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    Xebec Photos

    XEBEC ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Xebec

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    House made apple tart with matcha ice cream and Cardamom Gastrique
    Vindy C.

    A great experience from start to finish! Xebec is a little hidden gem in Hayes Valley. Reservations are available on OpenTable. Upon entering the beautiful venue, the hostess immediately checked us in for our reservation and walked us over to a nice table by the window. The room was bustling with positive vibes. Everything on the menu looked delicious. We decided to try the following items: - Fresh Uni Risotto Arancini (Very tasty and well-balanced flavors) - A5 Wagyu Bruschetta (So good that I was tempted to order another) - One dozen oysters (So fresh!!) - Chilean Sea Bass (Buttery soft and cooked to perfection) - Chocolate mousse (Absolutely delicious) - House-made apple tart (Yum. Not too sweet.) Every dish was delightful. Nothing felt too heavy, and all the flavors were very well balanced. Service was great. Our waitress checked on us regularly throughout the evening. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking quality food paired with great service.

    Photo 1: Montage of images from Xebec
    Ed U.

    Gee, I guess Jamie W and I had a date night. He bought tickets to a student concert at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, so I made a reservation here since it was less than ten minutes by foot. It's newish and occupies the space Sauce had a while ago. They bill themselves as a hybrid Mediterranean / Japanese restaurant though the former was more evident than the latter except for the presence of familiar ingredients like uni and hamachi. We were happy we got here on time. It took the hostess a while to find my name. She confirmed that we chose bar seating to which I simply responded that I didn't see any other choice online. When I asked if a table was possible, she made me feel ridiculous for asking. The bar was fine at first, though when people started to get seated next to us, I got the feeling our presence was offensive to the new diners. They shoved their stools away as maximally as possible and sat with their backs fully against us. At least the bartender was friendly. He provided a lot of details behind the making of the food and cocktails. I decided we could use espresso martinis, so he made a house specialty, the $17 Tsundere Espresso Martini, which effectively underlined the coffee flavor with cardamom and cinnamon (Photo 6). We decided to share a couple of appetizers, both decidedly Mediterranean. The first were the $7 Marinated Spanish & Greek Olives, quite tasty though hard to maneuver with a cocktail fork (Photo 8). The other was the $21 Grilled Octopus. It was set on top of escarole mixed with lemon tabasco vinaigrette and kale powder. Dollops of edamame porridge and Meyer lemon gel were added quite adroitly, but our one complaint was the somewhat paltry size of the tentacle (Photo 10). Our entrees turned out to be a mixed bag. I ordered the $42 Skirt Steak Mi-Sancho, a simple rub execution, served sliced with fingerling potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and wasabi balsamic. With a petite salade, it was fairly basic but tender enough to enjoy (Photo 7). Jamie's entree, however, missed the mark. With prosciutto, fontina, sage, spouting cauliflower, and kabocha puree, the $32 Chicken Fontinella was marred by dried-out poultry (Photo 4). We shared the two $12 desserts on the menu. The Chocolate Mousse was rich with a topping of Italian meringue, lemon curd, and sumac (Photo 9). Our favorite was the Housemade Apple Tart with matcha ice cream and cardamom gastrique (Photo 5). Overall the presentation was nice, but the flavor profile and portions were erratic. FOOD - 3 stars...a mixed bag of delights and disappointments AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...nice vibe though the bar felt overly crowded SERVICE - 4 stars...pretty attentive once the plates started arriving TOTAL - 3 stars...fix the chicken and buy larger tentacles RELATED - Exploring Hayes Valley? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/n2YclhTIn7

    PEI Mussels
    Xing Q.

    Items ordered: Fresh Uni Risotto Arancini, Shiitake Mint Sauce P.E.I Mussels, Sake, Cilantro-Shiso Oil, Arak-Miso Broth, Za'atar Focaccia Ravioli, Prawns, Herbs, Warm Dashi Ponzu Dipping Sauce The Fattoush, Chicken, Petite Lettuce, Pita, Olives, Quinoa, Puffed Wild Rice, Pickled kumquats, Cucumber, Yuzu Vinaigrette My wife and I had tickets to the San Francisco Symphony, and we tried out this place as the dinner prior to the event. The menu promises a fusion of Mediterranean and Japanese, which is certainly an intriguing combination. The food was interesting, but ultimately just ok. Every traditional item had a small twist, but I felt like the twists either felt out of place, or it almost just like eating two separate things together, instead of one cohesive whole. The twist for the risotto arancini was the addition of fresh uni. Again, it was interesting, and we could definitely taste the uni, but the flavors didn't blend well together. The twist for the mussels was the addition of a sake broth, along with za'atar focaccia. We could hardly taste the sake, but the broth was interesting nonetheless. That dish probably was our favorite. For the ravioli, there was an entire shrimp inside with some ponzu sauce. Again, it kind of just felt like eating two items that didn't belong together in one bite. The shrimp was good, but I felt it would've been better on its own, and I didn't feel like it belonged well with the ravioli (which was also well made). Finally, we got a pretty traditional Tuna Nicoise Fattoush salad. This was nice and light, but nothing special.

