This has been one of my stable/consistent neighborhood favorites for about 15 years! They have been around for about 30 years now. The entire menu is gluten free for those who need it. And menu items rotate on-off for seasonal variance with a core set of items always staying! They even do Jewish high holiday specific menues! Overall, the service is super friendly, quirky, and super accommodating. The food has always been outstanding. From the core items, two things I ALWAYS get are the Daikon radish cake (yeah, that doesn't sound good but my god, it's amazing, trust me) - the broth, mushrooms and scallions all blend to make such the perfect bite. The other thing I get is the fried chicken. Yep, you heard me correctly. It's fantastic, as is the biscuit with honey and the mashed potatoes. I will warn you, it comes with a small side of hot sauce that is tasty but hits like you ate the center of the sun. lol!!! You have been warned. Bar is beer and wine only. They do allow corkage but don't be a jerk and bring something they have on the menu and make sure it's an elevated bottle (and off a tasting to the server or bar team if it is a special bottle) - I hate when people bring a cheap bottle to avoid buying from the restaurant. Anyway, this place is always worth a stop and has never let me down in 15 years. Good food, not Michelin quality but flavors that will make you happy, and an environment that feels comfortable, homey/warm. (Plus, they have a nice outside parklet on the two days it's nice in SF) read more

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Our friend group chose Firefly for our holiday get-together. For 6 people with different dietary needs, this place seemed to have something for everyone! And (spoiler alert!) we were not disappointed. Apparently, between the chef and their family, there are people with gluten intolerance (celiac) and others who are vegan. As such, much of the menu is gluten-free, and there are several vegan options or vegan-modifiable dishes. So thoughtful! Another exciting aspect of the menu was the drink list, which included a number of curated beers, seltzers, and wines (including non-alcoholic ones - I got a sparkling reisling). Note that the service here was also top-notch - friendly, informative, and accommodating. For my meal, I stuck with appetizers so as to try more things. I got the kale salad (modified with vegan feta instead of Gorgonzola), daikon radish cakes (one of the most highly rated dishes here - for good reason!), and the Hanukkah latkes (subbed vegan sour cream). My husband got the seed bread and the vegan gumbo. Everything was beyond delicious. Unfortunately, my items were so good that husband kept sneaking more tastes of them! I did get a couple bites of the gumbo, which was rich and full of a variety of textures - I loved the fried mushrooms on top! He also added some of the hot sauce that was provided, which added a welcome kick. The rest of the table ordered fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits (huge hit) and a Brazilian seafood stew. Everything was devoured. We ended the meal on a sweet note with the banana cake (moist, delicious, and perfectly spiced with ginger). Our friends got the pumpkin cheesecake. Personally I had to be rolled out of my seat, but it was well worth it. We did have an outdoor table, but the heater was blazing and the food did not get overly cold despite a frigid night. Some reviews state that the inside is cramped, so I was expecting something unpleasant, but it was soooo cute and I can't wait to be back to experience the indoor ambiance. Finally, I want to note the tiny detail in the bathroom that made me so happy - free menstrual products. While I didn't require them, it was such a kind feature that truly exemplifies the ethos of this restaurant. Thank you, Firefly for a lovely evening! read more

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Service was above and beyond just like all the delicious GF food! Our first visit and we'll be back! read more

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Don't ask for counter because there's one two seater where you're literally facing a wall. Not a good experience. Food (in order) 1. Cheesy bread [MUST MUST ORDER] - absolutely phenomenal 2. Hamachi tostada - really good and light 3. Sweet potatoes were really flavourful but almost too drenched in sauce for my liking 4. fried chicken - honestly the most hyped in reviews and ... mediocre at best :( really wanted to like it but it was just very bland. Overall, would takeout the cheese bread but u less I'm bringing a gluten free friend I probably won't return. Good to try once though! read more

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An excellent and cute restaurant located in Noe Valley. They have reservations, and I highly recommend making them. It was hopping all night! We were welcomed by very friendly staff, and sat right away. They were very accommodating to our two year old. And brought him some thing to color. There are a lot of shareable plates, and a few entrées. My husband and I shared the cheese rolls, it comes with two types of spread, which is delicious. We also got the curry soup, and they separated it for us into 2 cups which was nice!! We also got the broccolini, which is a bit overdone. We got the summer salad with watermelon and it was so flavorable with small kick, it was my favorite thing we ordered. lastly, we ordered the fried chicken. It was good, however, it didn't compare to the shareable plates. If I had to do it over again, I would order a few more shareable plates and not get an entrée. read more

