Chef Dennis and the whole staff blew us away. We had an incredible experience and the service was top notch. Each course was exquisite and just so special. Not shown in photos was the best caviar accompaniment we have had. Chef Dennis truly knows what he is doing. read more

Luce - Sea trout - Wine Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Had a lovely dining experience at Luce. We opted for the $75 SF Restaurant Week Menu and added on the $40 optional wine pairing. On top of that, we caved in and splurged on the caviar. Our waiter did throw in an extra wine to pair with it, which was much appreciated! The wines were all European-based. Out of the wines, I really enjoyed the sparkling riesling from Germany. Order in which food was served: - Amuse bouche: scallop with tomato paste (I didn't see it listed on the menu, so pardon my simplistic description) reminded me of an elevated bagel bite (that's meant to be a compliment). - Sunchoke veloute with crab and green garlic oil: Everything about this dish was amazing! The vegetal and umami flavors from the soup, crab, and garlic oil all blended so well together. Definitely a favorite! - Homemade sourdough bread with confit garlic butter: Freshly baked bread with literal melt-in-your-mouth butter spread. - Caviar with avocado vichyssoise mousse and squid ink muffins filled with egg yolk gel paired with sparkling prosecco: Enjoyed every delectable bite. Loved the light, airy texture of the mousse and the caviar and mousse paired well with the squid ink muffins. - Duck breast with pistachio praline, parsnips, and mandarinquat: This was probably my "least" favorite of the dishes, but still quite enjoyable. The way the duck breast was cooked made it almost taste like steak. I enjoyed the pistachio praline sauce and mandarinquat sauces, but wasn't quite sure whether they was supposed to be paired with the duck or the parsnips. The parsnips were cooked well, but quite bland on their own. - Yuzu cheesecake and coconut gelato: Delightful! I'm not normally a fan of coconut flakes, but I enjoyed the way they toasted them and the yuzu and coconut flavors were apparent. After all that dessert plus the apple moscato, the cup of tea was the perfect way to end the evening. Service was excellent throughout. They changed out dishware, refilled out waters, wiped down the table between dishes, and checked in on us just the right amount. This made for a great date night spot and fine dining experience. read more

See all

TLDR: Had a great experience dining at Luce over the weekend. Not often you find this level of fine dining at a hotel, my partner and I were pleasantly surprised. Every dish was delicious and creatively composed. Would recommend! Food: 9/10 we opted for the 10 course spring tasting menu. Dishes were all really well seasoned and has interesting play on flavors. Stand outs was the "hanging garden", and the mushroom+bread course was absolutely delicious. The seafood pasta was a miss for me in terms of messy plating and flavor, the chorizo flavor over powers the seafood and the corn bits was a strange texture add that was slightly dry/chewy. Some elements could use more finesse, but overall really tasty. We did the wine pairing as well and the pairing was excellent, really adds to the flavors well. Ambience: 7/10 the restaurant wasn't busy but we were seated by a pole in between two tables along the entrance, it felt a bit cramped and you can hear noise from the bar outside. Overall decor is a bit dated and plain, but still nice and has interesting light fixture. Service: 6/10 services across the staff was prompt and attentive. However our main server doesn't seem to be great at understanding customer needs and sometimes dismissive. I was taking my partner out to dinner as a treat for his birthday so there was moments I tried to whisper to the server about surprise or the bill, but multiple times he just decides to yell it out to my partner right afterwards. It felt really embarrassing. I had also request for an dish add on for just my tasting, but our waiter declared that my partner will also have it, and then proceed to charge double add-on entree at the end when it was our intention to just share one. That unfortunately left a slight bad taste for our experience. read more

See all

Luce is a high end restaurant connected to the InterContinental hotel, and open to public. Highly recommend for all sorts of celebrations. The hostess and staff members were all very attentive and friendly, and made sure that all our needs were well accomodated. We were originally seated to the side against a wall, and were happy to move us when I saw seating open up at the beginning of our dining experience. I asked for a blanket as the dining room was cold, to which they brought over a thick blanket for me to put across my thigh. It was a pleasure having tried the 5-course Valentine's Day. My favorite was tender beets shaped into a rose shape. I also loved their seafood raviolo. The wrap was prepared firmly. read more