    Paul R.

    We went for dinner - really nice place- warm and friendly and great food. They actually close their front door like a propert restaurant, unlike the majority of sf restaurants. The chef came and gave us our fries - I think they are baked and not fried - so not crispy- but they did have real truffle on them. My only gripe is their bar chairs are pretty not comfortable - but the food, staff and restaurant was great

    Sunil R.

    We had a wonderful meal here before watching the Opera. The food and drinks were uniformly good, and the sea bass in particular was exceptional. Service was a little slow but that's a nit.

    Mushroom Pappardelle
    Izzie L.

    4.5 stars. Xebec is a gorgeous spot for a romantic date night in the Hayes Valley. FOOD [4.5/5] =========== + Ceviche (6/5) -- WOULD RECOMMEND! The ceviche is SO delicious-- simply a must-try. The sauce is uniquely creamy and flavorful, and the cuts of fish (especially the sea bass) are really fresh and tender. + Mushroom Pappardelle (4.5/5) Really delicious flavor with the mushrooms and creamy sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. + Spicy Tuna Handroll (4/5) This handroll was pretty good. I don't think I would order it again considering the price, but it was enjoyable to eat. The fish was pretty average but the handroll had some unique additions of veggies. SERVICE & AMBIANCE (5/5) ====================== Service was pretty friendly and very attentive throughout the night! We had no trouble asking for the check, the waiters were kind in answering our questions, and our water was always topped off. Hats off to them!

    Jessie H.

    They sat us early, they had amazingly comfy cushioned chairs. They had very good service that was friendly and helpful.The best of all, they had some flavor bomb food that blew me away from the first to last bite. I had no idea what to expect but I was very pleased with our meal and would definitely recommend!

    Forgot to take a before picture of the ceviche, but it was very flavorful and yummy!
    Nirsh A.

    My friend and I came in for drinks the other night. This is a new Japanese/Mediterranean fusion spot in Hayes. Right off the bat I noticed the beautiful interior decor. Appreciate the thought that was put into it. Such a cozy and chic vibe. We ordered the flowers not fists and the return of the sumac for our cocktails. Shoutout to our amazing bartender, Amir, who did not disappoint with making our cocktails. They were amazing! We also ordered the ceviche which was delicious. We really liked the Japanese crackers that came with it. I will definitely have to come back and try more of their food items next time.

    Dessert
    Susan B.

    Amazing fusion delicacies, lovely service and cute space. The only complaint was the size of the table which was a tad small for four. Our server was knowledgeable and the staff was very attentive. My favorite appetizer was the shrimp ravioli and the eggplant roll, so delicious. The beef lamb burger was really delicious and whatever they put on the potatoes should be bottled and sold. Alas, the dessert was hit and miss, apparently you are into it or not. I loved the honey pistachio rose flavors, but the actual delicacy's texture was a no for me. I recommend going with a group of people to taste a variety of dishes.

    Pappardelle pasta with Miso cream sauce
    Andrew P.

    Food: A very unique menu with a selection of Japanese and Mediterranean fusion. All the dishes we ordered tasted great. Menu has a wide selection of small plates and a decent amount of entree options. Place: Waitstaff was helpful and attentive. The inside of the place was nice and pretty open. We sat against the front window and the seats had some decorative pillows which was kinda nice. Price: Dishes are mostly mid-ranged pricing. Small plates range from $15-22. Entrees were $22 - 42. Small plates felt they would be perfect to share for 2 or get just a bite or two when shared with 4. Entrees were all decent sized and worth the value. Overall, food was good and selection was unique.

    Alice D.

    Rounding up from a 3.5~ I came here with a few friends on a thursday night and it was super busy! We arrived a few minutes before our reservation but had to wait about 15-20 minutes before we could be seated. I think my favorite part about the restaurant was the modern chic interior and the vibe! We ordered a few dishes to try and though presentation was great, we felt the flavors were just okay and not necessarily impressive.

    Fnu A.