This is the place you keep meaning to go to, and when you finally return, it still is as amazing as you remembered it. On a Tuesday it was packed with families (with behaved kids) and groups of friends. Service was warm, and knowledgeable. Got the lamb which with its cilantro pesto reminded me of Peruvian seco. The lamb was so soft, I didn't need a knife. For dessert we got the sticky rice. read more

Firefly Restaurant - Black rice with pineapple and baby cilantro - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Delicious. Very crowded and it took 25 minutes to be seated even with a reservation. The staff was nice and everything we ordered was amazing. We definitely ordered too much - we got the cheese bread, daikon cakes, fish stew, and lamb stew and a tiny piece of key lime pie for dessert. Everything was gluten free. read more

The food was decent in terms of flavor but the presentation was amazing and aesthetically pleasing. Some things tasted better than others in terms of flavor. The service was remarkable! Very nice servers. Loved the ambiance, very romantic indoors and outdoors was perfect for friends and larger groups. read more

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Extremely strange dining experience in a great neighborhood. Came here with a group for a celebration having heard good things. The first thing we noticed was the ambience - there wasn't much of one. Dim lighting and some odd art. We were seated down the hall from the bathroom, so it smelled strongly of bathroom cleaning supplies. The menu was a motley crew of dishes, so we ordered a variety of things - all were mediocre. Even the fried chicken was just meh, and that's saying something (when is fried chicken not 5 stars??) Prices were also way too high. For 5 main courses, three appetizers, and two bottles of wine, the bill for our mediocre dining experience was $700. read more

The experience at this restaurant was chaotic from start to finish. Despite arriving on time, we were made to wait 20 minutes before being seated at a table so wobbly that water constantly spilled. Two different waiters attempted to fix it, but to no avail. When I eventually requested a different table, the staff seemed annoyed and offered no apology. Following this, I left a one-star review as a critique. Instead of addressing the feedback constructively, the chef or manager approached our table to reprimand and humiliate me. Rather than striving to improve, they served us expired food as a takeaway. Despite claiming they had taken care of the appetizers, we were still charged in full. By the end of the night, it felt like they were eager to get rid of us. ambience was average read more

I found Firefly on a list of romantic restaurants for date night in the city. It's in a residential neighborhood of Noe Valley. A small quaint restaurant serving American. The interior has many small tables for two, bar seating and the soft glow of their faux candle in a jar. We had reservations at 6pm. We had our vaccinations card checked and was seated in a small table across from the bar. The portions here are a good size and shareable. We ordered the fried chicken (must try!) and crusted salmon with asparagus and quinoa. Both dishes were delicious. The fried chicken was fried perfectly and comes with coleslaw, mashed potatoes and biscuit. There was a hot dipping sauce for the fried chicken if you like a spicy kick. They also served butter and honey for the biscuit. The crusted salmon was soft, fresh and asked for more on the well done side. Usually I get stuffed after my entree but not here. I still had room for dessert! The sticky coffee date cake with poached apples and almond was a nice end to our dinner. The cake wasn't too sweet. All the food here gave me the impression that it is well cooked, healthy and sustainable. Service was also quick and prompt. There were two cooks with many orders to fulfill but the wait was not long at all. I also loved the semi dark atmosphere and the art on the wall esp the ballerina girl. Definitely a good spot for dinner or date night with that special someone :) read more

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The food is very innovative and creative. Generally speaking, they tend to work with great ingredients from California, but styled in a really fun way. The service is impeccable, and I was very impressed by the wine and food knowledge of the staff. They made some fantastic recommendations. They have homemade doggy treats that were a huge win for my date. And I think they have redone the interior since the pandemic and it was very cute and cozy. I liked the cloth on the top of the ceilings. Great situation and would come back again. Also, they have a very creative wine list with many varietals that I've never tried before ! read more

