I can't speak to the experience of planning a wedding here, but as a guest, it was enjoyable. Gorgeous San Francisco Bay views, an impeccably maintained garden with lots of elegant staircases, a historic-feeling indoor area great for photos and the reception. This venue has no bad angles. I only knocked off a star because it was freezing and windy for the outdoor ceremony - hey, it's SF so what can you expect? I was worried the wedding chuppah was going to fly away during the ceremony, but it miraculously stayed put. read more

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Captivating views! Attended a wedding in this venue two weekends ago. Inside, as we entered and signed-in at the foyer, there hung a beautiful vintage glass chandelier above hardwood floors and featured a fireplace in the center, very inviting for us wedding guests. The furnitures and fixtures had vintage touch: leather chairs, mirrors, wooden shelves, etc.) As we made our way inside we headed back outside and down the steps towards the garden. The wedding was held outdoors on the back lawn of the historic General's Residence. We faced the scenic San Francisco Bay with the Aquatic Park, Angel Island and Alcatraz as the backdrop and provided some beautiful views for our pictures. After the wedding we were led to the Lounge where we had cocktails and hors-d'œuvre while we mingled and chit-chatted with the other guests. The Lounge, Dining Room, and Ballroom had floor to ceiling windows and offered captivating and panoramic views of the Bay. There is an elevator in the building. The front and interior of the structure has that historic look. Love the charm and elegance it possesses. This was my first time attending a wedding in this venue. I am here as a guest. I would imagine that it would be expensive to rent this place. I believe the place can also be rented for other events such as conferences or other private gatherings (birthdays, memorial, etc). Parking can be a challenge especially when there is a lot going on. It was nice to be a part of this couple's wedding in this National Historic Landmark on the San Francisco waterfront. Just beautiful! Review #0292 read more

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This is an awesome venue. It is a great place for a wedding, holiday party, or private event. The house has 3 main rooms (dining room, lounge, & ballroom) plus a kitchen & interesting basement. The basement consists of a bar area with old leather chairs & a few tables. Back in the old days I could imagine a bunch of stodgy old men sitting around sipping whiskey & smoking cigars. It was kinda creepy down there (and I don't think we were supposed to be there) so we exited quickly. The best room is the lounge. It is semicircular in shape, has huge floor to ceiling windows, and looks out on the bay. There are amazing views of Alcatraz, Aquatic Park, & Ghirardelli Square (which, of course, made me crave a sundae). I'm sure that the grounds are beautiful but I was there after dark. I would love to go during the day to check it out. The videos on the website show it all...go check them out! And keep this spot in mind for a great wedding venue. read more

General's Residence Fort Mason - Front entrance - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Really sweet SF event space! I went to a "charity ball" here on Saturday night and the space definitely surpassed any of my expectations. The part was in the downstairs area (I have no idea what's upstairs) and took up all three of the main rooms. In one room there were buffet tables set up, as well as silent auction items lining the wall. The other two rooms had more open space and there was a bar in each. In the room on the far left was also a dance floor. All three of these rooms have beautiful big windows facing the Bay. As it was nighttime, I could only see the lights, but it was really lovely. There was an area set up for us out on the back lawn as well, with couches and tables. I found it a bit too chilly to hang out out there, but quite a few people chose to do so (and since they were handing out cigars, I'm sure it was a great idea). All in all a really fun night at a beautiful venue. read more

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BEST decision we ever made! The General's Residence is a San Francisco gem. Having our wedding here was a memorable, beautiful experience. Their event manager Ayal has exceptional communication, went above and beyond, and made sure our day was special. This is an open skeleton venue, so you get to decide on your event coordinator and other details, which we very much preferred as opposed to being limited by venue regulations. You can choose your own caterer, as long as they meet the venue's requirements. We had our ceremony out along the water, followed by an indoor reception. We had mariachi play on the lawn. It was beautiful! We had the whole residence to ourselves, which really made it a homey, intimate feel. They have designated rooms for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Really takes you a step back in time to a classy area, with the dangling chandeliers, and jaw dropping city views. It's a great location for guests, and perfect wedding location! Thank you General's Residence/The Fort Mason team for making our wedding the BEST day ever!! All the best! XOXO read more