I will never forget the tiramisu tartar that I had here once of the most unique and weird dishes that over time I have grown to love! The rest of the meal was ok, somewhat lack luster... The service was incredible and I loved the ambiance and table settings. The dishes were served in some of the coolest vessels and plates! read more

Came for SF restaurant some time ago. The restaurant is past the lobby of the Intercontinental. Parking was easy on the street, but apparently the restaurant also validates valet. Amuse-bouche and sourdough with butter were pleasant surprise additions to the menu. Appreciated the bread being cut all the way. Texture difference of crust and inside was great and arrived at a nice warm temperature. Got an old fashioned and it was nice and strong. Friend said her drink was pretty weak. Soup was also nice and warm. Crab was great and wished there was more of it. Duck was delicious, especially with the sauces. Yuzu dessert was perfect, coconut part was a bit distracting for me. Hotel staff was top notch with welcoming and guiding the way to the restaurant. Restaurant staff was attentive. Vibe was quiet and relaxing. read more

See all

I arrived earlier than my appt, but was able to be seated. We went through a few servers, and some were very insightful with what the course was good to be like. The food was on the heavier side and told us one shared plate was more than enough. The service as great, and the food was plated so well. It was whimsical and tasty. The scallop was cooked perfectly also. read more

See all

We have come here to dine several times since 2013 and we came here on May 25 to celebrate our 40 years dating anniversary. Currently had the 8 course tasting menu ($185) by new Chef Rogelio Garcia. We were not disappointed by all the dishes we ate. All beautifully presented and very flavorful with all complimentary sauces. Hard to pick the favorite but if we had to pick one it would have been the Japanese Shima Aji; Wild Napa Valley Kiwi, Crystal Lettuce, White Nectarines. The bread w French butter was also a favorite and it wasn't even part of the tasting menu. It was so good that Keith allowed us to get another helping. Make sure you use the bread to scoop up the sauces after each entree. Highly recommended! Keith and staff were all very friendly and attentive to our needs and made sure our water glass were always full without us asking for more. Luce also complimented us w sparkling wine. Not just one glass but refilled us x2 more times. We would have finished the bottle if we didn't stop him. Thank you for making our anniversary another memorable experience and looking forward to our next visit! read more

See all

Simply beautiful presentation of dishes and restaurant. Located in the Intercontinental Hotel, the vibes are very classy which already prepares you for an elevated experience. I've been following their seasonal menu changes for a while now and I recognize that they have signature dishes that rotate with their seasonal menus. Don't feel like you're missing out from a complete experience as signature themes are found with every seasonal change. Service was top notch as dish descriptions were perfect and we just had a very pleasant experience with all the waiters. Food came out perfectly timed at the end of each of our courses. I think their tasting menu is one of the most creative michelin star restaurants that we have been very fortunate to try. Every dish had a stand out quality and ingredients were bold yet different. A lot of flavors combinations that we were skeptical about at first left us pleasantly surprised. I loved how detailed the chef's were from the ingredients to the actual plates/containers they're being served in. You can tell a lot of thought went into making each creation. We absolutely loved the octopus dish as it was by far the best octopus we have ever had. It was cooked so perfectly that chewing wasn't an issue and we've definately developed a new standard for how our seafood can taste. A lot of the time, tasting menus tend to leave you hungry with their smaller portion sizes; however, we left completely stuffed. Parking was limited around the area but there are nearby parking garages and paid street parking. We hope to be back soon someday and strongly recommend making a reservation to celebrate something special or just to treat yourselves to a nice night out! read more

See all

I came to Luce as a party of 4 celebrating a birthday! The restaurant is located in InterContinental Hotel but also had its own entrance as well (they were out of order when I visited so I had to enter through the hotel main entrance). After being seated, we noticed that the tables were very large and at first it felt a little strange to be so far away from the people across from you. We decided to go with the 8 course tasting, which turned out to be around 11 plates excluding the mini complimentary dessert pastries and birthday cake we received for our celebration! We also received two free bubblies at the start of our tasting in honor of our birthday boy and we were also allowed to ask for refills of the bread and butter course! All in all, the experience was very worth its value ($165 before tax/tip). My favorite dishes were the cauliflower velouté, dry aged cod, wild Alaskan halibut, and Japanese oak grilled Australian wagyu! The fish and meat were so tender, especially the wagyu (great portion size too). This was my first tasting experience where there were SO many courses of fish and meat and I don't think I've ever been so incredibly full after a chef tasting. The service at Luce was also noteworthy. As a lot of other reviewers have mentioned, our server James was phenomenal. He was so friendly and took such great care of us and conversed with us throughout the entire dining experience. The head chef also came out towards the end of our dinner to thank us for eating at Luce! read more