Food, ambiance and service were all great. I share the seafood stew with my sister along with the cheese buns and it hit the spot. Very delicious. Too it off with the almond cake that was spectacular. read more

Had the opportunity to eat here recently. We hadn't been here for years and were not disappointed. Food was great, staff were great and the restaurant has a nice cozy, neighborhood feel to it. I really like this restaurant, brings back happy memories of when we lived in Noe Valley and could walk to this restaurant read more

Great food, great atmosphere, happy staff, nice cocktails. We were celebrating 3 birthdays, there were 6 of us. Our food came out timely and hot. For appetizers we had the signature seed loaf and spread along with the roasted Brussels sprouts, yummy!! Then we ordered the Fried Heritage Chicken and the Haley's meatloaf, so fantastic, as was the Mac and cheese! We finished with dessert, the brownie with vanilla frozen custard... delicious! We did make reservations for 6;00 and before we left all the tables were full . I'd recommend reservations. It's bigger than it looks from the outside , 3 separate dining rooms if I remember correctly. I'd love to go again and try something else on the menu. read more

I had not been here for an age but remembered the food being amazing, so took a chance on a walk in and was seated right away. (It's the week before Christmas and the middle of Hanukkah, so that may have worked in our favor). We started with the brussels sprouts with truffle oil (amazing!). I ordered two appetizers for my entree- latkes and butternut squash with whipped feta, quinoa tabbouleh and pumpkin seeds. SO DELICIOUS!! and it made me feel less guilty about the way I'll eating the rest of the holiday week. We also got the fried chicken, which comes with slaw, mashed potatoes and a biscuit. Clean plates all around (they even bring honey and butter for the biscuit). This is a Firefly classic and deservedly so. The mac and cheese was piping hot and got devoured slightly more slowly than everything else only due to temperature. The decor is sort of Wind in the Willows, with an actual giant firefly above the door, low lights, lots of wood, very cozy. read more

Came for dinner and had the fried chicken. My wife had the moqueca baiana. End the meal with pumpkin cheese cake. Everything was on point. Appreciated that they had outdoor seating and heat lamps. Service was great too. Would come back. read more

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Our son has celiac disease and this place is our go-to for celebrations. Soup to nuts it's fantastic and celiac safe. The GF Mac n cheese and fried chicken are the best we've ever had. The staff are very knowledgeable about food restrictions. Much appreciated. read more

We are at Firefly last weekend for the first time in a very long time, probably 10 years... and it was terrific, like surprisingly very good, very interesting and consistently tasty across all of our dishes. We went with another couple and ordered a variety of dishes, all vegetarian and every bite was great. The service was excellent, attentive and knowledgeable about all the dishes and helped us make good choices. We loved the daikon radish cakes, yum! And the Brussels sprouts were unreal. I recommend sharing a bunch of small and big plates so your party can all enjoy a bit of everything. Highly recommend and we will be returning here soon! read more

WOW! This place is outrageously good! I love when a restaurant makes vegetable dishes the star. The delicata squash dish with ricotta cheese was one of the best things I've had for a while! The sweet potato's were out of this world as well, so crispy too. The meatloaf was also a fan favorite for our group. Every dish was different and really tasty. The turkey porridge was so comforting and warm. The place is really cozy inside and everyone was super friendly. Great gluten free and vegan options!! read more

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I can truly say that this dining experience had me feeling like a firefly dancing around a beautifully lit lantern. Once you enter this enchanting space, the ambiance is set with dim lighting & unique decor. The service is phenomenal from the hostess, to the server, to every employee who touched our table because their service approach is all hands on. We began with the seed bread & spread which was very interesting. Super hot & crispy & the spread had a great garlic forward flavor. Not sure if we'd order it again but, my two year old daughter sure liked it. Then we enjoyed the kale salad minus the cheese & honestly it was the best kale salad I've had in a really long time. Massaged to perfection, the right amount of dressing, great crunch, & just a little sweetness. Then we all shared the Mary's fried chicken dinner plate with some extra fried chicken added on the side. The chicken was crispy, hot, & juicy, the biscuit was soft & flaky, mashed potatoes & gravy light & creamy, & the coleslaw had a great crunch. This plate was more than filling for my partner, daughter, & I, honestly we didn't even really need to add the extra fried chicken. We finished our meal with two desserts, the brownie sundae & their seasonal pumpkin cheesecake. Both were excellent, not too sweet but, the brownie sundae was out of this world! The plate was decorated with a caramel drizzle & corn flakes & they were the perfect additions to the gooey brownie & creamy ice cream. Overall we greatly enjoyed our experience & not only highly recommend but, we will for sure be back in the future. read more