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We had our wedding at the General's Residence in November 2014. Overall, we'd recommend it for a San Francisco experience that is unparalleled. Since most of our guests were coming from out of town (and out of the country), we wanted to make sure that they'd get the most of their limited time in San Francisco. We were looking for a place where we could do the ceremony outside (ideally with views) and reception inside, and that had a classy but not stuffy feel. Check, check, and check. There are not many places in San Francisco that fit the bill! Positives: --The view--there's nothing like it! It's really a magical place to get married. The space has lots of character. -- It is a completely open venue, so you can use any vendors you want. Depending on your stress level, this can be a downside too. Being able to buy your own alcohol saves a ton of money (you have to have a licensed bartender/caterer serve it). --Tables and chairs are included in the rental cost, and you can rent a dance floor and outdoor ceremony chairs through them at a reasonable price. --They'll set up and break down anything you rent through them at no added charge. --You get a 12 hour window with a buyout, including set-up and break down, which is longer than most venues give you. You have to allow an hour for breakdown, and must be out by midnight, so your reception has to end by 11 (perfect time to start an after-party). Downsides: --Since they are part of the Fort Mason Center, there is a fair amount of bureaucracy in the early stages with the booking, deposit, etc, and there are a number of non-negotiable rules (eg no open candles, etc). --Although they have an on-site coordinator (Brianna, who was helpful especially in the weeks preceding the wedding), they will not be involved in coordinating vendors, etc. They really are just there for the "space," so you'll need to have either a caterer who serves in a coordinating function, a day-of planner, or an extremely organized friend in that role. --The dining room and ballroom are a bit sparse (and the overhead lighting is not flattering), so we got uplighting to jazz it up a little. --A full venue buyout is required on Saturday and comes at a premium (though there are many spaces in SF that cost much more). One tip: Our vendors told us that most people don't take advantage of the Rathskellar (downstairs bar). We had our cocktail hour here, which had a great pub-like atmosphere and allowed guests to spill out to the lawn to enjoy the views. read more

My daughter celebrated her wedding at the General's Residence this past February. It was a perfect venue, I highly recommend it. pros: outstanding views, ability to have an outdoor or indoor wedding, large space, you can bring your own vendors in, tables and chairs included, given the space for a long time, can't say enough about how magical this space is, it made for a fairy tale event. Not as expensive as others we looked at. Cons: If you do have the ceremony outside, you will need another set of chairs for an additional cost but the venue can provide You will need a day of planner at a minimum and make sure they direct guests to the various rooms, events, as the space is spacious and guests won't always know what's going on in another room. Be sure to lock your valuables up and gather up loose items before the end of the event. We had quite a few items go missing and got very little help from staff. read more

From the moment we got engaged, we were looking for a venue that fit all of our needs. A view, not too expensive and a BYO. This was one of the first venues we looked at and it was perfect. It has the most stunning view of the bay and the house has so much charm, you really don't need to overload with decor. The windows span the entire back of the house, so there really is no bad place to be. The communication with the event staff was more than helpful and we felt extremely looked after and cared for. The venue it self was stunning and spacious and all I kept hearing was that the guests loved it. We got married on the lawn in the back and the weather was perfect for our day. I would recommend the Generals Residence or any of the other venues at Fort Mason to anyone. read more

We had our wedding here last month and though the staff could work more on their communication, the venue itself was perfect. It's basically an empty shell but with a lot of work, it turned out to be such a lovely place and backdrop for a wedding. The venue is split into different rooms with a dining room separated from the ballroom. The dining room could only hold 130 people so if you have a large guest list, this place made not be the best. We capped out at 130 and had to add a kids table in an adjoining room. Parking is easy and free on the weekends. The downside of the place is that there's a rathskeller or bar in the basement that cannot be utilized. read more

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This has the potential to be a lovely venue with some restoration. I found the place to be somewhat dingy and run down. The men's restroom was filled with a stench like an open sewer. Other than the location and view.... Can't say much. read more

This venue is only getting a star because of our day-of person, Michael (who was fantastic). Otherwise this venue would get zero stars. I helped planned my best friend's wedding which was recently held here, but I didn't take over communication with their venue person (who is not the same as the day-of person) until the month prior to the event. However, I had already known about communication issues they were having but didn't realize the extent of how horrendous it was. Firstly, my friends never really had an idea of WHO their actual point of contact was because staff turnaround is so real with this place. They were probably assigned to 2-3 different people until one stuck. The one that stuck, his name is Ayal, and if you're planning and event there please ask for someone other than him. He's piss poor at communication and details. There were times we would have to send a follow up email about a previous follow up email in order to get any form of response with him. He never seemed to read any of the details included in the email and would keep referring to details we've previously told him that were incorrect many times. I'm also going to assume that he has other clients who have been assigned to him, but if he can't keep details straight or find a way to keep them organized and ready to reference when talking to said client then that's a whole other topic. Venue visits--any other venue I've worked with would always have a representative there if you needed to visit for any reason. That doesn't seem to be the case with this place. Anytime we needed to schedule a visit to get measurements or figure out details for the event, Ayal's first question would be, "Do you need me to be there?" I'm sorry but if you are the assigned event person, you're damn right I expect you to be there. Instead, a member of the maintenance staff would come unlock the door for us and then leave. What if we had questions or needed clarification? The process would be to then send an email which then started another period of waiting to see how long it would take to get Ayal to respond. There was one venue visit where Ayal was present and he seemed to be taking down notes as we answered his questions, but of course no surprise when he later told me that he didn't remember writing anything down. The venue itself....I didn't experience this but my friends mentioned a pungent smell when they first checked it out but did mention that it was significantly better in later visits. The paint on the walls are faded, the carpet looks like it's been there since they built the place (probably was). Venue rules--pretty standard except for this one rule about coolers. If you're planning on using coolers with ice (even the double-insulated, condensation catching ones), you're required to put the cooler on a liquid-absorbent/catching bar mat. [insert crickets here]. Even if the cooler is in the kitchen. So we ended up not using coolers or ice and just prayed that the fridge was cold enough to turn the drinks cold by the time guests were served food. Who knows. Maybe we would've had a better experience had we been assigned a different point person. But as it stands, pretty disappointed (but not surprised). read more

