The Public Restaurant & Bar-CLOSED
(415) 552-3065
1489 Folsom St
San Francisco,
CA
94103
37.7718
-122.4137
Neighborhoods: Central East, SoMa (South of Market), SoMa
Hours:
Tue-Thu 5:30pm-10pm
Fri-Sat 5:30pm-2am
Price:
$$$
Parking:
Street
Last updated 4.27.09
What People Are Saying About The Public Restaurant & Bar-CLOSED
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
This loft-like space is surrounded by brick walls and rotating paintings that keep the scenery fresh. Dance tunes play at a whisper; black-clad waitresses serve mango mojitos from two bars. Fashionable clientele can mingle on designer couches in the center of the main room or head upstairs, where a dining room sits beneath an I-beam ceiling.
The Food
A seasonally updated menu features comfort cuisine with gourmet flare. Portions are generous, aside from a petite crab-and-shrimp cake starter. An entree-worthy smoked boar sausage is bolstered by white-bean puree and sweetened by balsamic figs. Chili flakes add spice to diced tuna poke, presented in a sesame-soy-dressed mold of cucumbers and shiitake mushrooms. A knife glides through braised short ribs bathed in a thin port-cabernet sauce; but the ling cod's saffron-tomato broth tastes like Spaghettios. Desserts shine, highlighted by a chocolate bread pudding.
User Reviews
madmadzoo
March 17, 2008
the food, the service, the place, 5 star all the way. you will have to go and try it yourself to know what all the review is talking about. but go soon, they are moving... to China.
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bigrand010
March 03, 2007
Went to this area to chill with my friends and came upon this hidden gem. This place had a great late nite happy hour with gourment food at a reasonable price. ($5 for everything on the menu!!!) This has been my favorite place to hang out and have a great time.
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msmo814
December 18, 2006
Most definitely. The Public is a great space in a great location. Stop by for drinks or a bite to eat before heading down the block to a show at Slim's. I recently went to the Public on a Friday night for dinner with my boyfriend. I expected the place to be packed already, but upon our arrival for a 7pm reservation, we were the first people in the loft space upstairs and a minute after that we were ordering our drinks. Our server was extremely nice and made some great recommendations on the food. If you like cabernet, try what they have on the list. You might as well just get the whole bottle. It's yummy. The gorgonzola salad and the endive salad are delicious. The gorgonzola salad is a little rich so if you want something a bit lighter to save room for your entree, go for the endive salad. It's got a nice citrus flavor and tastes very clean. For entrees, we had the short ribs and the duck. Both were good, the meats were so tender they just melted in your mouth. For dessert, if you are a creme brulee afficionado you should try the vanilla creme brulee which is bruleed perfectly by the way. All in all, the food was good, the atmosphere was amazing, and the service was extremely friendly. We ended up having the equivalent of a bottle of wine, a beer, an appetizer, 2 salads, 2 entrees, and a dessert for a total of $130 including tip. Not bad for a Friday night! Even after we paid and were on our way out the door, I was looking for a lighter so I could smoke and one of the chefs gladly lent me his. Now that's service! It's a fun spot to have dinner and stay after for drinks. If you are curious, go check it out yourself. I doubt you will be disappointed.
read full reviewThe Details on The Public Restaurant & Bar-CLOSED
Look Good:
Dress casually hip to fit in with the main floor's single scene.
When to Go:
Grab a bite on the weekend before sampling the area's nightlife. The Public is located within walking distance of many clubs and bars.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
People Watching, Date Spot, Group Dining, Happy Hour, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene
