Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

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398 Hayes (at Gough) San Francisco, CA 94102

415-551-1590

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7 User reviews Write A Review

Best Pop-Up Bar Night
Award Winner 2011

Cuisine(s): California, French

Hours: Sun 10:30am-10pm, Tue-Fri 11:30am-12am, Sat 11am-12am

Price: $$$, $$$$
Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards

Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Private Party, Coat Check

Serving: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Late Night, Lunch
Alcohol: Full bar

Reservations: Accepted, Recommended, Online Reservations Available

Parking: Street

Description

You can get anything you want, including absinthe, at this extremely pleasant French restaurant in Hayes Valley's restaurant row, which services the Opera House and Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall. Every gustatory desire, including exquisite cocktails and ripe cheeses, can and will be satisfied. Excellent before or after a performance, or instead of one.

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Dine About Town 2012

May 15

Dine About Town is back for seconds! Pull up a seat at the city's hottest eating event from June 1-15. More than 110 restaurants are serving prix f...

2011 | Best Pop-Up Bar Night

Absinthe's bar manager Carlos Yturria and executive chef Adam Keough host Pickled on the last Monday of each month (except December). It's essentially a pop-up bar within a bar, with a set menu that features a selection of seasonal cocktails and bites that aren't typically available elsewhere. While the permanent cocktail menu is a page-turning read of literary references and historical adaptations, Pickled is a jumping-off point for even deeper experiments into the beyond. Artichoke... More »
2006 | Best Martini

The bar at Absinthe is one of our favorite bars in the city, and Absinthe is one of our favorite restaurants near the opera and symphony, for before- or after-concert dining. Hell, Absinthe is one of our favorite French restaurants anywhere. OK, to tell the truth, we love Absinthe immoderately, for its multiple menus (brunch, lunch, dinner, bar, oyster bar, cheese, dessert -- and remember, as its Web site says sternly, "All Menus Change Daily"), its posh setting, its late hours, and its... More »
2005 | Best After-Opera Meal

Whether it's Wagner or Offenbach (or even the ballet or the symphony or City Arts & Lectures), our favorite act is always the last one, which takes place at Absinthe, a thoroughly professional restaurant that's well aware of the responsibility conferred on it by its location adjacent to Civic Center. Reservations are imperative for the before-event meal, but we prefer arriving after: The kitchen is open until midnight Tuesday through Saturday (and the bar is open until 2 a.m. on Friday and... More »
2004 | Best Under-the-Radar Restaurant

It's not what you'd call unknown, but Absinthe doesn't automatically come up when people are discussing San Francisco's best restaurants or competitively assessing celebrity chefs. Yet it consistently serves memorable, delicious food (we're still dreaming of a chilled Dungeness crab with truffle oil mayonnaise and sea beans, and the only boeuf à la ficelle we've seen on a menu in many years, perfectly prepared) in a comfortable, posh setting. Its good food is supported by thoughtful... More »
2002 | Best Pick-Me-Up

Although hangover as lifestyle is a career choice best avoided, there are those occasional mornings when even the best of us pay the piper for the previous night's revels. While we don't advise the hair of the dog on a regular basis (you might learn to rely on it too much), we must at this point quote from Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man, in which the perpetually soused Nick Charles greets Nora and a new morning with, "How about a drink to cut the phlegm?" Absinthe mixes up a marvelous... More »
2000 | Best Brunch

Unlike any other meal of the day or week, brunch is all about laziness, and languor, and the civilized appreciation of sloth as both lifestyle and art form. It's the time you either spend on the couch with lox, bagels, and the Sunday paper, or out at a stupefyingly lavish buffet spread that will do nothing to erase your acedia. The third alternative is to go to a place like Absinthe (make that exactly like Absinthe), where the preparation and presentation of this most indolent of meals is... More »

Yuubi and La Boulange de Yerba Buena Open, Burritt Tavern Update, and a Musical Buzz at Mutiny Radio and Cafe

By Mollie McWilliams | Wed, March 14, 2012

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco food scene. Opening: Grub Street reports that Yuubi, a Japanese restaurant, is readying to open in the Ric... More »
Elegant, Old-School Dining Sets Absinthe Brunch Apart

