Jardiniere Restaurant Review, San Francisco

Jardiniere is a popular restaurant located across the street from the Davies Symphony Hall and War Memorial Opera House. Obviously this place is packed right before a performance. We’ve been to this restaurant many times over the years and decided to give it a go. The owner also runs Manzanita in the Ritz Carleton North Lake Tahoe. The first floor is now completely used for their J lounge, while the restaurant occupies the second floor.

Why did we dine here? – To see how the food was holding up over the years. We ate here way back in ’97 when they opened.

Summary – Jardiniere is a beautiful restaurant and a perfect place before a performance and for a romantic dinner.
Insider Tip – Try to dine after the theater crowd leaves, around 7:30pm. Visit the lounge if you’re on a budget.

Cuisine – French
Chef – Traci Des Jardins
Location – Hayes Valley, Civic Center, San Francisco
Opened – 1997

Decor, Vibe – Jardiniere is a two story restaurant with beautiful curvy decor that has held up to the test of time. The center bar floats upwards towards a star filled recessed circular dome. This restaurant was designed and is co-owned by the famous Pat Kuleto.

Jardiniere Menu

Jardiniere’s Menu is fairly compact with a selection of appetizers and five main courses. A tasting menu is available after 7pm.

Signature Dishes – Short rib, tomato salad.

Website Jardiniere Menu

Jardiniere Food Picks:
Amuse Bouche Gruyère Cheese Puff was excellent.

Early Girl Tomatoes | Little Gems, Castelverano Olives, Fried Bread ($15) was a wonderful salad with excellent fried bread croutons. There simply wasn’t enough tomatoes or lettuce.

Carnaroli Risotto | Maine Lobster, Zucchini, Basil, Blossom ($22) was an excellent dish. Tons of lobster, and cherry tomatoes to give it some zing.

Gnocchi | Guine Hen Sugo, Chanterells, Pecorino ($17) a house made pasta that was very good but needed more pasta! Bitter brocolini was not necessary.

Local White Seabass | Early Girl Tomato Vinaigrette ($23) could have been better. The fish was well cooked but the accompanying sauce was far too simplistic.

Duck | Breast, Confit, Mission Fig, Marcona Almonds ($24) contained some top notched duck breast but could have used twice as many pieces.

Duck Fat Fried Potatoes ($11) were decent and not too fatty.

Sorbet ($9) Goat Sherbert | Stone Fruit | Oatmeal – had two nice flavors along with a weird cheese version.

Cheesecake ($10) Caramel Apples | Walnuts – was a modern interpretation of the classic. Make sure you like this style before you order it.

OK: (Order if you like this dish)

Spaghetti | Fort Bragg Sea Urchin, Sweet Cayenne Peppers ($24) is an acquired taste. This dish was very spicy and the combination with uni, made it interesting.

Pans: (We would not reorder these dishes)
Bloomsdale Spinach, Butter, Shallots ($10) had far too much lemon juice or vinegar on it.

Eggplant Soup | Summer Squash, Flageolets ($14) had a funny after taste that would only be tolerated by vegetarians forced to order this.

Service – Jardiniere had reasonable service that could have been better. The waiter was pretty knowledgable and friendly but wasn’t present very often.

Value – Jardiniere is not cheap and the portion sizes are on the small side. Prices are pretty typical for this class of restaurant.

Alternatives – Restaurants similar to Jardiniere

Verdict – Jardiniere is still a beautiful restaurant in a perfect location for performing arts patrons. The food is very good to excellent, while the service could be a little bit better. It remains a extremely romantic restaurant for those on a date.

Book Jardiniere Reservation

$25 Dining Certificate for $5

Jardiniere Overall Rating: (Very Good 2.5)

Come Back?

Food Rating:	(Excellent)
Service Rating:	(Very Good)
Atmosphere Rating:	(Excellent)
Value Rating:	(Good)

Guide: 0 = poor, 1 = Below/Average, 2 = Good, 2.5 = Very Good, 3 = Excellent , 4 = Extraordinary

Alcohol:	Full Bar
Attire:	Dressy
Hours:	Mon, Sun 5–9pm, Tue-Thu 5–10pm, Fri-Sat 5–11pm
Parking:	Paid Valet
Reservations:	Yes
Prices:	$22 - $28