Wow, just wow at my dinner experience at Luce! So speechless because every single course on this 8 course menu was so meticulously plated and so delicious. My Husband and I got to celebrate our 6th anniversary here and it was special! Chef Rogelio Garcia has got this menu perfect with a contemporary American fare but with flavors from around the world. It was hard to pick a favorite course because everything was so thoughtfully executed in its own right. I also really enjoyed the pairing we got with each dish, the servers were very informative and knowledgeable about each pairing. If you're looking for a nice date night out head to the InterContinental Hotel on Howard and experience this one-of-a-kind tasting menu! #DestroyEats read more

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Came here for a restaurant week lunch The menu was simple and nice. The dishes were very high quality. For the price, the food we got was a great deal. We had a chicken breast dish, ravioli as well as a beet salad d and a butternut squash soup for starters Everything was quite delicious. I would be interested in coming back sometime for dinner service. I had low expectations given the yElp rating, but it really wasn't bad. The interior is also quite nice. For lunch, we were pretty much the youngest guests there -- but I guess that's nice too in a way. read more

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I had my birthday dinner at Luce after considering practically every tasting menu in SF. I chose Luce because the food looked creative and unusual, while still being appetizing. Because the price, $115, wasn't ludicrous. And because they offered nine courses (some tasting menus contain as few as five, the nerve). We requested a nice table for the occasion and were seated right in front of the wall of windows - at street level on the corner of 5th and Howard. Being served one precious dish after another in full view of the pedestrians made me self-conscious. I'll get a table towards the inside of the restaurant next time. The meal was fantastic! I've added photos of everything we ate and the menu. The best tasting dish, imo, was the snapper with grilled octopus. It had an Asian flavor and was expertly prepared. We both loved the salmon confit with melon and cucumber. Its texture was as delicate as the flowers and herbs sprinkled over it. The giant prawns were another favorite. There's so much reliably good food in SF that I almost get bored, and crave something crazy and unrecognizable. The foie gras piped into little flowered mounds over a smear of strawberry jam satisfied my desire to be visually stimulated. It was bizarre in appearance but utterly delicious. There was a palate-cleanser of cantaloupe soda that I felt was too sweetly cloying for the job. I think the blackberry sorbet with sorrel granita, served as a pre-dessert (oh yeah!), would have been better. Next was the amazing snapper dish. The duck disappointed. It was tough and the sauce had a burnt taste. And the cheese plate, which we added for $15, was skimpy and uninspired. The dessert was essentially coconut foam and blueberries with a paper-thin wafer on top. I guess they figured people would be full by that point, but I would have liked something more substantial. And I'm not even a dessert person! Two tiny meringues arrived with the check, for a total of three desserts, yet I craved more! The service was outstanding. A half dozen waiters attended to us. Every time I got back from the bathroom (it was a long meal) there was a fresh napkin waiting for me. I had reservations about dining at a hotel but we had an awesome meal. I've already checked their website hoping to see the fall menu. We'll be back the next time there's an excuse to splurge. read more

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It's been how many years?! First, the chef is different, with the original pioneer female Michelin star chef making her name in the Marina, recently opening a second restaurant in Hayes Valley. You'd think the cupboard was bare here. Well it's definitely not. This restaurant still garnishes a Michelin star, a rarity when it comes to hotel restaurants. Highlights 1) Pacific blue prawns (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=p1OwLNgMbT1AyE9BX_00SQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Two succulent suck-the-head whole prawns artfully garnished with foam and with pistachio nibs for munching. 2) Foie gras ganache (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=xbXKmN0zvHVAQVRlPSMNMw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Though my preference gears towards seared foie, the crunchy brioche and the other flavors meshed well with the creamy foie. 3) Natural New York Strip (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=PTCmm8w8eDeh0-RzOrPDXg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - The picture says it all for a meat and potatoes guy. With mushrooms and black truffle to boot?! 4) Coconut mousse (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=BRXZ2dh_bvw_heUwKVK5Qw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Nice light finish to an already decadent meal. Everything else was good, but just didn't quite stand out like these particular ones. The cantaloupe soda (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=-DubHi5XLJr2erjpNaRqIg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) was a nice refresher between courses. Besides the pre meal madelines, the Acme olive bread was certainly a nice perk to our meal (my host's favorite). Service was top shelf as our waiter was professional and descriptive about the menu and substitutions. The others who waited and served us had keen senses of humor and were very cordial. Four stars for the food, add a star for the service and ambiance. Good sleeper spot for a romantic, low key dinner. read more

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It's hard to pick a favourite, but if we had to pick one, it would be the Japanese Shima Aji; wild Napa Valley kiwi, crystal lettuce, white nectarine. read more

I'd give this 6 stars, if possible. One of the most outstanding culinary adventures I've ever experienced. The entire evening was a palette for the senses. The presentation was a feast for the eyes down to every detail. The artistry and delicate combination of tastes was sensational. Bravo Chef Rogelio. read more

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3rd time here and will be back!! Great Great service! Which is so rare nowadays! The tasting menu is the way to go! This is our new "special occasion" spot! read more

Great food and ambiance. Came here for a birthday dinner and had a great time! A couple of us were vegetarian and were well accommodated. Each course was well presented and well paced. We did not do a wine pairing but got a bottle of wine which was recommended by the sommelier and went well with all courses. Highly recommended if you are looking for a nice night out. read more

My husband and I recently enjoyed the tasting menu for his birthday. What a treat! Every course was yummy, inventive, and lovingly paired with wines that elevated the experience. Presentation, including dinnerware, was memorable. Waitstaff / sommelier were knowledgeable and engaging. The restaurant itself was modern in decor and inviting. Chef Dennis came out to chat and we enjoyed stories of his childhood cooking adventures. All in all, a terrific celebration! read more

