Wonderful date night kind of place. Great food and entertainment. Our new favorite restaurant in SF.

I took my dad here because he loves different foods. The last time I had Moroccan food was 10 years ago. Ambiance: 10/10. It felt like a hookah lounge vibe. Service: 10/10. The ratio of servers to customers was really good and someone always came checking on our table. We didn't have the same server which made the service better because multiple employees came by to refill our waters and take away our plates. Belly dancer was really good. Make sure you bring cash. They do have a business card where she takes Venmo but cash is more fun to give during her performance and it probably motivates them to perform better when they're getting cash tips. The belly dancer engages with the audience so that made it more interesting. My dad ordered the rabbit which was unique and tasted like chicken. I ordered the hen with grilled onions which was tender. I enjoyed the pacing of the 5 course meal and I timed it to make reservations at 6:45pm and the belly dancing started at 7:30pm. She ended at 8pm so it was a half hour show. Baklava and fried banana was good not overly sweet. Would I be back? Yes, it's a rare occasion for me to try Moroccan food and I enjoyed the vibe. read more

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Went to celebrate my birthday with some friends and had the best time! The weekend menu is prix fixe, but you get a lot of food for the price, and everything was absolutely delicious. The belly dancing show starts around 7:30 p.m., so don't miss it! The staff were super friendly and attentive, and the restaurant is beautifully decorated and so clean and cozy. My only small complaint was that it got a little warm inside toward the end of the evening, but honestly, it wasn't a big deal. Don't forget to bring cash to tip the belly dancer! She was so wonderful. I'll definitely be back! Thank you, El Mansour! read more

El Mansour - Moroccan Near Me - San Francisco, California

One of the worst service experiences I have ever had. After we were seated, we were essentially ignored for about 20 minutes. I had to repeatedly walk around and flag down staff just to order and receive basic service. Our soup arrived without spoons. After asking again, we were given one normal spoon and one oversized serving spoon. We purchased a Groupon advertised as a five-course dinner for two. The portions served felt appropriate for one person, at least one advertised item never arrived, and we were charged separately for mint tea even though it was listed as included in the Groupon. An 18% service fee was automatically added. Although that fee appears in the Groupon fine print, it was especially frustrating after such inattentive service. The food itself was average at best. I would not return. read more

My family and I went to this place and we loved the experience. We loved the food! Good attention to detail! They paid special attention to my child as well. I would come back here! My toddler like the food as a well. read more

A restaurant doesn't stick around for 38 years unless it's got something good going on and El Mansour most certainly does. It looks a little tired when the place is less than full but on a recent weekday night there were three different parties celebrating birthdays (lights dim, an African version of "Happy Birthday" is played, and a candle-lit goodie is delivered to your table), the belly dancer was the most beautiful I've seen (join her when invited), and the multi-course prix-fixe meal (about $62-$67) was very satisfying. It's dinner and a show in an exotic environment far out on Clement Street. What's not to like? A change from my last visit here, many years earlier, is that one doesn't have to order the prix-fixe, multi-course meal. We did though, and enjoyed the lentil soup (salty), bread, and all of the shared platters (salads, Bastilla, dessert). With one exception (an inedibly chewy Beef Kabob that was sent back and replaced with a different entree), we really enjoyed the Lamb Shoulder (with eggplant, delicious), Chicken (with onions and olives), and the Seafood Tagine. Concluding with that dessert platter and authentic hot mint tea, I'm happy to report that El Mansour is still around, still worth a visit. Some poll somewhere identified it as one of San Francisco's funnest restaurants. Gather a group and head there on a weekend evening and I'm certain you'll agree. read more