See all

I had the tasting menu at Luce with a group of six people in honor of my friend's birthday, and the experience transported our group to another world during our 12 course journey! As soon as we got to the restaurant, the host greeted us personally before bringing us to an elegant round table by the window that made it easy to have a single conversation, something that we appreciated while discussing each of the dishes! Our journey wowed us from the start when a tiny, entirely gold-covered, soft boiled egg arrived in a ceramic dish. You will have to go yourself to see what shape this dish is... And that was only the beginning. At one point, our senses were delightfully surprised when a meteorite landed on our table, hiding cauliflower under an espresso tiramisu served in a black rocky shell. My favorite savory dish was the terrarium, which came in a tiny glass jar. When the server removed the lid, your eyes and nose filled with the aroma of warm herbs, tahini and Jerusalem Artichokes. They saved the best for dessert. The truffled chocolate with hazelnut and mushrooms surprised me with a combination of savory and sweet in every bite that left me wanting to bring home this dish for myself and every member of my family. If you're searching for an edible adventure, Luce is for you. Your taste buds (and Instagram feed?!) will thank you. read more

See all

Was excited to come try the new chef after not dining here since Dominique Crenn was manning it over 12 years ago. Food was good but not all stellar and something was lacking in the overall experience: very slow service and nonexistent energy in the dining room. 3.5 stars. Food: 4 Service: 2 Atmosphere: 2.5 Cost to worth it rating: 2 (bit higher than standard SF fine dining prices $125 for 4 courses and $70 for pairing, but hard cause we just ate at Michelin starred Marlena with pretty much the same amount of food for a lot less) Opentableable: yes Return worthiness: probably not Highlights: - Pistachio crusted duck: 2 thick, juicy perfectly cooked pieces with a fun crust and delightful sauce. Star of the night. 4.5 stars - Squash soup: very velvety and fresh flavors with a pop of iberico ham. 4.5 stars - Australian Wagyu steak: 2 big chunks with rich tidbit. 4.5 stars - Black cod with rice: cooked well with a crispy skin. Simple and pure but could've used a tad more flavor. 3.5 stars - Bluefin tuna: large flat disc covered in avocado slices. Portion was a lot larger than expected and was a standard dish. 3.25 stars - Chocolate torte: deep chocolate bar with caramel ice cream. 3.5 stars - Started with a card note from the new chef which I thought was sweet and set a good tone. Midlights: - Can't really do the larger tasting menu with a non seafood eater as they don't have more meats on hand and my hub didn't want to get veggie options. Nice they called me ahead of time to discuss and with me so we could plan for it and they let him get both the meat entree options which he liked a lot. - No bubbly to start the tasting menu wine pairings which often is the case and my favorite. Table next to us got some as a greeting but guess it must have been a special occasion. Lowlights: - WAY too long between courses. I'm talking 30-45 minutes each. It was ridiculous and the wait staff said and did nothing to address it. Honestly ruined the whole dining experience and thank goodness we only did the smaller tasting menu. - Dining room was decorated nicely in a modern feel, but the vibes were non-existent. Felt like a standard generic hotel restaurant next to a sports bar lounge and I was bummed. Not sure if the people there weren't aware of the fine dining nature and just ate there as guests or tourists or what, but it was a bit of a letdown cause I came in with such anticipation and excitement. Had high hopes and some dishes were stellar, but the others combined with the atmosphere and pace of service for the price left me disappointed. read more

