Tangerine
San Francisco, CA 94114
Phone: (415) 626-1700
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Sanchez Street
- Best of Citysearch:
- Brunch 2007, Brunch 2006, Pan Asian Food 2006
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 5pm-10pm , Sat-Sun 10am-3pm
Message from Tangerine
Romantic dining and relaxing weekend, holiday brunch in the Castro.
- Pacific Rim cuisine
- Extensive wine list
- Patio seating
Instant Offers
- 20% Tuesdays : 20% Off All Dinner Menu Items
- Wine on Wednesdays : Complimentary Wine with Your Entrée
- Thrifty Thursdays : $9.95 Dinner Entrée Special
Paid advertisement by Tangerine.
Editorial Review for Tangerine – by Jen Robbins
The Scene
A silver sign and wood-bedecked exterior lure in neighborhood locals and couples for dinner dates and weekend brunch. The cream-colored, L-shaped dining room is lined with vibrant, tropical-themed paintings and big windows while a tangerine-hued back wall provides a splash of color. On warm days, the umbrella-laden sidewalk cafe is the place to be, while at night, candles warmly flicker atop white tablecloths inside.
The Food
A soft-shell crab starter, delicately battered in tempura, doesn't disappoint. Seafood gumbo is packed with generous chunks of fish, calamari, and shrimp over a sweet rice that's nicely balanced by the kicky red sauce. The flavorful baked squash entree, stuffed with curried tofu, could feed two. For dessert, green tea ice cream mochi is just sweet enough, its rice wrapping dusted in powdered sugar. Weekend brunch keeps the Asia-meets-America theme going with options like the lemon prawn and avocado scramble.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
When to GoOn Mondays, get two-for-one beer, wine or soju cocktails. Come back on "Thrifty Thursdays" for a rotating $9.95 dinner special.
What to DrinkTangerine's slushy rendition of a mango margarita, which blends sake, fresh mango, mango syrup and plum wine, packs a punch.
Where to SitTo the left of the entrance are two tables with benches covered in fluffy cushions. These seats aren't just the most comfortable in the house--they also provide a prime view of the busy corner for people-watching.
User Reviews for Tangerine
05/04/2008 Posted by ippikiookami
After reading the reviews, I called Tangerine to see if I could make a reservation for a large group for Sunday brunch. I was told that the restaurant doesn't take reservations -- no exceptions -- and that the best way to get a good table was to arrive early. Two weeks later, I arrived nearly an hour before the restaurant opened, and waited outside. There are two nice tables near the window alcove, separate from the more crowded, noisy dining area. Right before opening the doors, a waiter put a "reserved" sign on one of the tables. We went in and explained that we'd been waiting for that specific table, and were told that two "friends of the owners always sat there" and that we couldn't have the table (the owner's friends, two people, arrived about 15 minutes after the doors opened, expecting to have the large table to themselves). I explained my side of the story and -- long story short -- we were finally able to get the table we had waited so long for, but the manager made it very clear that she thought I was in the wrong and that the "two regulars" had a right to the table. Once we were seated, the service was good, quick and friendly. We were the first ones in at 10:00, and the place was full with a line of people waiting by 10:30. We appreciated the range of choices on the brunch menu. The food, itself, was disappointing. Not bad, by any means, but certainly not exceptional or even very memorable. The concensus of our group was that diners should stick to the basics -- omelettes, pancakes and waffles, and not try the "unique" (and not very good) dishes such as macaronni & corn pancakes, fritattas, or even the eggs benedict. Given the way our party was treated by the manager and the double standard regarding reservations, I will never go back to this restaurant, and will steer everyone I know away from it. Let the "regulars" have their Tangerine -- there are hundreds of places in this city with much better food and atmosphere.
Pros: If you're a friend of the owner, you will be treated well...
Cons: ...if you're not, best go somewhere else
12/07/2007 Posted by charsiupau2003
This was my 2nd time to Tangerine and the food was consistently good. I ordered the Sea Bass, which came out perfect. The fish was sweet and moist. It was really tasty on top of the bed of rice. My friend ordered the pork chop and it tasted better than last time. The meat was perfectly cooked and marinated. We were really surprised by the crab cakes, fluffy and soft, they were really good. The best appetizer has to be the clams and mussels. Save the bread and sauce for dipping. We saw the next table doing the same. The calamari was not too bad, though I found it a bit chewy. We had a great house white wine and completed our meal with the tiramisu. It was creamy and rich, but the chocolate was not too bitter or over powering. We came last Friday on a really cold night but they had a heat lamp to keep the place warm and cozy. The orange glow of the place really lets the diners relax and enjoy their meals. I noticed the ceiling fan was on to keep the air circulating which is really nice because you never want to smell like kitchen food like in other places in San Francisco. Nicely done.
Pros: Clean, warm and cozy ambience, good appetizers, terrific main dishes
Cons: Parking, small and limited seating
