I had two waiters. The first was a very kind woman. Her name was Pilar and she was very inviting and friendly. My second waiter was named Mr. Chen. He was not the same as Pilar. He was rude and short and if someone ordered something he didn't agree with he would murmur under his breath. He REFUSED to bring one of my dining mates what they had ordered and when pouring my sparking water he spilled it. His hostility and rude manner ruined me and my friend's dining experience and I will be sure NEVER to return to this restaurant. Not for the food, but because of the unwelcoming environment Mr. Chen fostered. I am greatly displeased. No read more

Service was excellent, space is comfortable attempt at old timey SF. We ordered the charcuterie and thé crab salad- both were decent portion sizes- not stuffed but not hungry after either. Reserved for 5:30 and timed perfectly to hit the lecture pre- show. Lots of people ordering thé buffet which looked delicious but we just can't eat that much for the price anymore. Convenient, pleasant add tasty- nice experience! read more

My friend has also left a review, but I am just absolutely disappointed. There have been virtually zero times where I have just simply regretted going to a restaurant, yet this is one of those times. I arrived and was greeted by Ms. Pilar, who was exceptionally kind, gratuitous, and welcoming. She set a standard that was entirely destroyed by a certain Mr. Chen. Throughout our entire experience he was unkind, rude, and unwelcoming. When my friends didn't order food--as I was the only hungry one-- he murmured under his breath in an exceptionally rude tone "no food huh. I guess you just don't want food". When they attempted to order bread rolls, he didn't even allow them to as they were not eating aanything else, even though I had already purchased over $50 of food. Mr. Chen did not receive a tip, and should not receive any in the future. Should you walk into this restaurant and see a man come with a dark frown and frightening eyes come to your table, you may as well leave. We will not be coming back to this establishment, and neither should you. Please fix this promptly. read more

We go to Prelude frequently when we go to the opera . Nice service and very convenient

The food selection was ok. I have been here a few times. But last night the service was horrible. The waiters shirt collar was up as though he never looked in the mirror. He always made lame excuses because the restaurant converted to a new billing system. He didn't know how long the intermission was. He charged $67 dollars for the buffet instead of the posted price on the menu of $65. He really was inept. If I went back I would not want to sit in his area. read more

Prelude at the Opera House - The bill - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

Totally ripoff, for the food also they need better selection. I just can belive that on simple sandwich was $19 and just one tamal simple tamale $10 out your mind Prelude read more

I have eaten at Prelude probably at least three times, maybe as many as five times. I will praise them in a manner that might not sound like praise, because I have decided I'd rather plan in advance and dine elsewhere. But here is the compliment: they know their business. They are brisk and competent. The convenience is their unique sales proposition. They will feed you satisfactorily and get you to your show. There is nothing wrong about the operation. Everything moves along as it needs to. That said, the food is what you would expect: it's for people in a hurry who want to stay on the premises. There is no reason for it to be any better than it is. read more

Excellent meal and service - perfect before opera - buffet is always well presented and varied

Very good salad. Felt rushed to eat tho bec only opened one hour before show began. Just made it to our seats. Should open sooner ...

Such a special experience if you are seeing the Nutcracker or another show. Really professional staff that know how to get you fed before curtain, and they save your table so you can come back for a quick drink or dessert during intermission - a really nice treat to have a place to sit and enjoy especially since the concession lines can be very long! My steak was perfectly cooked and the cookie plate and truffles were delicious. It's a beautiful setting and even better if you can get a table overlooking the grand hall. Fantastic experience! read more

Prelude is soo underrated, it baffles me!! It's very surprising that opera goers are not taking advantage of this venue to have a relaxing evening and wonderful experience. This is definitely our go-to place if the opera has two intermissions! The staff at Prelude is extremely accommodating, setting aside your order and coursing it out throughout the evening! My husband and I made the reservation in advance via Open Table and ordered à la carte. We thoroughly enjoyed a salad before the performance, shared an entree during the 1st intermission (we recommend the tuna tartare, so light and delicious) and cheeses and coffee for the 2nd intermission! Totally civilized and beyond relaxing! We even brought our own wine (with a steep $40 corkage), yet they were so kind enough to provide a lil' sippy cup so you can bring it inside the venue during the performance. It may have added an additional $150 to our evening, but frankly that's the average price for two in a Hayes Valley restaurants (without the mad rush to park and waiting in line for cocktails, etc). Opera goers should definitely consider dining here to really help keep the SF Opera community thriving! Best seats: reserve a booth table. Best server: Lewis! Enjoy!! read more

Food is very expensive considering the non-existent ambiance. I don't like to combine a dinner out with an opera or symphony. Don't like to be rushed. I usually just grab a sandwich and maybe have a drink or two during the intermission(s). read more

Horrible dining experience. It's probably the worst restaurant/food I have ever experienced. The buffet looked terrible for $60 so we ordered off the very limited menu (a few salads). Just take a look at the photo. Our bill was $105. We both laughed out loud when the waiter brought us wilted iceburge lettuce, low quality parm cheese, and "croutons" that were actually just pieces of our rolls torn apart. Steak was ice cold and dry. But to each their own, would you pay $39 a plate for this? read more