Chef Rogelio and his staff deliver the ultimate culinary experience at Luce. Upon walking into Luce you are immediately greeted with a smile and gratitude for dining with them. Everyone is professional and sharply attired. The restaurant was impeccably clean and noted modern decore created a lovely dining space and Dining tables were set comfortably apart We were seated at an beautifully set table with elegant gold brushed cutlery and accompanying dinnerware. I Selected Luce to celebrate two birthdays. Staff was aware and acknowledged the same which was nice. We chose the 8 course tasting menu. We also added caviar and a pasta with shaved black truffles which were Chefs additions. What I am going to say, as there is not enough space to give each dish its due justice, in describing their flavor is this. Chef Rogelio is a master of his craft. Plate presentation for each course highlighted the quality of food and presentation techniques while Engaging all our senses. Multidimensional Flavor profiles, Aroma, texture and just plain DELICIOUSNESS was presented in every course. Jilmer, James- James- main waiter Keith-main waiter Sam Nick-Sommelier All provided Impeccable service. Truly a team effort which was acknowledged by Chef Rogelio when he was kind enough to visit our table And graciously thanked us for dining with he and his team. We are foodies and have dined at over 20 Michelin Star Restaurants. The Quality at Luce, attention to Detail and faultless service in our opinion deserves acknowledgement So shout out to Michelin Star Inspector's take note. Chef Rogelio and Luce is well worth the visit. Bravo Chef, Well done we look Forward to our next visit. I Want to add that Chef Rogelio as an excellent relationship with Tsar Nicoulai Caviar his name is on a special Selected Caviar specifically for Luce. It was luscious. read more

See all

Came for a birthday dinner with reservation for a group of 5 on a Thursday night at 6:30pm. We were seated promptly upon arrival. The restaurant was pretty empty so you could walk in. Drinks: for the birthday celebration team brought out champagne for us to toast with Food: Spinach goat cheese ice cream cone - cute whimsical amuse boche, a spinach ice cream cone filled with a spinach puree and whipped goat cheese, pretty tasty bite Kampachi crisp - served with a white chocolate passion fruit sauce, delicious tangy tart and creamy, not overly sweet, well balanced and a very unique take on crisp Asparagus - with a yeast emulsion, BBQ truffle and summer truffles, really delicious savory, creamy nutty with great truffles flavor House salad - perfectly dressed topped with radish, pumpkin seeds, carrots and tomato in a delicious dressing that tasted like sesame and miso House sourdough - served with a trio of butters seaweed, classic and smoked paprika came out hot and steaming, so delicious Octopus lasagna - charred octopus served with a deconstructed lasagna, wasn't sure what to expect but the dish was delicious, octopus was tender with a nice char, pasta was fresh and the tomato sauce really paired well Ruins - dessert with chocolate, poblano, huitlacoche, and cocoa fruit sorbet, an interesting combination of flavors and textures, chocolate forward didn't love this but the cocoa fruit sorbet was really nice Forage - love the strawberry illusion, nettles added an interesting green vegeta note, pavlova was sweet with a slight crunch and chew Cheesecake - delicious with blueberries and lemon curd, rich and creamy with a nice graham cracker crust not too heavy or sweet Macarons and pear pate de fruit - sweets that came with the check, macaron had a nice crisp shell with a light buttercream and the pate de fruit was acidic and tart very refreshing Service was truly outstanding, staff was so friendly and warm, extremely knowledgeable about the menu and dishes. Pacing of the meal was excellent. Some in the party had visited in the past and the team was so appreciative of the return visit. Overall a great spot for a special occasion, food was well prepared and high quality. Loved the option for al la cart ordering, so many fine dining spots are set menu only, so really appreciate this option. Service was impeccable, true hospitality! read more

We try the tasting menu on Mother's day. We we brought two kids with us and we didn't order the entire menu for them so the kids had Wagyu beef steak but they ended up hungry The menu is full of of surprise and amazing taste. We ordered the caviar dish $ 85 each and it's amazing, not just looking good but also delicious. It could be we are a big party and they always serve the dishes at the same time, it took us three hours to finish the dinner. read more

See all

I was struggling to find a place in the city to surprise my wife (Karen the nice one) for her 40th birthday but I am so glad that I stumbled across Luce (didn't know it means light in Spanish) Without giving too much away, the 8-course meal along with the wine pairing option blew our minds. Not only that - the staff was incredibly amazing (kudos to the chefs too!) It was sincerely a memorable dinner to remember and it definitely goes in our top 5. Thank you everyone @ Luce for celebrating my wife's birthday with us and creating such an experience! read more

Luce - Sneak peek of the course meal ;) It felt like we were eating a magical island that tastes out of this world - Wine Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

The pictures of the food don't do justice here as you can't taste how really good it is but trust that you eat with your eyes as well.

