07/16/07

Quaint Mission respite charms with New American comfort cuisine.

by Contributor

The Scene
Natural light pours through windows showcasing Mission clamor. Ceiling fans surrounded by sound-proof paneling keep the small spot's vibe cool and calm.
Communal diners can be heard cavorting at a high table in front of an exhibition kitchen, while earth tones and wood floors complete the minimal, warm ambience.

The Food
A dozen dishes decorate the comfort-centric menu with European flair. Long, roasted sardines make for a spectacular opener--bathed in sauce gribiche, sweetened with mustard vinaigrette, then placed atop grilled levain that's sprinkled with an egg-and-herb salad. Radiant sweet-beet puree and creamy pine-nut butter encircle plump Chioggia beets. A satisfying grilled flat-iron steak arrives perfectly pink, sliced atop a crisp chili relleno stuffed with oyster mushroom and melted cheeses. Breaded sole brims with shrimp, resting atop red potatoes and English peas.

06/10/07

Fantastic Find

by evajeff

I had dinner last night here with several girlfriends. All of our courses were amazing and the wine list, although small, is very diverse and reasonably priced. The space is small but very cozy and nicely done. Staff were friendly and attentive and overall, the experience was a very good one. Very similar to Range in style and slightly less expensive. We eat out a lot and we all agreed this is a great find and somewhere we look forward to coming back to time and time again.

• Pros: Food, Ambience
• Cons: Small, not real wine bar to wait for table

01/29/07

Not great, not bad, just uninspiring

by sfnola

Another entry in the "new American" category, this small restaurant (in the old Limon space) did not disappoint, but also did not leave us planning another trip. The baby back ribs as a starter were sweet and meaty, but the dressing on the pear salad had almost no flavor. The venison loin was cooked perfectly rare, but the fried chicken, recently written up in the Chronicle, was substandard- a flavorless and too-soft skin. The sides on both entrees were barely touched. The wine list is esoteric- almost too esoteric. It's as if the proprietor is trying to show how off-beat he can be with his list (look at me, I've got a sparkling wine from Michigan AND New Mexico!). Staff was friendly and attentive, but did the neighborhood really need another version of Range, just a couple blocks away?

• Pros: Friendly staff, interesting wine list
• Cons: Average food from a ho-hum menu

12/28/06

Warm, friendly Bistro

by jumarl

I've been to Maverick twice, sampling many menu items each time. None of them have disappointed. I ordered a pumpkin squash dish last time. I was a little concerned about the combination of ingredients - but they worked. It was great! They have a good wine list and you can always find someone knowledgeable to help you select. Both times our servers have been prompt, efficient and helpful, even when the restaurant got crowded to overflow. I can understand some people's concerns with the location, but my daughter recently bought a place within walking distance, so for me it's great. We took friends (real "foodies") from North Carolina and they loved it, too. This is my first ever restaurant review, although I have been both cooking and eating out for more decades than I'll admit to (does that help qualify me?) Highly Recommended. (12-06)

• Pros: Ambiance, food, service

11/16/06

good comfort food

by sacred_cuer

It's a new buzz in the mission. Right in the heart of Mission. Although the place is on the small side, and I had trouble finding it, missed the sign the first time. And the nieghborhood isn't my type of neighborhood, but the food and service has proven otherwise. It's quite polished and simply elegant on the inside, nice natural wood color decor. It's southern comfort food which includes amazing Fried Green Tomatoes apetizer, my friends loved the baby ribs. I had excellent rissoto, two friend on my table truely enjoyed their Fried Chicken (the best they had in years or so they claim, not exactly the food you generally find in nice restaurants). But others friends said the halibut was good, but not that memorable. Other dishe that are mazing includes the collard green and to die for Mac&Cheese sides. Overall it's a very good experience, though it can be very loud inside.

11/09/06

Hidden treasure!

by ragzjr

Mike and Scott couldn't be better hosts, and their restaurantt/wine bar is a pitch-perfect match to the men's fabulousness (yes... I said fabulousness...). The intimate setting only adds to the feeling that you've stumbled upon a little-known secret. The service is top-notch, the wine-list is diverse and complex and the food is always perfect (taste, presentation... it's all there). Sit at one of the large tables near the door with all your friends for a great night out, or tuck around the corner and have a romantic dinner with your squeeze. You can't go wrong at Maverick! My parnter and I are regulars, and happily so!

• Pros: Service, food, ambience

11/08/06

Monday night wine special rocks!

by kender_us

I love coming here on Monday nights when all wine is 40% off. We got to try some amazing wines that would normally be out of our price range. They were great about making suggestions without making us feel like wine idiots. The fact that the food and service are so good just makes it all that much better. The fried chicken is delicious as is the macaroni and cheese.

• Pros: wine list, nice staff, great food

07/18/06

friendly service

by winediva

I really want to like Maverick. The service and people were both friendly and gracious; I want them to succeed... but the menu is too limited to give Maverick a hearty endorsement. Go if you do not have food limitations and enjoy! If you do (vegetarian, kosher, allergies, picky etc), you might have some difficulty. I would go back without a second thought, but I would not organize a dinner with a group of friends here.

The wine list was reasonable, I was happy with it.

• Pros: service, ambiance, value
• Cons: limited menu

07/17/06

This is the way to run a restaurant.

by bayareaberg

My date and I were lucky enough to stumble across this gem last Saturday, on the last day of their one-year anniversary extravaganza. As soon as we walked in for our 9:45 reservation, we were treated like royalty. First, they were pouring a free glass of cava in honor of the celebration. With this they gave us a beautiful potato-grav lox canape. The chef put together a special four course prix fix menu with wine pairings, and we had to go for it. The restaurant was slammed when we walked in, so it took a few minutes to speak with our server, but the host took care of us, making sure we had cava the whole time. Also, the server felt so bad, that she gave us a free cheese course before dessert, with an extra taste of the AMAZING 02 Merlot from Washington that was paired with the beef tenderloin dish. So, I'm not saying that this place is a bargain or anything, but every course was imaginative, effective, and perfectly executed--in terms of preparation, presentation, and the wine pairing. It was a treat for all the senses. When I woke up Saturday, I didn't know that I'd be eating a six course meal with matching wines, but Maverick would have lived up to weeks of planning. I'm definetley going back there, and if you're in the area of 17th and Mission, you should too.

• Pros: Service, food, wine
• Cons: lack of privacy, noisy

07/17/06

They've never let me down...

by find47

Everytime I eat here Maverick climbs up another notch on my personal list of places to dine. The duck confit is out of this world. Good wine list, cool staff, amazing bread pudding. They also do a pretty nice brunch. You really should go here.

• Pros: Food, Wine, Staff
• Cons: A little on the small side