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It genuinely hurts me to write this review because my first experience at El Mansour was perfect. Everything was stellar, and I loved it enough that when my parents came into town, I was excited to bring them here. I had talked the restaurant up beforehand, which made this experience especially disappointing. From the beginning, we felt ignored. My dad ordered a drink that never came. We received no silverware and had to ask three different servers before finally getting some, at which point our food was cold. Tables next to us that arrived well after us were served before us. Whenever we raised an issue, we were told they were very busy. I've worked in restaurants, so I understand what being slammed looks like. We actually tried to leave because it seemed like they simply didn't have the capacity to serve us that night, but we were told my card would still be charged per person. If being overwhelmed was the problem, I don't understand why we couldn't simply leave. There was also a miscommunication about how we were ordering. The server apparently understood that I wanted to order à la carte, while I wanted the full experience and was completely willing to pay more for it. Miscommunications happen. What I don't understand is why that miscommunication became an argument. When I spoke to the manager, he told me he had talked to our server and that the server's version was different from mine. Respectfully, I didn't care whose recollection was different. I wasn't accusing anyone of lying. I was telling him what I had intended to order and what we were experiencing. He could have come to our table, looked at what we had actually been served, and seen the situation for himself. He never did. And what we were served was honestly insulting. There were more of us at the table, yet we received less food overall than I had received on my previous visit with just my partner. The two of us had left completely satisfied that night. This time, my entire family left hungry. The manager also told me that no one had ever complained about this before. Again, respectfully, that was irrelevant to me. Other customers' experiences had nothing to do with what was happening at our table. I wasn't comparing El Mansour to some expectation I invented--I was comparing El Mansour to El Mansour. I went to the manager specifically because I had loved this restaurant and wanted to continue having a good relationship with it. Instead, the conversation kept becoming an argument, despite me repeatedly making clear that I wasn't asking for anything free. I would pay whatever they wanted me to pay; I just wanted to understand what had happened. After all of that, gratuity was automatically added to the bill. I came in excited to share a restaurant I loved with my parents and left embarrassed that I had recommended it so highly. We were ignored, served cold food without silverware, given portions that left my entire family hungry, prevented from leaving without being charged, and then argued with when I tried to address it. It genuinely hurts to write this because I wanted to leave still loving El Mansour. Instead, I left wondering why trying to resolve the situation became such a fight in the first place. read more

Came here for dinner at 7:15pm on a Wednesday night. I had a Groupon deal for dinner for 2 + bottle of wine. The inside is very cute, and decorated. I really loved the ambiance of the place. The service was 10/10. Belly dancing show started around 7:30pm. Please bring tip if you are watching the show! We did the signature 5 course menu. The dinner comes with 3 appetizers, 1 entree and a dessert w/ mint tea. We got the braised chicken with couscous and Moroccan seafood tagine which had shrimp and scallops. The braised chicken was so tender the meat fell off the bone. The seafood entree was also really yummy and the portions are huge. read more

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The server was fabulous! I unfortunately forgot his name. He was so classy and super friendly, Food kept coming... Yummy food... And then, at around 8 PM, a great belly dancer appeared. She was very skilled. Beautiful young woman, balancing a sword, doing all kinds of dances in different costumes, she put a great effort in it. Balancing a whole chandelier of burning real candles on her head. And interacting in a very nice way with the Guests. They happen to be a group of young women celebrating graduation. So we all danced. This is not my first time there. Really love that place. If you haven't been, you should check it out! read more

El Mansour - The belly dancers name is Jennifer Estrella, she gave me her card - Moroccan Near Me - San Francisco, California

El Mansour gave us something that's been hard to find since we left the East Coast. Why aren't there more Moroccan restaurants? This has all the atmosphere we wanted. Carpets and cushions everywhere, dim lights and curtained ceilings with beautiful light fixtures. Too bad we can't have hookah smoke anymore. You get to choose among different options for different courses, but mostly everybody gets the same thing except for the main protein. Because I'm pescatarian, The Wife graciously agreed to a veggie bastilla, instead of chicken. We expected the same thing, just without chicken; so egg and nuts. Nope - neither were present. But there was a lot of carrots. There was also a carrot salad, and carrots on the side of my main dish. The salad course was superb. The aforementioned carrot salad, plus a cucumber salad, and an amazing eggplant salad that I kept scooping up in my pita. I had the Moroccan seafood platter, with shrimp and scallops, both very well cooked. The Wife had the chicken kabob, and was very happy. At the end, we had baklava with stylishly poured mint tea. The show is almost as important as the meal. Speaking of which, we were there for the belly dancer Jennifer, and she was excellent. She started with a lit skirt, then came back twice, once with a curved sword on her head and another just alone. Beautiful and friendly, dancing briefly with a gentleman from one party, and for a while with a younger girl from another large family. So sweet. read more

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Chicken tasted pretty old. Mint tea super light on mint. Way too expensive for quality of food and service. Service not great. We had to ask for things several times. read more

Incredible experience. The food is delicious - and is served in a perfect cadence, not rushed but also responsive to if you need anything else. The service is great, personable, and knowledgeable. The ambiance is unlike anything else you have experienced. You walk right down a street and into another world. This place has such a special place in my heart - my husband and I will definitely be back! read more

So beautiful and delicious! Also loved the belly dancing. The ambiance is amazing, and the food is incredible. We got the chicken and vegetarian dishes and each were great. I also loved the mint tea at the end! This is definitely great for date night or to impress out of town guests read more

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As soon as we walked into El Mansour we were transported to the inside of a shieks tent. The attention to the decor detail was impeccable from the oriental rugs on the floor to the overhanging drapes from the ceiling to the low round tables and ottomans. We ordered the 5-course prix fixe sets. Some of my favorite items were the lentil soup, chicken bastilla, braised chicken with caramelized onions, baklava and the mint tea. Everything was delicious. I especially loved the chicken broth used to make the lentil soup and the braised chicken. The waiter also came to wash our hands with water out of a kettle and portable basin. Such a unique experience! read more