We had a fantastic experience here and went all in with tasting menu and wine pairing menu. One of the best dine and wine experience we had! Pricy, but totally worth it! read more

My absolute favorite place in SF now. I was transcended to food heaven. I took my sister here for her Birthday. We had a great time. The service was exceptional. The wine pairing was amazing. The place is warm and welcoming. read more

See all

Did the tasting menu in January 2018, and felt the restaurant was pretty mediocre. Small portions and no dish really stood out to me aside from the Pacific Blue Prawn. Aside from that, the pear soda, foie gras ganache, and macarons were my favorites. The photos make the food look better than they were. For the price, I feel like you can go to better 1 Michelin star restaurants in the city, or even no-star establishments and have a better meal. read more

See all

I vividly remember my first visit here it was over 11 years ago by chef Dominique Crenn ! Fast forward, another generation of great chef Rogelio Garcia. If you follow him on Bravo Top Chef TV Show, you know how hard he works to build his career! Something I'm deeply admire, since I'm an immigrant myself, and I've worked every day since I came to America. I understand the value of hard work and how to achieve things in life. My motto is: "Don't wish for it, work for it." With that said, chef Rogelio wired for may restaurants from Hurley's and Angèle in Napa, spent his days off staging at Yountville's Redd and San Francisco's Michael Mina. Chef Rogelio also worked at the 2 Michelin Star then Cyrus in Healdsburg, then Chef de Partie at the iconic 3 Michelin Stars Thomas Keller's French Laundry. Later time, he was at The Commissary, focusing on Spanish-influenced California cuisine and Michelin Star Spruce. All of the places I mentioned here, I've been to all of them, I got the honor to meet chefs multiple times during his tenure. I enjoyed his food, and his humbled personality. We don't get to go to SF often anymore but it was Dad's birthday and he wants French cuisine with Californian touch! Mom loves the menu and pictures on IG, and so we staycation at the hotel in S.F. What an amazing dinner it was. We surely tried everything g from air to land, to the sea and back. Perfect bite of Foie Gras that we wish we have 10 more bites, to the salmon, Wagyu, lobster, jamón Ibérico, hamachi, caviar, and truffle is a MUST ORDER! Every dish was executed beautifully, generous portion, and pleasantly plated. Please go for the full tasting to experience it all. It was a lot of food for us. Next time we will order smaller tasting menu, but add on truffle and caviar again. Service was warm and our server was wonderful! Love all the back servers/food runners too. My parents enjoyed the dinner and it was a lot of laughter at our table! Luckily we sat on the corner so my loud voice didn't bother other folks :-) (Healthy Lung Problem :-) Seeing my parents and hubby enjoyed it so much, I know I did my job! I know Chef Rogelio Garcia and his team did their job. THANK YOU CHEF. The pandemic has destroyed the restaurant industry, especially the fine dining! I'm glad to see we are on the other side of the pandemic and I hope we all able to enjoy the life we've earned and share these priceless moments of gastronomy with your loved ones, once again! read more

See all

I did not have too much expectation at the first place but I was glad to be blown away by the impeccable service, knowledgable sommeliers, and most importantly, a 7 course meal that doesn't leave me in disappointment. While all the courses share a common theme where the protein gets doused with either sauce, dashi, or au jus. All the dishes were not offensive and complimented every ingredients well. The pacing between dishes, the plating of each dish were well thought out and the attention to detail ( double checking all the elements are plated properly) are second to none. I would also strongly recommend the wine pairing as it will truly enhance the experience. This is one of those pairing where you get your value worth because the wines on the menu are curated to really match the plate and the pour is rather generous. For those who does not enjoy wine the cocktail menu might be simple but it is very drinkable and leans towards the lighter side. Considering it is inside an Intercontinental and in SF, an 16 dollar cocktail doesn't sound that outrages... If there are things to nip pick I would easily say the truffle offering was a disappointment as the truffle was not rather low quality and been seemed to be improperly stored despite in a moisture controlled box. It lacked the fragrance and the wet bark texture leaves much to be desired. I would have no problem recommending this place for business dinner or even just a fancy night out in town. While the course is simple on the fine dining side. It focus on what it does best instead of adding unnecessary flares. read more