By Olivia Ware | Fri, November 25, 2011

Dining at Absinthe is a reminder of what eating out used to be like, perhaps before good food became available to the masses. Hostesses offer to take your coat upon walking in the door, classic cock... More »
Citron Lemonade, a Brunch Affair at Absinthe

By Tamara Palmer | Fri, October 29, 2010

The cocktail menu at Absinthe is rife with literary, historical, and personal references, making it one of the most fun to read in town. Of course, we recommend actually sampling from it, and note tha... More »
Charles Chocolate Scales Up, Burger Joint Scales Down (for the Moment)

By Jonathan Kauffman | Wed, August 18, 2010

The past 24 hours in gossip, innuendo, and cold hard facts about the San Francisco restaurant scene.Paolo L. of Inside Scoop reports that Charles Chocolates just signed a deal with the Westfield... More »
Pickled, Absinthe's Monthly Cocktail Pop-Up, Rolls Out Monday

By John Birdsall, SFoodie Editor | Thu, June 24, 2010

You know pop-ups have reached some critical mass of sexy when brick-and-mortars tap into the meme. On Monday, Absinthe bar manager Carlos Yturria trots out the concept for Pickled, the first in a seri... More »
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LingLo | San Francisco, CA | 2 Reviews

| Fri, May 28, 2010

I love Absinthe for any meal of the day. For brunch I love the wild mushroom omlette or the blueberry souffle pancakes. For lunch the Dungeoness crab sandwich is a favorite. I have not been there for dinner yet, but I have a feeling I would love it also.
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mtymandy | san mateo, CA | 2 Reviews

| Mon, August 24, 2009

Cocktails are to Die For!
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ShaunR | San Francisco, CA | 9 Reviews

| Mon, August 10, 2009

I was lucky enough to visit Paris for the first time a few months ago, and dining at Absinthe took me right back to the Parisian streets, and the amazing restaurants in the city. I'm not a huge fan of the taste of absinthe the drink, but could go on about Absinthe the restaurant for hours...check it out!
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People Who Like Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

Tearsurfjoy
San Francisco, CA
Kristan5
San Francisco, CA

Dinner Menu

Soups & Salads

$5.00
$8.50

French Onion Soup Gratinee

$6.00
$10.00

Potato-mushroom-leek Soup
green garlic, brioche croutons

$12.00

Smoked-chicken Brodo
fava beans, crème fraiche ravioli, shaved scallions

$6.00
$11.00

Hearts Of Romaine
garlic croutons, parmesan, caesar dressing

$13.00

Mixed Local Greens
muscat grapes, brioche crisp, goat cheese mousse, orange-almond vinaigrette

Snacks

$4.00

Spicy Fried Chickpeas
berbere spice, parsley

$6.00

French Fries
smoky tomato ketchup, sweet-onion aïoli

$5.00

Marinated Mixed Olives
herbes de provence, meyer lemon

$8.00

Soft Garlic Pretzels
vermont cheddar mornay

$9.00

Prosciutto Arancini
spigarello, spicy-orange pomodoro

Entrees

$25.00

Market Vegetable Plate
crispy-yukon potato & asparagus roll, carrot purée, wild mushrooms, hazelnut-brown butter vinaigrette

$27.00

Masami Farms Pork Osso Buco
white bean stew, baby root vegetables, citrus gremolata, pork jus

$26.00

Coq Au Vin
red burgundy-braised mary’s chicken, bacon, roasted crimini mushrooms, crostini, persillade

$28.00

Local Sole
verjus-red currant reduction, butterball potatoes, charred cauliflower, braised artichokes

$27.00

Potato-crusted Arctic Char
little gem lettuce, yellow wax beans, red radish, niçoise olives

$22.00

Atkins Ranch Lamb Sugo
parpadelle pasta, pancetta, peas & favas, mint, crumbled-herb croutons, fruity olive oil

$15.00

Absinthe Hamburger
r storm hill angus beef, aïoli, baby lettuces, red onion, house-made pickles, french fries. smoked gouda, gruyère, gorgonzola, sauteed mushrooms, fried egg or spicy caramelized onions $1.50

7oz Bistro Filet $26.00
10oz Rib Eye Steak $35.00
8oz Filet Mignon $36.00

Market Selection Of Black Angus Beef
all served with green garlic-whipped potatoes, grilled asparagus, green peppercorn jus