Prelude at the Opera House - a plate of food - American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We are regulars both for the Opera and dinner at Prelude (formerly Cafe at the Opera). We've been coming for several years. And we have never had a bad experience even during the changes with Buffet management. The wait staff are always professional, polite, helpful and service is immediate and attentive. We always choose the Buffet which has a variety of selections and everything tastes wonderful. Yes it is expensive, but so what? You can get the box snacks at the various bars on different levels of the Opera House which are also pricey. Hey you're at the Opera. We choose Prelude for the quality of the food, professional service, and convenience of a delicious meal with time to enjoy and relax within a comfortable and luxurious ambiance without feeling rushed to get to our seats in time for the Opera. We highly recommend Prelude as an excellent choice for your Opera experience. Bon appetite! read more

The servicer was horrified and asked us to leave because we have food allergies. The servicer said that too complicated for him and the kitchen. read more

The buffet was horrible. None of the entree was considered edible as the food was bland, and tasteless. The salmon's texture was off as if it has been sitting out too long and was mushy to the taste. The shortribs were bland and again the texture was off -- as if it were poached and not grilled. Lastly the chicken that was offered, it was greasy over breaded and rubbery. Overall the meal was an extreme disappointment to say the least ! And shameful that they charge $52/pp for such bad food. Please take your hard earn money elsewhere. read more

I took my wife here on date night - we couldn't figure out what was playing at the Opera House, so we came just for dinner at this restaurant and not for any accompanying show. The food, drinks, and ambience were EXCELLENT - great wine selection and awesome food (we got the crepes and the duck confit, both of which we demolished). Quiet and easy to talk to others. I'm giving this a 4-star review instead of 5-stars because the opera house staff (outside the restaurant) treated us like we were out of our minds for eating here without ballet tickets. They made us drop off our driver's licenses as collateral and literally blocked us from walking around the magnificent lobby and instead accompanied us out of the building. Also, on the way in through the south entrance on Grove St, the greeter had no idea what restaurant we were talking about (so enter through the north entrance instead). Just felt weird - but once you get into the restaurant on the lower level, everything is amazing! read more

Not like it used to be pre-Covid. It was very disappointing. The menu online did not match the actual menu served. Lamb over cooked eggplant tasteless. Service was lackluster. Then they brought us a larger tables bill and gave ours along with credit card to someone else. All around disappointing and will not return. read more

The service was wonderful and the pricey food could be so much better, but the convenience of having dinner before the performance in the sumptuous Opera House was worth it to us. read more

The genteel, elegant atmosphere can't be beat. The food is tasty and beautiful. This is the place to be seen at opera/ballet events. A unique San Francisco dining experience. Percy makes it extraordinary with his friendly, cordial and impeccably professional service. You will be missed -- enjoy your well-earned retirement. read more

Prelude at the Opera House is a fantastic spot to grab a bite prior to the evening's performance. The food is so tasty (and more importantly, timely!) whether you're dining off of the buffet or selecting from the beautiful a la carte menu. There is such a wide variety of selections, the staff is friendly, and the ambiance is romantic -- I wish this restaurant was open on non-performance days and nights! I would HIGHLY recommend this restaurant to anyone patronizing the Opera and/or Ballet. read more

Worst experience ever! The service was terrible and unprofessional. When asking for wine recommendations it looked like he just picked the bottle with the best name. The food was also terrible. My STEAK was served to me COLD and when I told them this, they offered to put it in the MICROWAVE, who does that?! To a steak?! When I told him to take it back, he tried to take my whole plate away MID-BITE! Very very rude. Also, the bread rolls had black mold. We had to get them replaced! Would NEVER be coming here again! read more

What an awful place. Disgusting over priced food. SLOWEST service you can possibly imagine, where speed is pretty crucial before going to an opera show. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere read more

awful. just awful. very limited menu, cold or very overcooked food at the buffet, horrible service, ridiculous prices

Excellent spot for drinks and dinner before seeing the ballet (or opera). The food was really good, great service, and you of course can't beat the location for not having to rush from a dinner elsewhere to make show time. read more

The service was impeccable. The food was also very good and perfect to start the evening off at the ballet.

Absolutely horrible experience. Ya we got our food quickly but that's because it was pre-made and cold. The service was sub-par especially considering the cost of the food read more

We have dined at the Opera House for many years. Although very expensive, it was always a great spread. A few years ago it seemed to change hands and the quality and variety of food went way down. It is very disappointing since the prices are very high. They rarely have carved meet other than pork. We were previously used to 8 - 10 choices of salads, many choices of side dishes and delicious carved meats like prime rib. Since we are opera subscribers, it was very convenient, however, the food is now not worth the prices. We will be looking for other locations to eat prior to the Opera performances. read more

Excellent pre-opera dinner. We are happy to note that Prelude has improved significantly since we came here a couple of years ago. As usual, we had the buffet, which was this time excellent. The Caesar salad is now back to old standards, and the pork loin carved at a stand was juicy and tender and delicious. Mary's chicken was surprisingly delicious also. They also made an excellent East Coast martini. The service was prompt and professional. Originally, we made reservations for two, but then we called and left message to change it to three people. The lady called back almost immediately to confirm the change in a most friendly and professional manner. Overall very satisfactory. read more

We've been to Prelude on the lower level of the Opera House twice in the past few weeks, prior to ballets and loved the buffet. There is a wide variety of delicious salads, veggies, fish, chicken and beef plus fruits, breads and cheeses. I am lactose and gluten intolerant and I still had many choices. Great yellow beet salad, chicken with lentils and quinoa, beef tenderloin and roasted Brussels sprouts. If you're going to the ballet in the near future, this is a must. Quiet enough to chat without shouting! Staff provides excellent service. read more