Service is friendly and great. Although being one of two tables on a Friday/Saturday night means there are more servers than guests, so that may have something to do with it. The service is why Luce gets two stars. On the food, it is fairly clear they will be out of business soon. Not only is nobody coming to eat here, it is clear why not. One can't taste the crab in the crab salad. Thai flavoring and Peruvian spicing dominates most of the dish. Unsure if the crab is out of a can. Chicken dish is rubbery but nicely fried. The butternut squash was pleasant. Overall mediocre as a dish. The steak was dry and mealy. The sauce was kept on the table to further dress the steak as you eat since the meat itself will not be appetizing. Needs to be drowned with sauce to be edible. The meat is grainy and dry. The "noodles" next to the steak did not taste remotely good. The pumpkin dessert was tasty. The chocolate dessert had a vile and questionable fruit pairing that destroyed the actually nice and rich chocolate. Genuinely confusing how most of the ingredients in the dishes were paired. The flavors either did not complement each other or destroyed the other elements of the dish. Very clear how Luce has lost a Michelin star and no longer is even Michelin guide. read more

Food was amazing. Service was excellent from the servers as well as the general manager. Ambiance could use a little more touch, but overall very satisfied with the whole experience. Also, their plates are beautiful read more

A must visit in San Francisco. The food and wine pairing was absolute perfection! Beautiful presentation, delicious food, pure perfection. Plan on arriving early if you are not in hurry to savor every bite and every sip because it's absolutely worth it! Food is served with class, elegance, and informative. You will learn everything about the ingredients, and the origin of the wine! Perfect for date nights, celebrations, spacious restaurant, with a lot of privacy! read more

Luce - Golden Egg. - Wine Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very solid fine dining experience. The menu is a lil small, but each dish is very complex. I wanted to hit the the tasting menu, but in most restaurants including this one the whole table has to participate. Favorites: Foie Gras: Comes also with a foie gras ganache. Really well made. Arborio Rice Risotto: Really good. Im a big fan of brussels sprouts so i enjoyed the taste Sweetbread Ravioli w/ Truffle Emulsion: The truffle emulsion didnt add that much flavor to the dish in my opinion, but the raviolio and sauce themselves were already great. King Salmon Confit: Melts in your mouth. Probably the most tender piece of salmon ive had that was cooked, and it can beat out most sashimi. Wouldnt recommend: Pacific Blue Prawn: Flavor and shrimp was good, but honestly didnt think it was anything special. The sauce reminds me of like boiling crab kinda. Everything else was really good but not particularly notable. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to others but I wouldnt come back (mainly because I felt ive tried the things I wanted to try). read more

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We ate at LUCE March 28th while we were staying at the Intercontinental. The hotel itself was lovely (By far our favorite hotel in California), but this was potentially the worst meal we've ever had in our lives. Our total bill was $400 without tip for two people. Out of 11 courses on the Spring tasting menu I would say maybe 5 were edible. We tried to force ourselves to finish each plate so we didn't appear disrespectful to the chefs or waitstaff, but that was simply not possible for many of the dishes. At one point we were served a plate of tuna that was so strange tasting it almost made us vomit and we fully couldn't finish. A lot of the meals were essentially a foul mush presented beautifully that left our stomachs hurting. One of the deserts served was a small dirty chest with jelly beans (literal jelly belly's) and two stale marshmallows and two chocolates in it. Right off the bat the waitstaff (other than the man who bussed our table and the GM who were lovely) seemed so frustrated and short with us that we didn't want to complain and create more of an issue. When we ordered a drink the waiter said "I don't know if we even have what we need to make that but I'll figure something out" angrily and then proceeded to bring us a drink that was a weird mix of two of the drinks on the menu (it 100% was not what we had ordered) and insisted it was the correct drink. Additionally the waiter completely served our food to the wrong table a few times, realized, and then picked it up and gave it to us which felt strange for such an expensive establishment. Along with this there were plenty of other questionable service mishaps such as a waiter angrily snapping at me to move my napkin, and a few other comments that were definitely shocking to hear at a fine dining restaurant. After leaving we were down with food poisoning all night, my fiancée even vomited. Originally we weren't going to complain since if we choose a bad restaurant that's on us, but after watching that $400 leave our account and then be up with food poisoning the entire night, we had to say something. The hotel to apologize for the debacle gave us a $100 credit towards our room which was appreciated, but we're still $300 out for a meal that felt like we should have been paid to eat. read more

I am not sure how many star I should give to this restaurant. Well let's start with the service. * Service was okay. Lighting was great. Clean restaurant. Everyone was with their uniform and name tag! Male waiter had a great knowledge of the foods. We were happy with the romantic atmosphere!!! * Food has regular taste and not so tasty and the foods were "EXTREMELY" too small... to tiny..too pricey!!!!. I got!! it is a fancy restaurant but at least provide enough food for the dinner!! the portion was not sufficient!! We went there to have a dinner!!! Not for food tasting!!! Please see the photos and you can judge yourself!!! The patron who was sitting behind us was laughing when she saw her foods. She said "it's a joke"!! How could they got away with this??? I agreed!!! *Parking was $15.00 with foods stamps on the ticket. * Total cost $ 175.00 for foods and parking!!! So to be fair...one star is my final verdict!! read more