Raw Bar

Ea. $3.50

Oysters
beau soleil, new brunswick marin miyagi, tomales bay kumamoto, point reyes sparkling rosé mignonette, lemon

$16.00
$30.00

Chilled Dungeness Crab

$39.00
$75.00

Chilled Shellfish Platter

$4.50
With Vodka $2.25

Oyster Shooter
bloody mary sauce

½oz $42.00
1oz $79.00

Tsar Nicoulai Osetra Caviar
sieved egg, crème fraîche, scallions, warm blinis

Share Plates

$16.00

Shellfish Stew
blue prawn, manila clams, pei mussels, butter beans, bell pepper-bacon broth, crostini

$17.00

Hawaiian Hamachi Sashimi
salmon roe, pixie mandarin, easter egg radish, spicy-lemongrass ponzu, basil

$15.00

Country Pate
pork, duck livers, duck confit, cornichons, pickled vegetables, toasted sweet batard

$14.00

Roasted Baby Beet & Green Apple
stilton cheese, roasted pistachios, brioche croutons, minus 8 vinegar

$16.00

Beef Tartare
violet mustard, green apple, red onion, cornichons, quail egg yolk, crostini

Domestic Cheeses
Selection Of Three Cheeses $24.00, Selection Of Five Cheeses $38.00. Each Of The Served With Its Condiment & House-made Walnut Bread

$9.00

Great Hill Blue
honeycomb raw cow milk, sharp, caramel flavors, rich great hill dairy, marion, massachusetts

$9.00

Humboldt Fog
peach jam goat milk, ash ribbon, creamy, tangy cypress grove chevre, arcata, california

$9.00

Flagship Reserve
mango compote cow milk, semi hard, nutty, rich beecher’s handmade cheese, seattle, washington

$9.00

Mt Tam
marcona almonds, fuji apples cow milk, soft, bloomy rind, buttery, tangy cowgirl creamery, point reyes station, california

Imported Cheeses
Selection Of Three Cheeses $24.00, Selection Of Five Cheeses $38.00. Each Of The Served With Its Condiment & House-made Walnut Bread

$9.00

9fourme D’ambert
acacia honey raw cow milk, deep flavor, semi-firm, smooth texture jean d’alos, auvergne, france

$9.00

Keen’s Cheddar
quince paste raw cow milk, firm, tangy, rich moorhayes farm, somerset, united kingdom

$9.00

Fromage De Meaux
asian pears, acacia honey cow milk, soft, bloomy rind, rich, buttery robert rouzaire, ile-de-france, france

$9.00

Mahon Reserva
white wine-poached apricots raw cow milk, firm, sharp, nutty mahon, balearic islands, spain

Dessert

$9.00

Chocolate Pot De Creme
valrhona nyangbo chocolate, crème chantilly

$9.00

Meyer Lemon Tart
basil meringue, meyer lemon curd, candied buddha’s hand

$9.00

Panna Cotta Parfai
white chocolate panna cotta, passion fruit panna cotta, coconut crumble

$10.00

Vanilla Cheesecake
braised pineapple, macadamia nut, cilantro wenzel, rust, burgenland

$10.00

Opera Cake
espresso custard, chocolate ganache, almond joconde cake, orange

$9.00

Parsnip Cake
iced buttermilk, cocoa nib, milk jam, oxalis blandy’s, malmsey

$8.00

Grapefruit Sorbet
sable breton cookie

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Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

398 Hayes (at Gough) San Francisco, CA 94102

415-551-1590

Description

May 15

2011 | Best Pop-Up Bar Night

2006 | Best Martini

2005 | Best After-Opera Meal

2004 | Best Under-the-Radar Restaurant

2002 | Best Pick-Me-Up

2000 | Best Brunch

By Mollie McWilliams | Wed, March 14, 2012

By Olivia Ware | Fri, November 25, 2011

By Tamara Palmer | Fri, October 29, 2010

By Jonathan Kauffman | Wed, August 18, 2010

By John Birdsall, SFoodie Editor | Thu, June 24, 2010

LingLo | San Francisco, CA | 2 Reviews

mtymandy | san mateo, CA | 2 Reviews

ShaunR | San Francisco, CA | 9 Reviews

People Who Like Absinthe Brasserie & Bar