Hayes Street Grill

Doesn't Recommend

pumpkinbread

Joined 8 years ago

Don't believe the hype. The service was so so, but the food was really terrible. We were excite to try it since we had heard such good things about it. I had fish with shallot butter, the 75% of the fish was hardly warm and the last 25% was actually crispy cold. The shallot butter hardly had any flavor. My husband had the sausage plate which he said was not very warm either and "not that great". Over all I felt the food was really sub par and certainly not worth the bloated prices. I will never go back there and I have already warned my foodie friends against it.

Doesn't Recommend

lilylilylily

Joined 9 years ago

Bland, Expensive, pretentious +leaves you hungry!. Terrible ambience, snobby waitstaff, pricey food, ridiculously small portions (when you order your main entree that is literally what you get unless you count boring greasy fries) and even that one item was bland - much like everything about this place. For $$$$, I expect to be impressed. I was not.

Doesn't Recommend

drlevi

Joined 8 years ago

What a disappointment!. This is an EXTREMELY over-priced restaurant with average food that errs on the minimalist side (i.e. you pay extra if you want something like vegetables to go along with your small, plain piece of fish). It lacked in ambiance (I almost needed to wear my sunglasses) and with such pricey dishes you would think the service would be a little better. I was also not overly impressed with the menu options, which had absolutely no vegetarian options and only two dishes that were not seafood. Over all this was one of the most expensive mistakes I've made. The only thing this restaurant has going for it is its location, but there are plenty of other good places in the area.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Straightforward seafood in a comfortable, welcoming environment at this Hayes Valley staple.. Thanks to its proximity to Civic Center's performance venues, this white, airy room is packed on opera and symphony nights. High ceilings, wooden wainscoting and brass coat hooks provide an old-fashioned but comfortable air, while the polished wooden bar up front makes a good destination for single diners. Food writer and restaurant critic Patricia Unterman, who owns Hayes Street Grill, knows that really fresh seafood doesn't need elaborate preparations to shine. Wild king salmon and Alaskan halibut are deftly grilled and served with hot, crispy french fries and a choice of sauces, such as tangy lemon-caper butter or bright heirloom tomato salsa. Sauteed petrale sole is moist and delicate, topped with new potatoes, chanterelles and fresh peas. In season, sweet, delicate Dungeness crab is sauteed with garlic, butter and red-chili flakes. Some Mediterranean-minded salads and a few non-seafood dishes (including a Niman Ranch burger) round out the menu.

Doesn't Recommend

jwhit98

Joined 9 years ago

Rudeness is to be expected. We have eaten here many times in the past. We have always put up with poor service because we enjoy the food and the restarurant's proximity to events. Monday I called to make a reservation for three weeks from Friday. I was told to call back on Thursday, as they don't accept reservations less than three weeks in advance. When I called on Thursday, they said to call back Friday. I said I was told to call on Thursday and that I'm arranging a trip from out of town. At this point, I was interrupted by the host who told me he "didn't want to hear anymore sob stories," and agreed to accept our reservation. This is the kind of rudeness that's standard for this place.

Doesn't Recommend

sjwukc

Joined 10 years ago

Very Poor.... Pre-theatre this place is very busy. Having now eaten there, I am sure the only reason for this is proximity. Very unfriendly staff who refuse to put the customer first. Avoid at all costs.

Doesn't Recommend

andreabieser

Joined 11 years ago

Overpriced!. This place has been recommended to me over and over again, so we finally went. Why is a piece of fish so expensive at this place...grilling fish is easy!! Way overpriced, and the presentation of the food was like homecooking! We had a piece of fish, mash potatoes and that;s it. If you want veggies you pay extra!!!! please....

Recommends

mark

Joined 11 years ago

Nice lunch spot. Hayes Street Grill is a nice spot for a healthy lunch in a nice atmosphere. The menu provides a variety of choices and the staff is friendly and knowledge.

I seem to have lunch here every month.