My wife moved to San Francisco in 1988 and 2001 myself so we have seen our share of very good restaurants over the years. Noe Valley neighborhood has always been one of our hang outs on weekends since my wife lived above Martha & Brothers Coffee on 24th Street. We have witnessed this restaurant site been several good cafes. We heard Grand Lake Kitchen (GLK) had recently opened a San Francisco operation in Noe Valley on Church Street. On Memorial Day Weekend we ventured to GLK on an early Saturday dinner. We had no problem getting a table, we choose to eat inside given it was a bit windy. The interior seating, bar and atmosphere was comfortable, moderate noise level and welcoming. We were seated in a table for two near the entrance which was a nice view of the entire restaurant. We ordered a brisket sandwich with Mediterranean cucumbers, Brussels Sprouts. I ordered a bowl of clams which was excellent! I shared my crispy French fries with my wife and we really enjoyed our service from our server Sarah. Nice job! The menu is a potpourri of cusines including Matzo Ball Soup, Mexican stamples, spaghetti and looked like a classic brunch menu we plan to return soon! read more

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I loved Mr Digby's for their cocktails, food not so much. I really want to like GLK, but so far my experience has been meh I stopped in and had a cocktail, then ordered the French dip. I was suspect that it had swiss cheese and onions. A French dip should stand on its own with the beef, the bun and the jus. Bun was good, beef was not. So fatty and flavorless - just plain bad. So they took it off my bill, but I still ended up paying over $40 for a French 75 and a glass of wine. This place needs some work ' read more

Ordered Steak Frites, which was the price of a steak but appeared to be a cheaper (tough, stringy) cut of beef. Still well prepared but not quite worth the price. My drink, the Ballhalla's Empress, was the best mocktail I have ever had and I've been doing a dry year. Cost half the entree but this one felt worth it. Atmosphere is somewhere between nice and casual. Service is very responsive. I'd come again but definitely order something much less expensive. Would definitely be a good place to meet someone primarily for a drink. read more

Grand Lake Kitchen - Steak Frites, made with a tougher stringier cut of beef - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I came here with my almost 8 year old daughter for a mommy-daughter brunch date and had a pleasant experience! The staff was warm and welcoming, the food was good, and the ambiance was casual and upbeat (I loved the tunes from the 80s and 90s they were playing on the speakers). We walked in on a Sunday afternoon around 1pm and were able to get a table after waiting just a few minutes (this a pleasant surprise, because an online search had indicated no reservations were available until 2:15pm)! The hostess (an African American woman) was very warm and friendly, which I appreciated. I ordered the chilaquiles from the brunch menu (which is available until 3pm) - they were pretty good. My daughter ordered the pita and hummus, along with the avocado, from the kids' menu, along with a blood orange Pellegrino. I appreciated the fact they had these items on the kids menu (along with the more "boring" kids basics like chicken nuggets and fries). The kids menu also doubled as an activity and coloring sheet and came with crayons, which was fantastic. The prices here were pretty reasonable too. Our waitress was friendly and the service was prompt. I felt like all the staff members really cared about the customer experience, which was really nice. The space was casual, welcoming, and well decorated (the cute fresh flowers throughout the restaurant were a lovely touch). The bathroom was clean and I appreciated the kids stepping stool in there. (The only thing that could make the bathroom even more kid-friendly would be the addition of a changing table!) This place is truly a fantastic, family-friendly addition to Noe, and I look forward to returning! read more

Grand Lake Kitchen - Chilaquiles - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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My husband and I were kind of tired of the same old brunch places we hit up typically, and so we quickly searched for new brunch spots in the city. This place had just opened a few days prior to us eating there! We had to check it out. It seemed that the Noe Valley location was new, although their original restaurant in the East Bay (with great reviews) had been around for a while. The food was really good. We appreciated it because it was your typical brunch food - I kind of get tired of those brunch places that are Thai fusion - sometimes you just want your regular eggs, hash browns, burger, Benedict, etc. I got the Americana burger, which was lovely! Not too rich, the patty to bun to lettuce and tomato was perfect, and the fries were really good. We ordered my daughter the chicken nuggets and fries on the kids menu, and actually, we the adults loved that dish. Her French fries were actually cooked better than mine - more soft, mine were slightly more crispy. My husband got the Pastrami Benedict, which he also really enjoyed. The flavoring, and the ratio of egg to sauce over the English muffin was perfect. We also shared one piece of French toast, which was decent but not my favorite. The service was also very hospitable! We were welcomed with a warm smile, and our wait staff throughout the lunch constantly checked in on us. They were very accommodating for our toddler, asking if we wanted a high chair, booster, and gave us the banquette seating when we requested it. They also had a coloring page and crayons, a huge win for her. This restaurant was so good for classic brunch food. I can't wait to return to try other things, especially their cocktails. read more