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Ate here again on Oct 5th 2023. Last time in November 2022. Just eat here. Michelin caliber. They will regain their Michelin star again. The Chef de Cuisine Dennis worked in his family restaurant, went to Culinary school and worked at the finest restaurants in London and at The Fat Duck. Familiar ingredients but with his experienced palate, balance with atypical twists. I never had reindeer brains. Have you. Noma will close soon but I'm not going to miss them, nor I'm not that adventurous but Luce's menu is a deviation from the norm. I'm not comparing Luce to Noma but hey if Heston of The Fat Duck will allow Dennis in his kitchen.....just eat here. read more

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Came here for the first time last night and had a wonderful experience. Every dish was better than the last with an extremely unique tasting menu. Mediterranean inspired Modern American is what I would call it. Absolutely delicious. The staff were kind, personable, and checked on us frequently. The wine pairing was dynamic and captivating. Not your regular Sancerre, Burgundy, etc., but unique wines I'd never heard of that were high quality and went perfectly with the food. Props to the Wine Director. All in all an amazing experience that I'm looking forward to enjoying again next time I'm in the city. Highly recommended!! read more

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Perhaps my favorite fine dining establishment in San Francisco. The menu is interesting without "trying too hard" to be unique; that is to say, they take conventional dishes, universally beloved, then they infuse them with just enough of a creative twist to make the result delightful and not intimidating. The aesthetic is classic and tasteful, they vibe is mellow and casual. The sommelier, Tai, is perhaps the best in the city; I've never before had recommendations please me 100% of the time on multiple visits. About as good as it gets. read more

It was overall a nice experience at Luce Sf. Despite we arrived over 20 minutes late, the reservationist was very nice and welcoming, maybe partly because it was a quiet night. Food was good, but not remarkable. I was honestly expecting more from a restaurant bearing a Michelin star. The amouse bouche was oyster with a nice and fragrant hollandaise sauce. The next course was pacific prawn poached in Beurre Monte. The prawn was overcooked, a little bit gummy and the flavor isn't quite there. The first fish dish was King salmon confit with pickle mustard seed. I like the salmon as a follow up to the elegant king prawn, and it was in fact a nice jump start for the palate. The next dish was Foie Gras Ganache. Warm Brioche w/ strawberries, celery root and pistachio. Here is when things got more interesting. Rich and buttery brioche. Nice sweet note of strawberry and salty touch of foie gras ganache. Common yet still excellent texture play. The pacific halibut was trivial to me. It was in no way a new way to cook a halibut dish. The vegetables created a weird burnt flavor that didn't fit with the whole picture. Despite of that, I quite like the duck dish. Duck was very flavorful and the whole dish was a bless. Overall Luce was a nice dinner that I would love to take my friends to in special occasion, but in an academia way I would say it needs its own personality to stand out. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60713-d1203639-r659074044-Luce-San_Francisco_California.html# read more

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We made a reservation for three on a Sat night and asked our driver to take us to Intercontinental hotel and ended up at the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental which is the wrong location. They were very helpful and called the right property and asked them to keep our reservation till we got to the right location which is the 888 Howard Street. The setting is gorgeous, ambiance is great, decor is modern and elegant and the service is over the top. When you go to a restaurant like Luce, you have to try the chef's tasting menu. Everything that was served to us was unique and flavorful. For starters the fresh baked bread (all three choices) were amazing as each of us ordered one so that we can taste all of them. The halibut and duck were amazing. Loved the pineapple sorbet and sorrel combination, had never thought it would go well together. The presentation of each entrees was exquisite. Just a couple of the dishes were a bit too salty for me and the flavor in the dishes was so good that did not need the extra salt. It was a great birthday celebration for our friend and we truly enjoyed the dinner experience there. read more

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I did the full tasting menu with wine pairing and I must say the food was magnificent to behold as well as eat. It was like eating art. The team serving us was very well informed and was proud of the food they were serving. I got a chance to hear from the chef, Chef Dennis, about his inspiration, which was a really nice touch. Had dinner at Gary Danko a few days after this and have to say the food at Luce blew it away. read more

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Summary: 3.675 Stars. Come as a group for a great dining experience! Don't expect to be wowed by the dishes, however I don't think you'd leave disappointed. Ambiance / Cleanliness: 5 Super clean, beautiful ornate fixtures. We were in the intimate banquet room that was airy / spacious and had high ceilings. There was a decadence present that was opulent (a good thing) so you knew you'd have good food -- without all the frou frou. Taste / Flavor / Quality: 3.2 App: Let's start with the scallops -- the best thing I tried during our visit. 3 Large, delicious scallops bathed in a lovely foam of something I can't really remember. I don't think I've ever had scallops this delicious before. (5) Entre: New York Strip Steak, Roasted with Rosemary and Garlic (medium rare): The steak was just so-so, they had sliced the strip steak into small strips which kind of ruined the experience for me. The steak was served with a charred Yukon Potato and some mushrooms. Would've been nice to have had a little crunch to the dish, but both sides were unremarkable. (2) Dessert: Buttermilk Panna Cotta Infused with Mandarin: I understand Panna Cotta is a creamy that has gelatin added to give it some structure, although this course had a bit too much gelatin. It tasted like creamy jello more than the Panna Cottas I've had that were lightly firm yet, broke into a creamy (not runny or wet) interior. The flavors were clearly vibrant and the fresh mandarin topping was a nice contrast. (2.5) Basil Hayden Old Fashioned: Simple, basic. The way it should be. 3 Ingredients - Basil Hayden Bourbon, Sugar, Bitters. Value: 2.5 Without drinks my bill came out to $72. Pretty steep for the what I had considering the portion, quality, and experience. Service: 4 Waiters were very attentive. The head waiter spent a good deal of time explaining the different dishes to the group -- including introducing the head chef, Chef Luce. read more