    Xebec came highly recommended, but my experience didn't live up to the hype. For a 7pm reservation, they were already out of oysters, which was the first red flag. We pivoted to a selection of appetizers and shared plates since none of the entrées looked particularly appealing. The Wagyu Bruschetta was underwhelming--while it's supposed to highlight high-end ingredients, the beef was sliced so thinly it was nearly flavorless, and the supplement overpowered what little Wagyu was there. The Uni Risotto didn't deliver either--I couldn't detect any uni flavor at all. The hand roll tasted like a plain veggie roll, with no trace of seafood. The octopus lacked any seasoning or texture that would make it stand out, and the ceviche was a low point: stale rice crackers and indistinguishable seafood that made it hard to even tell what I was eating. The only dish that landed was the sashimi, which was decent, though nothing exceptional. My advice? Don't take "Japanese-Mexican-Mediterranean fusion" too literally. Japanese cuisine shines in its clarity and restraint, allowing quality ingredients to speak for themselves. At Xebec, competing flavors and overly fussy concepts ended up drowning out what should have been the stars of the plate. Service was good.

    Roasted Cauliflower
    Andrew S.

    Xebec was a great restaurant find! My friend and I came here for Friday dinner and we were both very impressed by the food and the service. We went with our waiter's recommendations - Xeviche, mussels, roasted cauliflower and Uni Arancini as appetizers, split lamb burgers with patatas bravas and sea bass as our entrees and the halawet el-jiben as our dessert. The sea bass was just outstanding and was the highlight of the meal for me. The halawet was a very unique dessert and i highly recommend that as well. The restaurant is nice and modern. With tax and tip, this was around $110 per person which is tremendous value for what we got. Highly, highly recommended!!!

    Skirt steak with fingerling potatoes

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    We had a nice dinner here. The service was spectacular. Beautiful room. And the food was really nice.

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    Ask the Community - Xebec

    Lore Speakeasy and Escape Room

    Lore Speakeasy and Escape Room

    4.5
    (95 reviews)
    0.7 mi

    The craft cocktails are fantastic and designed to mimmic Asian dishes…read more Korean Cold Noodles ($19) Probably the most unique cocktail, and equally as delicious. Pandan Vieux Carré ($22) By far my favorite cocktail of the night - very well balanced, spirit forward but also bright and silky. A5 Wagyu & Black Truffle Old Fashioned ($25) This was also fantastic, rich and buttery old fashioned with truffle accents. The A5 Wagyu is sourced from the Niku Steakhouse local butcher shop! Ube Cheesecake ($19) Wonderful dessert cocktail to finish the night. We didn't have time to try the Escape Room connected to the Speakeasy, but we'll be back! There are two rooms, one in the front with a puzzle theme, and another in the back with a Middle Earth (Lord of the Rings) vibe. Staff was friendly and took time to explain the clever menu to us!

    Lore's Wonderland escape room was a fun and delightfully whimsical experience. **This review is…read moremainly for the escape room, as we did not order any additional drinks outside of the escape room.** THE SPACE // Lore Speakeasy and Escape Room has cool themed decor everywhere, from the dimly-lit speakeasy/bar room in front, to the Middle Earth/Lord of the Rings-themed board game room, to the individual bathrooms, and of course the escape room's multiple Alice in Wonderland-themed rooms. Clearly a lot of effort went into building these rooms and evoking a certain vibe for each. THE ESCAPE ROOM // The puzzles in the escape room varied in difficulty - some required us to think a bit more, some required our observational skills to work harder, and others required a light level of physical skill/movement. We were perplexed a few times but never got stuck for too long, as the White Rabbit (played by Phoenix, the live actor/puzzle master) would jump in occasionally to provide clues over the speaker or in person. It took us about 1 hr 20 min to finish the entire escape room; I thought the pacing was good. THE [ESCAPE ROOM] DRINKS // Lore's escape room experience comes with "a flight of themed cocktails or mocktails, including "potion"-style drinks that are integrated into the experience as you progress", per the website. We got to choose one cocktail/mocktail option (Korean Cold Noodles) from a list on the website, and the other two drinks are pre-selected to supposedly fit into the Wonderland theme, with the flavors described online as "berry" and "peach". You can get both cocktail and mocktails for your party, in case some people want alcohol and others don't. We all enjoyed the flavor of the Korean Cold Noodles cocktail, which was refreshing and surprisingly a bit minty in the mocktail version. However, we didn't like the two other two pre-selected themed drinks as much. The "berry" drink gave us cherry cough syrup vibes, and the cocktail version of it was quite strong. The "peach" mocktail drink reminded me of canned fruit syrup; we also were missing the two cocktail versions, though we decided not to ask for them as the mocktail version already was less than impressive. One other missed expectation here was the size of the drinks that we received in the escape room. We were expecting full-sized cocktails, like what they serve in the speakeasy in front. Instead, we found out that the drinks are served in small "vials". Given the size of the drinks in the escape room, combined with us not even enjoying two out of the three drinks, I would preferred to go through the escape room without the drinks at all, and likely pay a bit less for the escape room then. OVERALL // I'd still recommend the escape room as a good one-time experience with a date/friends/family. Just don't expect too much from the included themed drinks! The speakeasy drinks on the main menu do sound unique/tasty, so I might come back again to try those sometime.