See all

We took a client group here, recently. Very HIGH-end & BEAUTIFUL space. When we went, we were only offered a prix fixe meal with no choices. The offerings were a bit too adventurous for MOST of our group, so I would not do that again. I would LOVE to go back & be able to order from a menu so that I can pick things I would enjoy. I am certain they could elevate any dish that I already liked or had wanted to try. Staff was attentive & friendly -- especially the reservation staff who were VERY patient with changes we had to make with time & # of guests, while we planned the trip. THANK YOU! read more

I didn't eat a meal here, but my date and I shared a trio of creme brulee and we each had a gimlet. WOW! The creme brulee was absolutely delicious. The gimlet tasted wonderful and was so damn strong that I ended up trashed (off ONE cocktail on an empty stomach, yes, I am a lightweight) and had to rest before we headed to the Def Leppard/Motley Crue concert and so sorry if that is a bizarre glimpse into my life that you didn't need to know LOL. read more

See all

SO GOOD. Really loved that this was a new american + modern + a bit of asian fusion. The milk toast was soo good and you can refill. We did the 8 courses and were so full afterwards. Would definitely come back in the future. read more

See all

Came here for bday dinner the other day, wow is all I can say!!! The food was amazing, service was great! They took care of our dietary restrictions! Didn't just sub the meat dish with a piece of tofu or cauliflower. They put thoughts into the dishes and platings. Like our kid said "the chef has really outdone himself" haha for reals I agree with the kid! Oh the wine pairing was amazing! You have to try! We loved the white wines more than the red or maybe I was just too drunk haha First let's start with the bread. A sweet roll and an olive roll. They are sooooo good and they keep on coming lol. Server kept asking if we want more! And they go around each table and bring out fresh batch, warm and fluffy! Omg! The salmon amuse bouche was paired with some honey Dijon, I have to say it's very different but super super yummy! Even our kid like it! Way to make a 7 year old eat raw fish The caviar was great! Very fresh and they're not stingy with the caviar portion. The chicken bites was like a piece of popcorn chicken and is probably one of the best with the sauce The butternut squash soup paired with their best pancetta (forgot what exactly was on the bottom) was amazing. You get the warm mild soup with the slightly salty piece of meat! I almost licked the bowl lol They sub the soup with a potato cake soup which was also amazing, presentation was great! The tuna tartare was very great! The citrus broth went really well with the fish. And the light cucumber and apple on top gave the dish a crunchy layer. Omg and they had tiny citrus thing on the bottom I don't know what they are but they're so good! And definitely added an extra layer of flavor. A lot of restaurants used cod or halibut, I really appreciate they used kinmedai for their fish course. It's a bit more on the firm side. The broth, rice, and mushroom on the side really highlighted this dish and almost made it a comfort food. It's not overly fishy with the broth. It's light and soooo good with the rice. The king crab was cooked perfectly, we wanted more! Lol We had the pistachio duck and they substitute the truffle risotto for the non meat eater. I didn't get it try the risotto but the duck, oh man! Perfecto. I have to say tho, the pistachio were light almost couldn't really taste it. Maybe they should add a few nuts on the plate or shaving on top? All the other flavor definitely overpowered the pistachios The ribeye was great! I really liked the little oxtail ravioli on the side. I think the ravioli was good enough to be it's own dish. It's packed with flavor in that little dough. Can easily eat 10 of them lol The veggie ravioli was great too. The dough was cooked Al dente The pavlova dessert was like an egg lol but dessert style. We really like the presentation and how light and refreshing it is to our palette The chocolate was the denser dessert which was great with the ice cream and caramel. This is really good! Overall we really enjoyed the experience. We valet and they validate, so $15 for 3 hours which is not bad for downtown SF parking. Would def come back again in the future read more

See all

We came here to try the Tasting Menu and we were blown away! Every single dish including the Hokkaido bread was fabulous! Highly recommend visiting this place if you've never been. Our favorites: - kampachi dry aged - butter poached lobster maine - pistachio crusted peking duck - wagyu - palova dessert read more

