small bites. I loved the sushi rice with ikura and nori and the oysters were interestingly dressed with a cucumber aguachile which was really refreshing. We then got parker house rolls with asparagus and radicchio salad. This was the veggie course and really nice and light overall with great flavor pairings that made the vegetables really fun using super fresh seasonal ingredients. Finally, the main course - we got the hanger steak with a delicious bordelaise sauce, crispy fries and fried rice. This was definitely pretty heavy but the everything was really good, we almost regretted finishing all the dishes before. The steak was perfectly cooked and loved dipping the fries in the bordelaise. By the time dessert came, vanilla soft serve with praline and a chocolate shell, we were absolutely stuffed and couldn't eat much of the dessert but overall a fantastic meal and great quality for the price (not to mention, it's a ton of food!) Note: we heard the difference between the $99 and $139 option is that the pricer version includes the Caviar and Uni Toast from their Raw Bar menu. read more

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what a lovely experience! we snagged a 5pm sunday reservation (when they open) and were greeted by a row of polite servers. service remained excellent throughout but they were pretty pushy on advancing courses--understandable as they probably have reservations lined up but would have been better if we could take our own time. food was amazing, we got the: * alpine colada cocktail ($17) * parker house rolls ($9): sooo buttery and soft, must get! * sushi rice ($26): impressive textural and flavory contrasts in this dish, one of my favorites * uni toast ($27): decent but so tiny for the price * pork tonkatsu ($39): moist inside and extra crispy outside, huge portion * monterey bay squid ($36): pretty standard, the sauce got a little salty if you have too much * koshihikari fried rice ($23): tasted very balanced * yuzu cream kakigori ($19): monstrous shaved rice that ended our night perfectly, it was extra tangy and so refreshing read more

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Treated my boyfriend to the course set menu for his birthday and we were both blown away by the flavors we experienced in this meal! We don't go to these fancier/more expensive restaurants very often, saving them for special occasions, and this one is definitely worthy of a special occasion. read more

Date: Wednesday, February 12th, 2025 Time: 7:30pm Party of: 2 Meal: Birthday Dinner Reservation Made: via Resy about 3 weeks prior *Uni Toast ($27) x2 *Bluefin Tuna ($27) *Octopus ($19) *Parker House Rolls ($9) *Dungeness Crab ($11) x2 *Tenderloin ($69) *Pork Belly ($37) *Shave Ice ($19) *Bottle Sparkling Water ($7) *Corkage Fee ($40) *SF Mandates: 7% ($21.21) I wanted to take a friend out for his bday and he suggested Ernest. I honestly don't know much about the SF food scene anymore, so I was happy he suggested something. He went and made the rezzies. I believe the only other times avail were 5:30pm or slots after 7:30pm. We were sat at the table behind the bar closest to the door. I wasn't sure if this counted as bar seating since it's kinda in that area, but we weren't in the main dining room. The staff was sweet and had a hand written card waiting for us at the beginning of our meal. We ordered a fair amount of the menu. The octopus was tender with a nice chew. Uni is one of my loves, so I enjoyed the toast. The steak was tasty as it came with a nice bone marrow oscar. Made for a rich bite. The shaved ice dessert was huge. I'm not much of a shaved ice fan, but a few bites of this was a nice sweet ending to our meal. Service was good. Attentive without being overly so. We were here for about 2.75 hours and never felt rushed. I like taking my time when going out to eat, so it's nice being able to chat while slowly having a meal. A nice experience overall. REVIEW #3696 read more

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It's rare to be able to say this but all the plates slapped! Yet another San Francisco culinary home run. The menu was creative, beautiful but most importantly delicious. The restaurant itself is minimalist, with sharp lines, lots of plants and feels refreshing. Came for the Parker rolls which btw had great butter with cream and salt. The Smokey tomatoes absolutely melted in my mouth and the sundae with hazelnut and chocolate packed a punch. But definitely favorite was the tostada. Would love to return to try it all! read more

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Went to Ernest for an 8 person dinner which was very easy (a bit annoying on the contract side, but I appreciated the thoroughness and leg work went on by the team), and it seemed that the entire restaurant was fully booked through with reservations. We had settled on the prefix menu, which was MOST of the menu and I have to say that the highlights of the evening were definitely all of the raw item menus. I will say, there is a TON of food that we got and also we were really really fully by the end of the evening, and the wait staff was really attentive. The interior is also really cute, pretty open and very modern looking with fun decorations about. I'd say the most lackluster things are the desserts, definitely the ice cream was the best but you can tell that they don't have a pastry team on hand to whip out all of these fancier items, and the restroom situation is a bit lacking, but overall VERY cute and would go back!! read more

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First timer at Ernest and came for an early dinner on a Saturday night to celebrate our anniversary. The place is very spacious and has natural light (great for sunset). Food was overall very good. Our spread consisted of heirloom tomatoes (our favorite fish), oysters, green onion pancake, burrata, and steak. I know their menus are seasonal, but I feel like Ernest gets it right when it comes to flavor combinations. However, I will say the steak was overcooked, which was a little disappointing considering the quality of the other dishes. Service was standard albeit a little slow and lacking in attention, considering we were here for a special occasion. We had a few cocktails and ended with bingsu for dessert. I would come back to see what's on the menu next time. read more

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