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When you enter Luce, it's like a step back in time. Not like the Restoration or the Dark Ages or anything cool and pestilence-ridden like that. No, I'm talking about the funkadelic 1970's...silvery purple bubble lamps...glittery pendant lights...long banquettes...why, it's Studio 54 without the disco music...or the coke...no, no, the other kind of coke... Oh, that's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh. That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh. That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, I like it, uh-huh, uh-huh... OK, it's not quite so polyester that you'd see the Silver Convention serving you in their platform shoes. But there is a certain feel of the Carter years in here, especially the metallic-hued chairs cradling my derriere. I don't eat this fancy-schmancy very often (...note my robust cheap eats list), but my friend Sherry and I came here for dinner last night because I wanted to reciprocate a generous dinner she bought me at Fish and Farm a few months back. It's a very nice dinner menu they have here. We actually spent time reading the lengthy story behind the restaurant. The late Robert Mondavi's son Michael had a hand in it and recruited Chef Dominique Crenn to commandeer the kitchen. She has impressive credentials at fancy-schmancy places like the late, great Stars, Campton Place, and Adobe in LA. The food sounds very elegant...I learned new terms like kumquat escabeche and wild ramp (...no, not the bayside dive in China Basin). Sherry and I started with two appetizers both beautifully presented. The first was the $12 Coke Farm Baby Beets which came with mache, goat cheese and pistachio nuts. Very fresh tasting. The second was their specialty - the $12 "Ocean and Land" which is described as a surf-and-turf carpaccio. It looks like they rolled up beef tenderloin, salmon and sturgeon and then flattened them out into concentric circles. Hard to pick up, but it was a nice combo of flavors, especially with the spicy black Italian olive ice cream on the side. The entrees we chose were knockouts. Sherry had the $29 Halibut served atop a mound of corn and surrounded by clams and chunks of white nectarine (see my photo). The piece-de-resistance was a concoction called Chorizo Dust. I know that sounds like a gay Mexican porno film, but it was actually a flavorful almost-seasoning that looked like saffron. I ordered the $30 Colorado Lamb which consisted of two lamb chops, a pile of lamb cheeks cradled in a pool of apricot tagine with some onions and a smear of pea mint puree. Incredible and quite a presentation (see my photo). We actually had champagne instead of wine since we were feeling festive - a couple of flutes of cuvee were just what we needed. Of course, we needed to try their dessert menu and the big whoop-tee-do is the $14 Study of Chocolate. It was made up of a brownie-like fudge baked in an eggshell with a little sandwich cookie, a couple of mini-beignets filled with a chocolate ganache, a chocolate pot de creme, a fresh berry puree, and a spoonful of chocolate sorbet. Very nice and ain't it pretty (see my photo)? A most satisfying meal worthy of a return visit. It was a Monday evening, so it never did fill up much. My guess is that most of the customers were hotel guests. A shame really because locals should try discovering it, too. Service was quiet, informative, unobtrusive. Just the way you like it...uh-huh, uh-huh. FOOD - 5 stars...beautiful presentation matched by the creative combo of flavors...breakfast and lunch must be quite something here, too AMBIANCE - 4 stars...Shake shake shake, shake shake shake ...Shake your booty! Shake your booty! SERVICE - 4.5 stars...very helpful and stealth-like TOTAL - 5 stars...oh, let's call it a new find, shall we? read more

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Reviewer #600 After doing some research on Yelp and OpenTable, we decided to have dinner at Luce (Loo Shay). Its a huge restaurant located within the SF Intercontinental Hotel off busy Howard St. Very high ceilings and gorgeous, sleek interior design. We were intrigued by the menu since it had lots of seafood items. Plus the fact that it maintained 1-Michelin star for six years in a roll. Talk about consistency! APPS and MAINS We passed on the tasting menu and went ala-Carte with four apps, two mains, and two desserts. All of the food was artfully presented, and had complex, refreshing flavors. Its their summer menu after all! We enjoyed every dish except maybe one, so solid 4 stars! Amberjack: This was by far our favorite dish. Sashimi style fish marinated in Yuzu, but then with a nice green avocado sauce. Trout roe provides additional flavor pop while the forbidden rice chips adds lots of crunch (5 stars) Salmon Belly Confit: Our least favorite dish - melons were super sweet but the salmon seemed a bit under seasoned and on the bland side. It was meant to be a subtle dish but maybe too subtle for us. (3 stars) Red Beets: Beets in Elderberry syrup with shiso and blackberries = a very refreshing salad (4 stars) Ravioli and fried Sweetbreads: Wow, that truffle emulsion is like the perfect pasta sauce, but what wowed me was how firm and al-dente the ravioli was! Firm outside, soft and juicy inside with minced mustard leaves and ricotta. The fried sweetbreads added some richness too. (5 stars). Snapper: Perfectly seared skin but fish slightly overcooked. Veggie broth added some sweetness and nice use of sunchokes and apricots for that summer theme (4 stars). Duck: Nice dish - duck juicy all the way since its poached and roasted. Fairytale eggplants were like white eggplants and mildly flavored. The pluots (Japanese hybrid of plum and apricot) were outstanding and paired nicely with the duck. (5 stars) DESSERTS The Panna Cotta had lots of fruit and a tart sorbet (4 stars), but I think the winner is the Tres Leche cake with Praline Ice Cream, toasted coconut, and huckleberries! (5 stars) SERVICE Definitely Michelin-worthy. Our server James was knowledgeable in all the dishes and tells a nice story for each. He reminds me of one of my favorite, former managers at work! The other waitstaff and bussers were super attentive and our water was always refilled. OVERALL Definitely recommend, and scan the menu ahead of time since offerings seem to change. It's not easy to get a 1-Michelin star, let alone maintain it for 6 years in a roll. Definitely get the Amberjack, Ravioli, Duck, and Tres Leches Cake! read more