Luce - Wine Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

We went here after a gap of 2 years. It had been one of the finest restaurants we had ever been to. Would the new chef match up? Yes! What a superb time we had. We started some wonderful cocktails. Definitely go for the Les Halles! After a few tasty amuse bouchée we started the main tasting menu. The initial Spanish iberico ham dish was sublime. Oops. I forgot to mention the wonderful fresh olive and sweet roll breads. The waiters were informative and warm as they continued the service. Lobster and leeks. What a wonderful combination! Duck! So tender and savory. And wagyu beef! Imagine pork belly but beef, so much umami flavor! Everything perfect. But don't go here cuz I don't want competition for reservations! read more

See all

I don't often post reviews, but it's not often that I enjoy a meal so awe inspiring that it warrants a review. Luce is not dining; it is experiencing art.  Each course was more beautiful than the next and the flavors so intriguing that the dishes felt different than other fine dining places I have visited. The meal started with a golden egg and each subsequent course offered a visual and culinary delight. From fish that was accompanied by a fish shaped cutout to sorbet garnished with edible flowers, each dish was more beautiful than the next.  What's more, the staff went above and beyond to provide impeccable service. We had two vegetarians, two pescaterians and two carnivores with some allergy and alcohol restrictions as well. The kitchen beautifully prepared everyone's meals, even mixing up some festive mocktails. The wine pairing was perfect. From customized menus to individual name cards to four dessert courses, the staff went above and beyond to make me feel special for my birthday. I'm already counting down the days until next year's celebration. read more

See all

Luce was recently redesigned with a new menu and my boyfriend and I went to try it out. We absolutely loved it! Service: They were so complementary and even though we didn't order the wine pairing, they gave every table a nice glass of champagne to accompany the meal. The service was impeccable, with the staff constantly asking me if I need anything, another drink, help opening doors due to my sprained ankle, more bread and better, etc. I think you really get what you pay for! And I can't say that about every fine dining restaurant. Food: The food was fantastic. Our meal came with 9-10 course tasting menu, and we were so full at the end. They even gave us a complimentary glass of cognac, which was delicious but I couldn't finish or I'd fall off my crutches walking back to the car. My favorite was the buttery John Dory fish with vegetables and some really damn yummy reduction. My boyfriend's favorite was the duck (I don't eat duck so I didn't try- they replaced that course for me). Personally I'm not a huge fan of caviar so that course didn't do it for me, but my boyfriend loved it! I'd say other particularly notable plates were the very refreshing BlueFin Tuna and the Australian Wagyu (and I barely eat red meat). As a bonus: Chef Rogelio Garcia came out to talk to us/most tables. He is very talented! Overall, We'll definitely be back and would recommend this to others. A great dining experience and wonderful date night. read more

See all

Our company booked the private room with a set menu. It is such a nice set up for a private party. However, most of us were rather disappointed with the foods. The salad was lettuce covered with cheese and some kind of fish, which makes the whole salad kind of fishy. It is really a unique way making a salad. The main dish was grilled fish with potatoes and spinach, which was ok. The dessert was chocolate cake top with ice cream. Probably will not be back again... read more

We had a wonderful experience tonight celebrating a peaceful Anniversary dinner at Luce. I highly recommend the Four Course Prix Fix menu with wine pairing. I can't remember the spelling of the incredible ingredients of the entrees, but check out their website for the full list. The servers were all very accommodating and helpful in making our experience complete. Hope we can return next year for anther celebration. read more

I don't usually review based on logistics. However, this was a completely preventable debacle. We had called the restaurant ahead of time to ensure they'd be able to accommodate a vegetarian friend in our group. The staff member assured us that they would do so. Thus, we went ahead and made a prepaid res on Tock for Christmas Eve. We showed up, and they were unable to accommodate the vegetarian at all. They said they could serve her the amuse bouche. No other items would be possible. I'm sorry, how many amuse bouches would add up to a $185 meal? Hilarious! They also didn't take any responsibility for the wrong info their staff member had given us. It's understandable if their menu is set, but not understandable for their staff to give us the wrong info pre-reservation. Especially for a holiday meal. They dropped a few condescending lines (eg michelin starred restaurants do things a certain way), suggested we go eat at the bistro in the hotel instead (wow), and sent us on our way. I heard they lost their Michelin star by the way.... No comment, since I didn't get to eat here. The whole thing was a laughable waste of time. I'm happy we found a delicious new restaurant to try (tenderheart) and salvaged our holiday evening. read more

