Bistro Clovis
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 864-0231
- Price:
- $$$
- Cross Street:
- Franklin Street
- Hours:
- Tue-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 5:30pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Bistro Clovis – by Bethany Jean Clement
The Scene
This airy, high-ceilinged boite has the requisite white-lace bistro curtains, fresh flowers, mirrors and antique sconces. But here, the French charm feels refreshingly unstudied and genuine. Young, old, hip and not-so-with-it alike fill the banquettes, all reliving their last trip to Paris.
The Food
The menu exudes authenticity and the execution shows expertise borne of genuine love of the ingredients and preparations. An earthy yet extravagantly rich duck foie gras is house-made, as is a weighty, herb-flecked rabbit paté. A beef and wild mushroom entree is misnamed a "casserole" in English, its braised meat and flaky potatoes swimming in a velvety reduction sauce. Duck with citrus sauce is a better, more subtle reimagining of traditional duck a l'orange. For dessert, excellent tarte Tatin is upside down and caramelized; coup belle helene has deep, dark-chocolate sauce drizzled over ice cream and a poached pear.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Save MoneyMany of the same entrees are available for a couple dollars less for a low-key but elegant lunch.
What to DrinkAsk Max, the proprietor and human embodiment of Bistro Clovis' charm, for his expert recommendation.
User Reviews for Bistro Clovis
11/20/2005 Posted by rebec
There are so many great french restaurants in the city that you have to wait forever to get into, at Bistro Clovis we were seated promptly on a Saturday night around 8:30pm without reservations. Apparently they are very busy early to accomodate the symphony/opera crowd, so i highly recommend arriving after 8pm. The wine list is good and the waitstaff very helpful. We had the blue nose bass special and the rabbit crumble. Both were excellent and the service spaced nicely. Definitely order the tart tatin for dessert, it is amazing!!!
Pros: close to concert hall, wine list, tart tatin!!
07/14/2005 Posted by dunstable
I'm visiting from out of town, and dined at Clovis by myself on impulse. The restaurant was relatively empty when I entered at 6pm, but I had none of the service problems suggested by the other reviews. In fact, the waiter (maitre de maison?) was quite friendly and charming. Unfortunately, the food wasn't very interesting. The flavor of the escargots was largely masked by the garlic butter, and the salade d'agneau was made with romaine lettuce (I'd have preferred greatly a nice mesclun). The cheese plate was well-chosen, but I'd have preferred a wider selection. On the other hand, it only cost me $60 for three courses and several glasses of wine, which isn't too bad at all. If you're in the area and are fond of French cuisine, have a go, but it's not a must-try.
Pros: reasonably priced, great ambience, friendly waitstaff
Cons: somewhat bland food
Users Like You Also Viewed
Hog Island Oyster Company
1 Ferry Plz
San Francisco, CA 94111