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Great service. Thank you to Mayve and manager Bree! Loved the fried tomato's and the pastrami Benedict. The place has a great energy. I love the decor and music. Great addition to Noe Valley ! Coffee also solid. They have WiFi . read more

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This place has amazing service and wonderful atmosphere. We were going through Noe Valley looking for a spot and came across this place. Many were eating outside. We went inside and got a booth. The hosts greeted us so warmly. Our server was also amazing. And I have to say, the crispy potatoes had a crunch and flavor that had me savoring every bite. I'm glad we found this spot. I'll be back. read more

Oakland, welcome to Noe Valley! First of all, they absolutely killed it. Ambience, service, timing & location on their soft opening. We did try something from each course, but I got so distracted about how good the clams were that I forgot to take pictures of the rest. My favorites were the clams & artichoke. My friend's were the martini & burrata pasta. They have a great drinks, fun appetizers & well rounded menu. The banana pudding ice cream was good & they have a decent cookie. It's nice to have something fun in the neighborhood. They did tell us the hours would be 9 to 9 every day. read more

Grand Lake Kitchen - The best martini ever & a kiddo dole whip (they have virgin and rum! - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Fantastic customer service - great patio space seating - cozy inside seating - bland food.

We've passed this place for many years and knew it was closed and hoping it would eventually reopen. By chance we wanted a nice lunch and stopped in. They've been open for 3-months and I'm glad we stopped in for lunch. The interiors are an upscale S.F. bar vibe with plentty of seating and a sizable bar. Waiters are attentive and genuinely friendly and the food is fantastic! You'll see many people eating burgers and the feedback is "...a must..." but I had the poached eggs over polenta and it was Awesome! We'll be back and I highly recommend! read more

Grand Lake Kitchen - Tables were full but the bar had plenty of seating... - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great Experience. Good cocktails and bites. Service was present and never forgotten. Vibes were lively and comfortable. Definitely will be back. Thanks Bree for the hospitality. Highly recommend the fried tomatoes. read more

Have been here twice. Excellent neighborhood spot. Friendly staff, excellent food and cocktails. The Bloody Mary is among the best I've ever had. Will definitely be going back. read more

Food was very mediocre and the service was odd. They brought our hot entrees a few minutes after they brought our appetizers. Also, the dirty martini was basically olive juice - and not in a good way. read more

I was so looking forward to trying out our new neighborhood restaurant, and I'm hesitant to give it a poor review. Out of the 4 of us, only 1 person enjoyed their meal, the steak frites. Appetizers: My problem with the Artichoke(s), is that it's not Artichokes, it's one Artichoke cut in half. Asparagus was good. Both apps were fine, but pricy for small quantities. Dinners: Spaghetti Buratta sauce was so bland, it tasted like the sauce came out of a jar. When I barely touched it, the waiter never asked me if there was something wrong with it. (actually, he never asked any of us how our meals were, nor did anyone else working there (like the manager) Eggplant parmesan just didn't work. The flavors were just off, hardly any eggplant and was just ok. I read another review here that pointed that out they didn't like it, but we gave it a try, as we love eggplant parm. My partner had the GLK style burger, and wasn't impressed. Also just ok, something you'd get a road trip diner. Our guest had the steak frites, and liked them, and was the only person who liked their entree, but wouldn't return. In the end, we were all disappointed, mainly because while the food was just ok, it was overlaid by such poor service, it ruined the meal. We continually had to ask servers for water, and the waiter seemed like he was discouraged and unhappy to be working there; unattentive and distracted. It was a Saturday night, prime time and only about 1/2 full is not a good sign for its prospect and staying power. As a couple that lives nearby, we will choose other eateries. Sorry GLK, but we won't be back. read more

I wish I would have seen the terrible review rating on Yelp before dining here. Awful service (except the hostess), the food was cold and wrong order came out without an apology, no one checked on us the entire time. I don't know how this place is still in business. One of my worst dining experiences in a long time. Came in lunch Monday 6/15 read more