    Photos
    Cool Middle Earth themed room with lots of seating! Plenty of board games available to play as well
    Cool Middle Earth themed room with lots of seating! Plenty of board games available to play as well
    Our Pineapple Cake cocktail is an ode to Taiwan.
    Our Pineapple Cake cocktail is an ode to Taiwan.
    Borscht: Gin, beets, apple, citrus, dill, egg white ($20) + Korean Cold Noodles w/ brandy, pear, pineapples, cucumber, sesame ($19)

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    Borscht: Gin, beets, apple, citrus, dill, egg white ($20) + Korean Cold Noodles w/ brandy, pear, pineapples, cucumber, sesame ($19)
    The Beehive

    The Beehive

    4.3
    (454 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Love what + how they do it. It's a neighborhood bar that…read morejust feels right. Food wise I'm drawn to a few favorites like the stellar pork belly banh mi slider, fries and the chicken bites. It's a thoughtful menu w something for everyone. Had a Paper Plane which the bar man furiously shook to an icy froth on the top. Soooo good. Went on St Pat Saturday and was looking for a non frat crew vibe and was really pleased I remembered BH was close by.

    Cool bar with bites in the Mission District. We got there shortly after it opened at 4pm on Friday…read moreafternoon. I was craving a refreshing craft cocktail and got one with the Green Emmanuelle. I liked the cardamom in the Beauty Mark as well that my partner ordered. We ordered shishito peppers and mushroom bahn mi sliders. The mushroom bahn mi sliders were amazing - the quality fillings and taste of the soft bun - I was unexpectedly hit with a bite of spice from maybe jalapeño seeds left but didn't sour my experience. The shishito peppers ended up being extremely spicy as well, those are usually just a few spicy and not the majority. The roasted lemon and salt was a wonderful combo but just too spicy to eat. However, the server very kindly removed it from our bill without us asking. We order the crostini because we were still hungry and that was an absolute hit. Delicious med-soft crostini with luscious berries and sweet honey. I didn't care my hands got sticky as it was soooo good! Great experience, I would be weary if the peppers as I'm a bit spice-intolerant but everything else was spot-on.

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    The Beehive
    Cocktail Menu
    Cocktail Menu
    Cocktail Menu

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    Cocktail Menu
    Terrene

    Terrene

    4.1
    (208 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    The food is very good - we've been here twice and had great food all around…read more Our first visit we had some trouble with the service, feeling rushed thru for what is a pretty expensive dinner, but the team there contacted us after (we had a reservation so they had our email) and they made it right by inviting us back as guest of Rob, the Bev Mgr. The 2nd visit the service was impeccable, everything went exactly as we had hoped. We will be back. We can recommend the scallops and the Salmon, the chicken was very tasty. Also, for the food, I recommend the dips and the fresh pitas, so good. We'll be back just for that. Reminds me of the old Berkeley restaurant years ago, Holy Land (IYKYK). Mmmm. Thanks!

    We each ordered the sunrise sandwich - one with bacon and one with sausage. The sausage was super…read morethin and dry. The bacon was fine. The sandwich comes with a small dressed salad and three tomato halves. It was nice. The potatoes served with the sandwich were roasted but served cold and dry. Like they were left over from the night before. Randy enjoyed his mocha. We shared a very dry, flavorless except for the two small bits of jam in them, "cheese" danish. Definitely skip this $7 item that you could get at a circle k for $1.50 and it would taste fresher. You order when you walk in and someone delivers your order and then you're left to fend for yourself. We were able to locate some ketchup for the potatoes on our own. Nobody ever checked on us. This is the second place on this visit that's charging an extra 5% fee so that their employees can have a living wage and health insurance, which absolutely, every employee should have. With the prices they charge, they should already be able to do that, though. I read an article about this fee with many different names and I would rather pay a bit higher of a price and know the employees were taken care of than be surprised by this fee later. Two sandwich breakfasts, a mocha and a danish on top of tax and their healthy sf fee was $63. Steep for the quality we got. Won't be back.

    Photos
    Terrene Lounge
    Terrene Lounge
    Steak and eggs
    Steak and eggs
    Seared scallops

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    Seared scallops

    Xebec - cocktailbars - Updated July 2026

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