Ana Mandara Restaurant

08/21/08

Go here!

by foodieSS4K at Citysearch

I?ve been here before and each time, I have had a very pleasant dining experience. On top of that, did you know this restaurant is teaming up with StreetSmart4kids? It?s actually really cool what they?re doing. I just heard about how SS4K is a nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged teens stay healthy. They are running their ?Dine Out and Donate? campaign here (as well as approx. 70 other restaurants in SF) during October and early November. After having a fabulous dining experience, just fill out the donation form when paying the check (minimum donation $3). This is perfect for people like me, who love to eat out all the time and also like to give back to the community. Check it out for yourself on the StreetSmart4Kids website!

01/20/08

tasty food, great price

by monkies at Citysearch

very nice place, and the food was tasty and unique. wasn't as upscale as people are making it out to be, i felt it was a nice date place, or a nice evening out. upscale but not upscale enough where you warrant stuffiness. i think between me and my girl the bill was like $150 (drinks, appetizers, main and deserts) so very reasonably priced...lots of people claim it's overpriced/expensive, but it's what' i'd expect for a 5-star type of place. i'd definitely go back for special dinners or if i'm just in the mood for a nice meal. they had a jazz band playing too, which was a classy added touch. nice bar upstairs, separated from the main dining room visually.

whine whine whine. the service was fine...in fact any place of this type of caliber is going to have good service. that's the standard at restaurants like this. i find that when people go a nice place, they expect servers to jump around and dance for them or something. no the service wasn't like a ciprianni or gordon ramsey restaurant, but it wasn't a TGIF.

• Pros: great food, good prices, classy atmosphere...nice but not so nice you feel awkward
• Cons: none really

10/17/07

Super Romantic place

by sallyvjj at Citysearch

Kind of dressy place but the ambience is super romantic that worths dressing up for. Food is great too. The combination of Vietnamese and French are blended very well. Wine selections is good too.

03/29/07

Beautiful Food, Beautiful Place

by sf_delight at Citysearch

The restaurant itself is stunning. The decor is very elegant, as is the food (vietnamese fusion). But, it's a bit overpriced. And I had a shrimp dish that was really lovely, but really underdone. There's a certain attitude that comes with poshness, which I don't find very welcoming. I would recommend this place for a special occasion.

09/10/06

Good food, somewhat expensive

by sfdining94123 at Citysearch

This is expensive Vietnamese food. It's very good, but it's also very expensive. I wouldn't go pay money for this food myself (someone else was treating), but it is good. It's a really nice ambiance, also. I would say that if you like really nice vietnamese food in a really nice setting and you don't mind paying a lot of money, this is okay. Otheriwise, other Vietnamese holes in the wall would probably be just as tasty....

03/30/06

Cool Ambience, Decent Taste

by sockit2me at Citysearch

Ana Mandara is definitely reserved for Special Occasions. Keep in mind that you go largely for the ambience, the food being important but secondary. I've been there 5 times now, with large and small groups. Yes, the prices are exorbitant and the portions are a bit small but the food is presented beautifully enough and tastes adequate enough to justify the visits. Compared to Tamarine in Palo Alto (the only other true, upscale Vietnamese restaurant), AMandara probably wins by a small margin because their interpretation of Vietnamese cuisine is more unique and their restaurant decor is more sleek and inviting.

• Pros: Ambience, Cool Presentation
• Cons: Expensive, Taste OK only

05/17/05

Pleasantly surprised

by texasfoodie at Citysearch

Ate here for lunch. Restaurant nearly empty. I was pleasantly surprised that a restaurant in the touristy Fisherman's wharf area is serving such tasty food. Especially when considering it's owned by celebrities. The dungeness crab soup is delicious as is the mango soup dessert. Those are 2 dishes not to miss. Entrees were less impressive though solid. Reasonable pricing for the SF area as well. Will definitely return.

04/03/05

well-polished

by gelid at Citysearch

The dark, wood interior was almost sensual. If you're on a date, though, don't get seated in a booth unless you're WELL over six feet tall (they're very large). Otherwise, it was quite nice. Food featured complex, rich flavors and very tender meat. The server, though quite terse and hard to find at times, made good recommendations.

• Pros: dark, romantic
• Cons: not enough servers

09/18/03

Great Decor

by achin at Citysearch

The decor in the restaurant is amazing - it's very elegant, classy and romantic. Service is usually good, and the staff is very friendly. The food is great, though portions could be bigger.

07/15/03

Strange 'Hood, Good Chow

by nyc_rogue_critic at Citysearch

Aside from the fact that a hip Asian restaurant seems out of place in a mostly touristy neighborhood (Fisherman's Wharf), overall it delivers enjoyable cuisine in an exciting and interesting setting. Hard to find a weak point on the menu (and we shared lots of dishes). The soft underbelly is probably the service, which had its flaws (the English skills of the waiters are weak). However, this is more than compensated for by the food and the decor. Who needs to eat in hip neighborhoods anyway?

• Pros: Food, Decor
• Cons: Service, Prices