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Great date spot with my celiac wife, and good for other evenings as well. We live in south bay now and with dairy and gluten issues we don't eat out often anymore, so a place like this is amazing! The only thing on the menu she couldn't have they could make work for her (but we got the fish instead anyways) Delicious and beautiful. We are both vaxxed and boosted, bet we still sat outside. Meh, likely eat inside next time. The parklet was walled in, but still windy and draftey, plus not completely flat. They don't have hard liquor, but it was slanted enough that my uncoordinated self still struggled. read more

Overhyped food, it was very meh. Everything aside from the cheese bread was bland. The chicken was bland, the mash potatoes needed more cream and salt. Also, who charges $14 for a local SF beer. Service was great. Seems like a nice place to have a drink and a small snack while catching up with a friend. read more

Wow! What a great restaurant! Creative menu- Gluten Free AND tasty! I excellent service! I highly recommend giving it a try! read more

Service was wonderful. Cozy ambiance. Both my husband and I felt underwhelmed with the food. Each dish was 7-8 out of 10, nothing was super tasty, especially at this price point. We did like the cheese buns and the sauces that came with it. Chicken was ok, soup and salad pretty good. We're also not gluten free. Glad we could support a local business though! read more

Wanted to try this place and since we were in the city So we made reservations. When making the reservations, I saw they offer outdoor seating, beware it's a Parklet on the side of the street, which caused me anxiety because the cars get close while you're sitting there ..was a little nerve-racking. Strictly beer and wine, Food was good. Everything was gluten-free. tried the fried chicken with cornbread and it was delicious. Appears be very casual with people in shorts and what not. I think they came directly from the dog park just cross the street . Had a lovely meal again just sitting in the parklet kinda in traffic did not allow me to truly enjoy . If they weren't just wine and beer, they should've included tequila shots with the seats lol they also seem to allow dogs ! so if you're not a dog lover, maybe this restaurants not for you. Additionally, their tables seem to have been changed around within the part-let's so your QRS code that supposedly controls your "heater" maybe now your neighbors because the table have been changed position lol read more

Firefly Restaurant - QRS code on tables to control heater above... but the table have been changed in position possibly so your code id wrong - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

So delicious, albeit a little pricey! The ambiance here is super cozy and warm, perfect for this homestyle cooking. We ordered the Gumbo, the Fried Chicken, and the spiced date cake: - The Fried Chicken was the star of the night, it was cooked perfectly, and the accompanying cornbread was so good and, of course, came with some honey! - The Gumbo was good. It is vegetarian, which is great, but it doesn't taste like authentic Gumbo, so if that is what you are craving, it may not be the best choice. Definitely a little spicey, but I liked the kick it had. - When I said the fried Chicken was the star of the night, I lied. The spiced date cake alone will make me return to Firefly, the toffee sauce that tops the moist cake is absolutely to die for, and the vanilla ice cream is a perfect balancing addition. read more

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Love Firefly and go there whenever in SF. Cozy neighborhood restaurant nestled into Noe Valley with excellent menu and chef! Had the Sea Trout which was cooked to perfection! Wonderful atmosphere and service all 3 times I visited! I'll be back! read more

We loved Firefly when we lived in San Francisco and continue to go back to it when we are in the city. It's a charming neighborhood restaurant with very good food. The Mexican pancake and radish cakes are unusual and terrific. We now have a dog and learned something else about the place: the staff is terrific with pets. The couldn't have been more welcoming to our huge shepherd, who, quite honestly, can take up a lot of room. A number of staff came around to pet him and one showed us a picture of a pet someone had brought earlier: a duck with leather booties. read more