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I had my birthday dinner at Luce with a group of friends about two years ago. The kitchen was helmed by Dominique Crenn at the time and while both food and service were slightly above average, many better competitors had come to mind. I came back today and had a three course lunch here. The velouté had a nice texture but probably could've used a little more color for the garnish. Flavor was okay. I wouldn't order this again. I had the braised short rib spaghettini for the entree. The mushrooms in the dish were yummy. While the short rib was tender and well seasoned, I thought it would've gone better with tagliatelle instead of spaghettini. The pot de Creme was average. Bf had roasted beets (nicely plated and had a lot of different flavors), the salmon (ditto on plating, the onions brought the taste out), and panna cotta (like mine, just average). Service was subpar: - water not refilled - had to ask for bread basket to be taken away - after we broke a glass, a new one had to be requested, rather than automatically replaced (manager also told us not to worry about broken glass... But her tone seemed a bit panicked) - some utensils were missing from the table placement - error in bill calculation If you think that list sounds nitpicky, try going to your local Chili's. You'll swiftly realize your local chain restaurant's teenage server is better than the team of servers and bus boys at Luce. That's sad. read more

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Quatre Magnifique! Receiving a Michelin Star for the 2nd consecutive year and being the first Bay Area Chef (of eight) to appear on Iron Chef and among the first to win, I was excited to finally get a taste of Chef de cuisine Dominique Crenn's culinary masterpieces. However, after reading many mixed reviews on Yelp (mainly negative), I didn't really know what to expect... Last night on January 6th, my gfs and I arrived for our 8:30 PM reservations and were promptly seated. F O O D: *AMUSE BOUCHE - TURNIP W/ BRIOCHE: MEH! The al-dente turnip and brioche were both flavorless. It lacked a salty and savory component like cheese or cured meat to add a depth of flavor. *FOIE GRAS "CHAUD ET FROID" ($19): AMAZING! A perfectly seared piece of foie gras atop a persimmon puree and a foie gras terrine crowned toasted brioche with a balsamic gastrique created one of the most mouth-watering experiences in my life. The succulently thick foie gras was like soft crumbles of fat that smoothly melted on my palette. The persimmons added just a touch of sweetness while the balsamic gastrique gave a delicate sweet and tart punch that didn't distract from the decadence of the foie gras. Normally, I'm not a fan of terrine but OMG, the terrine at Luce was TO-DIE-FOR! The texture was like that of a finely churned insanely rich triple cream butter. The texture contrast of the velvety terrine atop the crisp and buttery brioche was simply orgasmic! *BEEF TENDERLOIN, "MEDIUM RARE", OXTAIL & COMTE GRATIN ($30): YUMMY! The tenderloin was perfectly grilled to a medium rare with a nice pink center. It was soft and tender, but a little under seasoned as the beefyness didn't really shine through. The braised oxtail, on the other hand, was bold and very well seasoned which helped balance the lack of flavor from the tenderloin. The gratin was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside with oozing comte cheese that added a rich and creamy nuttyness. *CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO W/ TOASTED HAZELNUTS ($10): HEAVENLY! The chocolate semifreddo was like a cross between a ganache and a light mousse atop a chocolate hazelnut crust. With a profound rich chocolate taste that wasn't overly sweet, the semifreddo was lusciously thick but so delicate that it instantly melted in my mouth like a fine truffle. The crisp chocolate hazelnut crust was the perfect texture contrast to the soft semifreddo and the raspberries added a sweet tanginess that helped lighten the richness of the dessert. S E R V I C E: GOOD, but one would expect more from a restaurant from this caliber. Our waiter was nice, friendly and somewhat attentive (our waters were never refilled). The timing of the food was off. We got our apps in 15 minutes, but there was a 45+ minutes wait to get our entrée. We're pretty fast eaters and our 3 course meal took over 2.5 hours mainly due to waiting between courses. A M B I A N C E / D E C O R: Sophisticated and sleek; crisp white linen draped tables, ceiling to floor taupe curtains, shiny redwood floors and abstract silver hanging spheres. Luce's photographer did an excellent job at angling all the photos because the restaurant does NOT look the way it was presented online. It lacked a warmth and intimacy because the restaurant seemed like an extension of the InterContinental San Francisco Hotel Lobby and Bar 888. Some adjustments or perhaps a small renovation needs to be done to make Luce feel like it's a separate entity from the hotel and bar. P A R K I N G: Being located in the heart of downtown, parking is difficult. The nearest garage is the Yerba Buena Garage (5th/Mission) which is 1.5 blocks away. While I can't quite agree with the 5 star ratings because Luce is lacking in service and ambiance to make it "5 star quality", I can see why the talented Chef Dominique Crenn beat Chef Michael Symon...her cuisine is inventive, sophisticated and most importantly deliciously tantalizing! read more