Overpriced. I think they should look to offer happy hour specials. Misinformed wait staff shared over the phone that I would be able to order my meal anytime during the day, only for me to find out when I arrived that wasn't the case. When I escalated to the manager after driving all the way to this restaurant for a specific item, I was told nothing could be done. I thought it was strange to not offer to correct the mistake made by the restaurant? For a neighborhood restaurant, the service expectations are higher it's part of the community and GLK does not deliver that in my opinion. read more

I usually go to the one on Lake Merritt but this one is just as satisfying. The vibe is great & my burger was on point. The bartender made me a great margarita and the playlist...BABBBYYYY! I was just jammin' away the whole time! I'll definitely be back. read more

We took my spouse's mother there on Mother's Day. The chilaquiles with poached eggs were fantastic! read more

Grand Lake Kitchen - Chilaquiles with poached eggs. - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Terrible food, very weird vibes. One star for the friendly staff but lots improvements need to happen for this place to survive.

Seems like customer service is what needs the biggest improvement here. Went for the first time with a friend who recommended we eat there. After about 20 mins of no service, I practically had to beg for water, I'm not an impatient person at all so that was kind of huge red flag for me. The hostess wasn't busy so she could've have served us a glass of water while we wait. Food came out in a decent amount of time. But watching the old white couple sitting next to us get offered drinks and served in record time is a huge turn off and makes me not want to come back. read more

The food is tasty but outrageously pricey for what you get, and the service is chaotic. I arrived at 4pm. Do not go there at this time. It is a no man's land from 3-5, they don't serve their brunch menu or their dinner menu during these hours so all that's available is appetizers and sandwiches. But good luck ordering them because it's also when they change shifts, and they forget to actually tell the incoming shift which tables need service. I was seated by one person who gave us water and said she'd be back to take our order. We waited for 30 minutes and nobody checked on us- I looked around and our server was sat in a booth cashing out her tips. I had to flag down another server to ask if we could put in a food order. When I was finally served (at 5:15 pm- an hour and fifteen minutes after we arrived) the food was tasty. BUT. It's wildly overpriced. Here's what we ordered: Eggplant parmesan- it is just a couple slices of eggplant with some sauce and rather scant cheese. No noodles, no bread, nothing on the side. Kid's pasta with marinara- it is just noodles and sauce. Again no veggie, no bread, nothing on the side. Appletini- it's one of their signature drinks but it looked and tasted like a lemon drop Lemonade THE BILL WAS EIGHTY TWO DOLLARS. FOR NOODLES AND A COUPLE SLICES OF EGGPLANT AND TWO DRINKS. They were not using high end ingredients or doing fancy tricks with the food to justify these prices. They are just plain overcharging. read more

Terrible experience! Tried them out for the first time - hoping for a new good restaurant in my neighborhood. I tipped my server 25%. I was way over charged. My bill was completely wrong. By mistake I was charged for a different customer's meal which was more than twice the cost of my meal. They said this happened because I tipped my server 25% (and that was an unusual amount). I've never had this happen before and their excuse was pretty hard to believe. I'm just glad I noticed that my bill was incorrect. read more

Terrible experience here. They have staying power if the customer service experience improves. Food is good but in this economy, I try not to be a repeat customer where I feel unwelcome. read more

Just had a late brunch there today. The staff person that greeted and walked me to the bar seating was super welcoming, and friendly. The bar staff were also friendly and attentive. I had the Cali Mixed Bowl with tuna salad-very fresh and delicious. Overall great service, atmosphere, and food! read more

Grand Lake Kitchen - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Chaotic, inconsistent service. They often forget you if you're seated outside. I had to go inside to ask someone to come out and take our order. My friend experienced a very weak martini. I've been here twice, live two blocks away and want a restaurant on this corner to succeed. But, GLK really needs to improve its service asap. read more

Three of us had dinner there. I really liked my eggplant parmigiana. It wasn't the traditional look but was extremely tasty with both tomato sauce and pesto. It was the favorite dish of the three entrees. The chickpea stew was not a hit. There wasn't much flavor and it wasn't thick enough. The bread that came with it was good. We expected the donuts we got for dessert to be warm, but they weren't. There was good energy in the evening. read more

Noe's Nest Bed and Breakfast happily recommends this spot! The Matzoh ball soup was absolutely delicious, rich, and comforting. I'll definitely be sending our guests here whenever they're visiting the neighborhood read more

My Family was there last time and the food was great and delicious its really amazing how they make there food and the service of those staff are great they are really acomodating and the ambience it so perfect for a family to dine in there read more