Wow, what a magical place for a wedding! Although it is a rare occurrence, we experienced a warm, clear, sunny afternoon in February in San Francisco. The ceremony out on the grass overlooks the entire bay from the Golden Gate to the Marina, and the setting sun ignites incoming ships with a romantic glow. Inside there are several rooms to break up the scene with plenty of room for dinner, dancing, and cocktails. And the rich history of the building creates a fun atmosphere of elegance, sophistication, and local culture. read more

General's Residence Fort Mason - Awesome sunset view for a backdrop. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

The worst decision I hadn't make in a long long time. Super old space and very uncomfortable people to work with. Indeed, first step of walking in you smile like great grandpa house. There is no kitchen and we cannot bring any equipment to reheat. The pictures on yelp is a joke. Kidding me if you have to pay over $8,000 for 10 hours, better go where else. OMG no more word. read more

Great space and fantastic views. Loved it! The rooms are spacey but it is still a cozy feel. Great for events around 100-150 people.

Had a company party here. Was pretty cool spot. Parking is a real problem but that was the only issue to be aware of. Downstairs they have a nice bar/lounge area and it leads out to a backyard area that is right on the bay. You can see Alcatraz and angels island and all that goes with the bay. Have a hard time really rating just the generals residence though since a party planner and caterer had set up most of the inside. For all I know when you clear it out it is crappy but I doubt it. Could see someone having an awesome wedding here for sure. read more

Looking for a wedding venue in San Francisco that you won't need to take a loan out for is challenging enough, but when you look for one that also allows outside catering, it really limits you. It's great that they allow outside catering, but General's Residence wasn't our first choice. The first time we visited General's Residence it smelled musty and like mildew. It was as if no one opened the windows for a year. It was horrible and we almost went another direction because of it. The sales people are great, but that's what they do... sell. I truly felt like it was a bait and switch. As soon as we signed the contract, it went downhill. The original sales person we were working with left the company. The event manager we were originally referred to left the company. Then, we were told we'd be assigned another event manager when the date got closer. As the date got closer no one reached out. I just wanted to know who to talk to, even just to ask general questions. I kept reaching out to Ayal, the event manager whose name I had. I didn't know if we'd end up with him so I didn't get into too much detail. Finally after asking if he was our event manager for the second or third time, he said he was. The communication was awful. I completely understand we aren't the only clients, but there are some big details I'd expect he would've remembered. I had to remind him multiple times that our ceremony was going to be held inside and that it was going to be an afternoon wedding. He really wasn't much help at all for the actual event and didn't seem to really care the one time we met him. Stars go to the person who let us in for the rehearsal the afternoon before the wedding and Michael, our Fort Mason representative who was there on the day of the wedding. Michael was helpful and had a great attitude. The venue is beautiful and has a lot of history, but that won't save the lack of customer service. read more

Went here for the House of Walker event and found this place to be a perfect fit for it very nice and the experience was also a good thing! read more

General's Residence Fort Mason - Tasting of Johnnie Walker Black Label with the host. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Francisco, California

My fiance and I came in for a site visit because we were looking for a place to host our wedding for both the ceremony and reception. The General Residence has a phenomenal view of Alcatraz and the Pier. Upon walking into the building, there was a weird smell -- it smelled musty and the carpets looked dirty like an abandoned building. What's great about this place is that you can either choose to have your ceremony indoors or outdoors, which ever San Francisco weather permits. We didn't like how the two rooms were separated, half the party would be left out. FYI each room fits about 130 people. It's a bummer how the bar downstairs is under renovation, therefore even if we rented out the entire building we wouldn't be able to utilize what we were to pay. read more

Came here for the House of Walker tasting on Friday. Very nice venue. It's a little hard to find though. They have a lot of events here so some extra signage might be worth it. Our cab driver wasn't sure where it was and we eventually found three other couples wandering and were able to find it together. read more

Attended a fabulous event at this venue. Totally stunning. Spacious rooms, great view. Just a lovely very elegant ambiance. Parking was easy and free!!!! read more

We held our wedding here in October and could not have been more pleased with the venue. The setting worked perfectly for an outdoor ceremony and indoor dinner and dancing. It was also easy to get cabs to and from the event for our guests. Would definitely recommend for an event or wedding. read more

If I could I would give no stars to this venue. The venue itself is gorgeous and so stunning. It is perfect for weddings and social events with lots of space to get creative. The rate is reasonable and the views are breathtaking. So you ask why on earth would I give just one star and none if I could? Customer service or rather lack of customer service. I am not going to go into the details since there so many and I am just going to say that after my previous experience I will never book another event at this location. After 20 plus years in the event industry I have to say that this was my least favorite experience and it was because of the sales and management staff. Horrible horrible attitudes and snotty personalities. It seems to be the case whenever I use a venue managed by the city of SF. Sad to say that they just reopened in October and I venture to guess there will be many more reviews like mine. read more