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$6.00 for orange juice? Not a Mimosa, just orange juice. Who's squeezing those oranges? Kate Upton? Heidi Klum? Geez, that's pricey. Came here with a former co-worker of mine, a wonderful lady who was game to try brunch here. I had the rib eye sandwich, and she had the salmon platter. First off, I felt continually pressured to buy the OJ here. Every 5 minutes, "Are you sure you don't want the OJ? And just the tap water?" No, I don't want the OJ, you OJ pusher. "Tap water, are you sure?" "Yes, yes I'm sure!" Then my rib-eye sandwich come out with cold parmesan fries. At first, I try to eat them, as to not look like a jerk in front of her, but then I couldn't take it anymore. I really wanted hot fries, and for $17...that's the least they could do. So I flag down the waiter as she's talking to me, and I felt bad for doing so, since it ruined the flow of our conversation. The waiter took forever to address the issues, and another decade to bring out a new set of fries. Which were good since now they were fresh, would they should have been from the start. Her salmon platter was good, according to her. My sandwich was okay. Needed more rib-eye and more onions. The flavor was good though. Impossible to get more water, and I felt like I was one of those balloon things at a car dealership trying to flag down our waiter for more of that tap water. Then the waiter tries to push dessert on us 3x. I guess it's because by now it was lunch time, so he couldn't hock the OJ on us anymore. $25.00 for a sandwich and meh service. I'm unsure if I'll be back. I should buy a custom shirt that says "No OJ, just water," next time. read more

Luce - Cold fries... - Wine Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Review #900 goes out to Luce! I had my last meal of 2012 here, when the roommate and I decided to ring in 2013 with dinner at Luce. Like most other restaurants, Luce had a set menu for the evening. I don't quite remember the price, but I got a wine pairing as well and I think we spent somewhere around $375 for dinner and my pairing. Not too bad for a special occasion meal. Canapes: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#hv3PJQMnCRw0XIjTJ7FyPQ *Parmesan & sage madeleines *CA caviar, cauliflower, leek, potato *Crab, shiso, grapefruit 1st Course: Pacific hiramasa, lightly marinated in olive oil & winter citrus, baby beets, celery, toasted seeds http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#PED8S_JDpW7U7wF0jtT7Pg 2nd course: choice of *Roasted Monterey abalone & pork cheek, puffed grains, wild winter mushrooms http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#PTpnTUwLuL_HkIPGCHWYFQ *Crispy sweetbreads & parsnip, hazelnut granola, sunflower http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#GbICE8W-4M-biz6RyEyMPA 3rd course: Saikou salmon, poached in lemon oil, sunchoke, brown butter http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#FaBAc7dvo7IPN-UDyxOIvg Main Course: choice of *Filet of waygu beef, slowly cooked w/cubed pepper, garlic & orange peel, watercress, fresh horseradish & truffle http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#Ns6jm4XFP52x1VYXD9OFBg *Duck breast, roasted with winter spices, dates, tardivo, pickled onion http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#_lhX9zb1pPAA4twnCi3MAg *Dessert: Bartlett pear financier, Carmel & white truffle ice cream http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#cTn_pD0sMEqEJxgM_PeAdQ *Mignardises http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/luce-san-francisco#94rYTkXsdqESRHnBf1UldA I liked that we were able to chose which dish we wanted with certain courses. Like my parents, I like variety. My favorite courses were the canapes and the second course. The canapes were perfect since I love bite size pieces! For the second course, we each ordered something different so I could try both dishes. I love abalone and sweetbreads! The abalone was tender but still had a nice chew and the sweetbreads were nice and crispy. This was my first time having dinner for New Year's Eve and I have to say, I enjoyed it very much. The restaurant had a champagne toast to ring in the new year and provided party favors and noise makers. Lots of fun. I hope the next time I go out to dinner for NYE, it's this enjoyable! read more

We were pleasantly surprised to find this lovely restaurant!!We needed a place to stay for the night for date night and lucked out having a Michelin star restaurant in our hotel. We walked right in! No wait! This is unheard of especially in the city. It's a secret gem! Our waiter was funny, polite, and paired our wine perfectly to each dish.The bussing staff was attentive and made our experience feel warm and inviting. Best dish was the squash with ricotta. I could eat this everyday! We will be back! read more

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Had breakfast here the last day of my trip. I normally don't dine in the hotel's restaurant because I know there are probably much better, cheaper places out there, but we were lazy and kind of in a hurry. I had a standard scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast breakfast. It was just alright. Nothing special about it, especially for $16. It probably would have been better at Denny's for at least half the price. read more

Luce - Boring breakfast. - Wine Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

So, this is where the down home, cowgirl in me comes out. When you read this review - keep in mind that I am not refined. I've never been to France, never been to cooking school. I can make a mean plate of lasagna, chicken enchiladas or potato salad and that's about where my culinary expertise ends. Luce is elegant, beautiful and classy. I like getting dressed up every once in awhile, experiencing the finer things, etc. The decor is phenomenal. I love the lights. Shiny-black-swirled levitating orbs, filled with lights that have the appearance of candles. They are the only circular items in a sea of squared edges. The service was over the top. We had 4 different people swarming around our table, setting dishes, taking away un-needed silverware, filling our glasses, etc. That napkin guy is fun to observe. Watch someone get up to use the restroom and it's like he has a sixth sense. He feels them leave, scans the room for an empty seat - runs over and replaces their napkin with a fresh one. I even saw him realize he had placed one of the new ones "upside down" (how he can tell - I don't know) but he ran back over and corrected it. I loved how everything that was presented to us was explained in detail. How it was prepared, where it came from, etc. The first thing we were presented with was a tiny little glass, filled with liquid. He told us it was vanilla something, infused with something, served with a mint leaf and a cherry blossom. I held it up and sure enough a tiny little fragile cherry blossom was floating inside. Do you drink it or look at it? I smelled it and wow. The incredible medley of scents in that tiny little glass was mind blowing. I took a sip and it's really not something I can do justice to describe. If you could taste a warm toasty cabin, filled with hot apple cider stirred via cinnamon stick - that's what it reminded me of. I've never met cooked spinach that I liked. Luce's spinach is the exception to that rule. So here's where the magic fizzled for me. I ordered the scallops with caviar. I'm not a big fan of seafood. If it's cooked perfectly and doesn't smell like fish - I like it. Other than that, I'm not a happy camper. I figured that Luce would be the place to order it, if I was going to. So, uh - scallops isn't my thing. Nor is caviar, apparently. It didn't smell like fish and so I'm sure it was prepared correctly. I just didn't care for it. The tangerine salad, that it was served with, was great though. I snagged a bite of my husband's rib eye and wished I had ordered that. It was adorned with an amazing smoky, brown sugar coated sauce. Our bottle of wine - something French - was excellent. We finished off with the study of chocolate dessert and that made up for every bit of my scallop filled belly of disappointment. read more