I just moved to Noe and this was a very disappointing first night out. Let me start with the positives which were the atmosphere. Super cute, cozy vibe, loved the painting in the entryway. Nice crowd. Great table near the window. Easy to have conversation and the staff was pleasant. Now for the less positive. I was with two foodie friends who had previewed the menu and we took recommendations from the waitress and ordered 3 starters and 2 mains to share. The first dish served was the Japanese sweet potato tostones which was fair followed by the daikon radish cake and English pea pancakes, neither of which we enjoyed. For mains we had the trout and the enchiladas. Overall, everything seemed to be a bit "off" or oversaturated with way too many ideas and flavors and nothing came through. Even the wine recommendation from a winery we were all familiar with, Scribe, seemed to be a miss with the food selections. For me a great restaurant makes the simple fabulous. This was neither simple or fabulous. The good news is I have lots of other places to explore and I never have to go back here again. read more

Delicious & creative food, impressive service! Went last night for a friend's birthday but would definitely be a good place to go on a date to with the atmosphere and lighting. Our server Elijah was great :) The restaurant was super accommodating of our dietary needs - they can make many dishes vegan, and were super helpful & communicative about my severe nut allergies. read more

Firefly is a neighborhood gem of Noe Valley. From the coziness of the restaurant to the colorful adjectives on their menu, you'll have a 'damn fine' experience here. I highly recommend making a reservation via OpenTable or else you'll be stuck with a long wait. You may find some reprieve from the wait if a bar seat opens up. read more

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Excellent fine dining for a neighborhood place. Frequent this place a few times a year for many years. A small menu with tasty and lovely presentations. A great place for celebrations. Usually have a Passover menu each year. read more

Perfection. From start to finish everything was so good. The cheesy Brazilian bread was amazing, the tomato -peach salad with ricotta was so very good. Our entrees were delicious; the seafood stew and the short ribs. Add a great wine and the brownie dessert and you have a great Saturday night. This is a great neighborhood spot that won't disappoint. A must. read more

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This is a great neighborhood spot with a creative, eclectic menu. I had the quinoa-pine nut stuffed squash with falafel, hummus, chickpea-spinach stew, and almond yogurt -- so many delicious flavors packed into a single, cohesive dish! It was one of the most enjoyable restaurant dishes I've had in years. I can also recommend seed loaf and spread, which is a crunchy, earthy, roasty, satisfying treat. They seem to be pretty good about various allergies and dietary restrictions, with many gluten-free options and a few good plant-based dishes. When I was there on a Friday evening, they were playing loud pop music from the late 90s/early 2000s, which felt a little out of place to me and wasn't great for conversation. But everything else about the ambiance was cool. read more

the "owner" basically told us to leave, after spending several hundred dollars. I have lived in SF since 1969, I have designed and known several of the best chefs and restaurants in town. This "owner" was extremely rude and told us, party of two, to leave immediately. In front of the whole restaurant. I've dined there for years. the staff is lovely and says hello when I enter. she wanted to turn over the table. there are civil ways to express one's feelings. I will never go back there again! I've never in the decades of living and dining in SF be so insulted by a b.... like her ever before. if they have any respect for a long time customer, any decent person would send me an apology this evening. the food was good, however her rude behavior was unforgivabLe. I live in the neighborhood and will never go back to a restaurant that is terribly rude. the "owner" was a wretched person. read more

AMAZING gluten free food. the banana cake dessert was gluten free and vegan and you'd have no idea. really enjoyed the daikon cakes and the fried chicken. only thing is it's very expensive for the food and portions read more

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This place never disappoints. The service is always really good and the food is incredible. The must gets: - Brazilian cheesy buns (small portion but so delicious with the side sauces) - Citrus and Ginger Glazed Sweet Potatoes - these are so flavorful and the texture is incredible. - Fried chicken - As everyone has said in the reviews, the star of the show. And it can all be made gluten free and you won't even notice! Don't sleep on the key lime pie either... the raspberry sauce is insane! read more

Firefly is an amazing restaurant that I'm so happy to have in our neighborhood. Food is consistently great, most is naturally gluten free but you wouldn't know it, service staff are nice, and ambiance is cute. What more could you ask for? read more

Amazing gluten free options! Such a fun vibe within the space and the service was fast, kind, and overall made for a great dinner! The Mac and cheese was so good I didn't believe it was gluten free! read more