To be fair, I went for a "group dinner" while the actual restaurant was closed (after July 28). They do have it open for larger parties with a limited but good menu. I'm vegan, so they made special dishes for me which were delicious. The wine list is great for the regular Luce restaurant vs. the "lobby" restaurant (which is fine "everyday" wine). The service was good. I would say it's probably worth going when the restaurant opens up "for real". I'll try it again when they open in September...... read more

We enjoyed Luce, a lot! The Michelin star is well deserved and I hope they earned it back soon. We tried the Chef's tasting menu in May in honor of our daughter's 24th birthday. I agree with everything that's been said about the food under the new chef - everything was flavorful, imaginative, thoughtfully (and very artfully) presented. The cocktails are just as tasty. Everything was reasonably priced by SF standards and Luce does not penny pinch. I had carbonated water and a bottle of Pellegrino was brought to our table, free of charge. I was extremely impressed by their generosity. Another highlight of the evening was the service. We are native San Franciscans and we dine around regularly, including many top restaurants in San Francisco. I can't remember the last time we received such friendly, warm, and attentive service. Kudos to the lead server who is a gem and a top professional in the service industry. We can't thank him enough for a culinary experience that we will remember for a very long time. read more

The food was fantastic and the staff was fabulous. Vince was great! The AGM was welcoming and shared great information on Scotch events and the fixed meue was delicious! read more

This place was pretty good but it sort of feels like modern restaurant meets hotel lobby restaurant, which is basically what it is. It's pretty empty and quiet, so I can't say the ambience was particularly vibey. The food and plating are definitely interesting. Be prepared for a lot of cream. I'm not sure I would do it again but it was a decent experience. read more

See all

A great place for celebration. Food is delicious and beautiful, and the service is really nice as well. Plus they change menus pretty frequently, always expecting something new! read more

See all

Minus one star for the difficulty in trying to make a reservation for a large group. Since we had a party of 8, we were not able to make reservations online and had to call in. It was so hard trying to get a hold of them since they rarely picked up the phone. At one point my friend and I were both trying to call in to make reservations. Plus we had our credit card concierge trying to get a hold of them. When I did get a hold of them, they toke down my information and said they had to call me back but never did. When my friend got a hold of them, they had to confirm our reservation but never called her back. When we FINALLY got confirmed for our reservations, we got a notification from Open table that it was cancelled the week of of dinner and had to call in to confirm again. Then we got a call back to confirm our reservations and we're asked whether it was a party of 6 or 8. I think this was probably the most frustrating reservation experience I've encountered so far. Besides that, everything else was great. Restaurant is located in the Intercontinental and they do valet and validation for $15. Decor and service was great. We had the four course menu for $95 and was pretty full by the end. They had some pretty unique dishes that I haven't tried elsewhere such as the kampachi in white chocolate and yuzu sauce. Who would've thought of mixing chocolate and yuzu together! read more

See all

This place is a solid 4 stars - excellent service, great ambiance and flavorful food, elegantly prepared and perfectly plated. Came here on a Friday night and tried the tasting menu. The 9 courses included: (1). Amuse Bouche (2). Pacific Blue Prawn - the sauce on this dish was great and I was glad I still had some bread to soak it up (3). King Salmon Confit (4). Foie Gras Ganache with Warm Brioche - really enjoyed this dish (5). Pear Soda (6). Snapper with Grilled Octopus (7). Liberty Duck Breast (8). Mandarin and Yogurt (9). Coconut, Huckleberry and Lime I've been lucky enough to have eaten at a lot of Michelin starred restaurants lately and the reason I did not give this place five stars is that despite the solid food, none of the dishes really wowed me. The portions are also on the small side (grab extra bread when they offer). If you are a value or volume eater, this place is not for you. If you like quintessential fine dining, Luce won't disappoint. I would gladly come back here again. read more

See all