Luce - Wine Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Brunch buffet $28/pp: -spicy, andouille & chicken sausages -applewood bacon was eh, like my piggy fried to a crisp -oatmeal brulee, creamy goodness and so nicely presented! -assorted breads, pastries & cereals -awesome pepper crusted smoked salmon, not too salty or smoky -berries & sliced fruits, wide selection -scrambled eggs w/crab meat, cooked well, hate the runny stuff & crab!?!? Yum. No pancakes or waffles in sight. That is a BIG deal for me. Excellent Mighty Leaf iced tea is part of the fee. Very detailed w/tea ice cubes. read more

7TH MICHELIN STAR EXPERIENCE "3-Course Meal Missed Opportunity" Last Thursday the QS World MBA Tour was at the Intercontinental Hotel. I didn't realize that Luce was at this hotel. Out of curiosity I went to the website affordable Michelin star restaurants in San Francisco: http://www.businessinsider.com/cheapest-michelin-starred-restaurants-in-san-francisco-bay-area-2012-5?op=1. Since I made reservations for the MBA fair I also made reservations at Luce for that night. After the attending the MBA fair I ate here for dinner. I checked the menu on the website and I knew what I wanted - the homemade sweetbread ravioli with crispy sweetbread. However the special that night was a 3-course meal for $36.95. I agonizingly thought if I should order a la carte from the menu or the set 3-course meal. I thought how many times I would I get to order a 3-course meal for $36.95 at a Michelin star restaurant? I decided at the end to order a la carte from the menu because the items on the 3-course meal were not listed on the a la carte menu. The first course was the homemade sweetbread ravioli. The crispy sweetbread complimented with the sweetbread ravioli. The second course was the lamb loin with crispy lamb belly. They give you a two chunky-size for lamb loin. The lamb belly was a play on pork belly. Eating this with a slice of lamb loin compliments the meal. After the two dishes and the hot, crunchy bread they serve I was full and wasn't really interested in having dessert. I changed my mind when I saw the dessert menu and ordered the raspberry pavlova with pine nuts ice cream. The pavlova is a meringue and is similar to baked Alaska. The dessert was light and good end to the meal. The bill, before the tip, was $67 - more than the amount on listed on the affordable Michelin star website. The food at Luce is really good. But considering the portions at Luce at the end I regretted not getting the 3-course meal for $36.95. This is why I didn't give a higher rating. read more

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Luce has proven to us that it truly deserves its Michelin star. The best 9 course dinner with the right wine pairings! 1. Easy to make reservations It was so easy to make reservations here. Called, someone actually answers without annoying automated message and everything was swift. 2. Service When we walked in, service was great from the get go, someone took our coat, we were seated right away in a spot I wanted to sit. Gentleman who served our dinner explained each dish with such passion. Very professional. 3. 9 course dinner Each and every single one of them were great. See the pics and description of the dish! Simply great! Worth every penny and it costs $150. 4. Wine pairing A separate server brings and explains the wine, its origin, brief history of the winery and why it matches well with the dish provided. We had total of 6 glasses of wine. Gerard Bertrand Cuvee Thomas Jefferson brut rose, France Jurassic park vineyard white wine from CA Leitz Dragonstone riesling, Germany Dutton-Goldfield pinot noir, CA Patrina syrah, Edna valley, USA Dow's fine ruby, Portugal 5. Cost It'll cost you $150 per person and it's worth it! 6. Ambience This is the part they need to do some work. It's nice and open and very spacious. But cold too. The restaurant is located on the first floor of a hotel. There's no clear cut entrance to the restaurant, it's just a continuum of the general lobby. It feels like a lobby, not a Michelin starred restaurant. I feel like they need to do something to make it more intimate or at least separate it from the general lobby and bar. All in all, great place to have a fancy dinner, food is great, service is excellent, one of the very few places in San Francisco that offers more than 5 course dinner with no waiting time of 3 months. Highly recommended. read more

