Jardiniere
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 861-5555
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Franklin Street
- Directions:
- J-Lounge (new)/ both daily 5pm-10:30
- Specialties:
- Bartenders, Signature Drinks
- Best of Citysearch:
- Fine Dining 2008, French Food 2007, Celebrity Chef 2007
- Hours:
- Daily 5pm-10:30pm
Editorial Review for Jardiniere – by Jennifer Joseph
The Scene
Warm yet cosmopolitan, this brick powerhouse draws a moneyed crowd to its plush two levels. Given its location, Jardiniere is a popular pre- and post-symphony hangout. Champagne is a theme here, from the massive ice bucket set into the horseshoe bar to the glittering golden dome, reminiscent of tiny bubbles, looming overhead.
The Food
Since 1997, Jardiniere has offered superb Cal-French fare highlighting seasonal ingredients. Though owner Traci Des Jardins no longer mans the stoves, Craig Pazter's menu hews to her vision. Creamy butternut squash soup with a whisper of ginger is an autumnal delight, as is the lightly balanced Dungeness crab, avocado and orange appetizer. Hearty roast lamb loin with flageolet beans and kale wards off winter chill, as do tender braised short ribs. Fresh steelhead salmon or swordfish are lighter and equally satisfying. For dessert, the bonne bouche platter is filled with whimsies like house-made truffles and chocolate petit fours.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Where to SitThe downstairs dining room can get noisy. Request an upstairs table for greatest dining enjoyment.
When to GoOn a performance nights, arrive no later than 5:45pm for an 8pm curtain.
ParkingValet parking is $10, and you can leave your car with them if you're going to a performance after dinner. Only cash is accepted.
User Reviews for Jardiniere
03/11/2008 Posted by jamesbeswick
Where to start... The valet guys are rude. The servers are overworked and even the good ones can't turn around food because the kitchen isn't ready. The cheese board is the most expensive on Planet Earth. The place is LOUD, and I mean totally, unacceptably loud for a restaurant. And the whole experience is way to expensive for what it is. Having said that, the food's pretty good - when it eventually arrives and it's quite a cool spot. But the negatives really need to be fixed to justify a $100 a head with little alcohol.
Pros: Pretty good food
Cons: Expensive, slow, VERY LOUD
07/26/2007 Posted by scooterboy17
The reviews sounded great, nice jazz paired with great food in a whimsical atmosphere. I thought what a great place to a good friend for her birthday. WRONG!!! It was like dining at Nordstrom's during their semi-annual sale. Too crowded with too many tables crammed together for comfortable dining and LOUD. I remember distinctly hearing a lot of thumping feet, with a din of piano music in the background. The jazz? The "jazz" was more elevator muzak. Too bad since the pianist was actually good. I lost count how many times our table was bumped by both diners and way too many staff members, considering it was hard to remember who our server was. Maybe, the wait staff should spend less time complaining about management issues instead of looking angry and busy. Yes, nothing worse than service by a bitchy, loud wait staff. Our busboy was GREAT though, and more attentive than everyone combined (we tipped him privately as he deserved it). Food wise, we ordered the six course tasting menu with the wine pairing. The food arrived lukewarm to cold, therefore, nothing was memorable. The foie gras was good. The fish was fishy and the meat course - definitely cold and congealed. What was memorable was the portion sizes; they were tiny!! This is a example of presentation taking precedence over the actual food. Needless to say, we actually ate several dinner rolls as we were hungry. The price of this culinary fiasco, well over $300; the time wasted - close to three hours. Would I recommend this place?? HELL no! For this kind of experience, take a tuna sandwich to Nordstrom's, eat it next to the piano player, and give the rest of your money to the homeless people at the Powell St. turnaround. Now that would be more satisfying!
Pros: The busboy was nice. The foie gras tasted good.
Cons: Everything else.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
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