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Wanted to try this restaurant, it has 1 Michelin star. Opportunity came knocking when we saw it listed for Dine About Town. $36.95 for prix fixe menu of: 1) Asparagus, English peas, English pea puree with Lemon & ricotta cheese 2) Chicken with cuvee'd egg, white and green beans, artichoke hearts and sausage 3) Strawberries with Meringue The regular menu had a few items that were jumping at us, so we decided to order 2 appetizers in addition to the Dine About Town menu: 4) Lamb tartare, $16 5) Handmade Sweetbread Ravioli, Crispy Sweetbreads, with Mustard Leaves & Shaved Black Truffle, $19 The Dine About Town menu was slightly disappointing, as some restaurants give you a choice to choose from when you pick an entree, dessert, etc. However the food was very good. We mutually agreed that this food is similar to One Market in the Embarcadero. Very refined, elegantly presented, and just delicious. Asparagus was a great starting course. It was a cooler dish that's good for summer (although it was freezing that day). The asparagus was tender, the english pea puree was so yummy. It made me want to recreate the puree at home, I'm guessing it's easy, just get some peas and stick it in the magic bullet?! The ingredients were fresh. Lamb tartare was very unique. It caught our attention because you never see Lamb tartare - it's always beef or venison. So anyway, we ordered it, and the waiter was telling us that the lamb has to be extremely high quality in order for them to serve it raw in the tartare. The quality did taste amazing! It was a wow! Wish they gave more of the crispy chips it came with, but it was fine since they gave us a lot of bread. Sweetbread Ravioli with Truffle was another WOW. The flavors were so rich and beautiful. Literally you wanted to pick up the plate after finishing the ravioli and just lick it clean. Basically that's what I did except I used the bread to scrape every bit of that truffle sauce. I would recommend you to do the same! Chicken came next, and although it was decent, it wasn't anything compared to the Lamb tartare and ravioli. It was cooked perfectly in the way where it was perfectly tender. Waiter said they brined it for 24-hours, but it's kinda strange because there wasn't much flavor in it. Dessert of strawberries with Meringue was surprisingly really delicious. It came in this beautiful bee-hive shape merigue with strawberries tossed on the side. The inside of the meringue had strawberries inside, also, which was a nice surprise. Some people commented saying it was too sweet, but it was truly a delight, unless you hate strawberries. Service was very attentive. I liked our waiter because he always asked us how we liked the food, and seemed to really respect our opinions. Not only did he "check in" on us, but also made sure we thoroughly enjoyed our food and wanted to hear what we thought about the food specifically. Ambiance - 3 stars. It really feels like you're in a hotel lobby, which is not really fun. There are 3 sections though, one part is the bar area, the next is the first dining area with the "lobby tile" floor, and the third is tucked away on the corner of Mission and Howard. I kinda wish we sat in that area, since it seemed more like a restaurant (it had hardwood floors) and also, the windows and decoration just seemed more like a restaurant than where we were sitting. All in all, I would recommend this place. However I wouldn't come for the Dine About Town, and instead order the regular appetizers and entrees, since those were the star items of our night. read more

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The staff here were very attentive. I enjoy the atmosphere and the open space/windows. The food was delicious. Good combination of ingredients. Chef Daniel Corey does a decent job. I tried the Maine Lobster. I experienced unique taste with strawberries poached in red verjus and crispy quinoa. My friend tried the Duck Breast. She was pleased with the choice. We also got tartar beef to share. When I went to Luce the day before with my other friend, we tried the prime NY strip steak and roasted breast of chicken. They were both savory. To end the meal, we got a pear cake to share. Overall, good experience. read more

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For being a Michelin-star restaurant inside the InterContinental Hole, Luce was pretty underwhelming. Before I ordered lemonade, I asked if it was fresh-squeezed. The waiter told me it was ... it was not (I know what Minute Maid tastes like). The sourdough bread was nice and "San Francisco sour," and the butter was warm ... check. I ordered the grilled octopus and white bean appetizer. The octopus was underseasoned, and the white beans were unseasoned. I enjoyed the crunchiness of the octopus, but the beans were very very bland. The brocollini was nice. As an entree, I ordered the short ribs with spaghetti. The spaghetti was a little overcooked, and the broth was extremely salty (too much beef broth). The short rib consistency, however, was perfect, and the portion size was just right. Our server rarely checked in on us, and it took a very long time for us to get the check. It also took awhile for our server to process our payment so we could leave. He added 18% gratuity for our party of 5. Overall, this place is so-so. read more

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3.5*** This is review is for the lunch I had during SF Restaurant Week 2019. I had the dinner tasting menu a few years back, but I do not remember how that went. I probably would have rated it a 4 stars. My friend and I split all the things available for the lunch tasting menu. One of the items for our first course was the beets with winter citrus, fresh ricotta, and hazelnuts. Everything went perfect together and the hazelnuts gave the dish a nice crunch. The other dish was the burrata with garlic bread served with arugula. The Di Stefano burrata was excellent with the bread. For our mains, we got the Luce Cheeseburger with fries. The burger was nice and juicy. I found it kind of odd that the waiter did not ask how I wanted it cooked. For the burger, they brought out mini containers with ketchup, mayo, and mustard. Our second and least favorite dish was the salmon. The quinoa and brown rice were good however the 8 minute egg seemed overdone. Overall, lunch was decent. The dining space is perfect for any date nights or special occasions. The high ceilings gave the room a lot of light which I loved. For a Michelin star restaurant, I expected the service to be better. They were not attentive and we had empty water cups until I asked them to refill it. They also tried to sit us in a booth for two people which seems like it was meant for kids. I had to ask to be reseated as I did not fit in the small booth. I do want to give their dinner tasting menu another try, however it won't be anytime soon. read more

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The food was above and beyond my expectations, the service was AMAZING and even the chef himself came to say hello to the table... It was a "fixed price" - you pay 185 (I think) per person- and get to try all menu (8 courses) This place is INCREDIBLE Super recommend read more

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Solid American/Californian food. Great service. Definitely come here for DAT if you can, because then it's a great deal. Normally, it's pretty pricey, but food is worth it. I got the beef dish, and I was afraid that the cut would be too dry. But our server reassured me that it would be tender, juicy, and flavorful. Which is what it ended up being. No complaints here from picky meat eater :) Otherwise, the flavors were pretty awesome. Lots of accompaniments to enhance the meat itself. I really loved the onions and the chestnut puree. Beef was cooked perfectly of course. Lots of savoriness and umami. read more

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