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Such a fun place to go for a date night or celebration! You get a 5 course meal + a belly dancing show for a good price. A couple other reviews mentioned Groupon, so I looked there and found a coupon for dinner for 2, so I got that. Definitely check and see if they have a Groupon available as you can save some money that way. We made reservations for Sunday dinner at 6:30 two days beforehand and were seated promptly when we arrived. Parking was all residential in this area and was easy to find. The inside decor is beautiful with colorful walls and bright yellow curtains hanging from the ceiling. Rather than tables, all of the seating is on low couches, so the experience feels very intimate. It's the kind of place you come more for the ambiance and show rather than to chat, as the seating arrangement can make it hard for large groups to chat. The food is the same for everyone, a 5 course meal with fixed appetizers and dessert and your choice of entree. For the appetizers, you get: 1. harira/green lentil soup 2. Moroccan salad 3. chicken bastilla For the entree, you can choose from a number of options. They offer a good variety of meat, seafood, and vegetarian entrees, so there's something for everyone. You end the meal with some mint tea and dessert, which is a plate with baklava and banana fritters. Our favorite course of the whole meal was definitely the harira. I could have drank a lot more of this, it was SO good! The salad platter was decent as well. My favorites there were the eggplant and cucumber, though everything was good. My least favorite course of the meal was the chicken bastilla, which was like a sweet and savory pie with ground chicken. I couldn't get used to the sweetness of the pie and had trouble finishing this. For my entree, I went with the lamb shoulder and my friend got the chicken kabobs. I thought the lamb was very tender and flavorful and thoroughly enjoyed it. My friend's chicken was good when it first came out as it was warm and tender, but as time passed and it got cold, it became harder to chew and less appealing. Eat quickly if you get this. We were stuffed by the end of the meal. We weren't able to finish all of our food and got a box to go for the leftovers. I saw a lot of other people doing the same, so portions here are generous. The belly dancer of the night was fantastic. She came out twice, once around 7:30 and again around 9 pm right as we were preparing to leave. Once she comes out, they turn up the volume and it's pretty much impossible to talk until she finishes dancing, so keep that in mind. read more

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What a fun place! I had not heard of El Mansour but attended a celebration dinner with a group of 11. Everything was perfect, the ambiance, service, food and entertainment. I was not expecting the volume of delicious food, or the easy going pace of the night, but will be prepared for a 3+ hour experience next time! Dinner is a 5 course prix fixe, with your choice of entree. I chose the chicken kabob plate, and the chicken was cooked perfectly and delicious. Honestly, everything we were served was delicious. Then there's the belly dancer, who danced two sets, and encouraged patrons to join her and dance. It was a fun night all around and I shall return. read more

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Wonderful family dinner experience! Recommend the King's Feast for the multi-course dinner but anything amongst the meats offered within that could stand alone as a strong entree. The team running this place is serious about delivering great food and promoting a wonderful customer experience, including for a young child within our party. Would strongly recommend for an experiential family dinner experience that leaves you all with great memories read more

This place is amazing! 10 outta 10!!! I went here last Thursday for my birthday with my family and it was such a great experience. Good food, good music & beautiful ambiance. We even danced with the belly dancer! I highly recommend this place if you want to try something completely exotic and different. It felt like we traveled to Morocco! I will definitely be returning to this restaurant again. read more

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First of all, this was a fascinating place in terms of ambiance. It is very reminiscent of actual restaurants in the Middle East. The food was good, though I have to admit that while the lamb was just fall-off-the-bone juicy and flavorful, the beef kebabs were tough and way too chewy for the price. We did the dinner set, though, so got to try a number of their items. All were good, except the beef. The belly dancer was advertised as the whole evening, but we were lucky to see a little of the show. It was good, but could have lasted longer. Or the advert should be updated to set expectations. Service was terrific. I give it 5 stars altogether and will revisit sometime soon. read more

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El Mansour puts on a spectacle for you to enjoy! Great atmosphere and service with several courses of food. If you are vegetarian - they can still accommodate! Highly recommend. read more

El Mansour - Moroccan Near Me - San Francisco, California

Excellent to come here with a group of friends or just a nice date and great for any occasion really. Everything is a wonderful ambience and environment like you are in someone's grand living room. They bring warm water pitcher to wash your hands before meal. The female Belly dancer comes out at around 8pm or when majority of the tables are filled. You can even join the dancer too. At end you can tip her. She takes Venmo! I would love to comeback again to try more dishes. I would like to try the lamb shoulder next time. The set dinner menu for everyone one is Signature 5 Course Dinner ; 3 Appetizers 1 Entree of your choosing I was able to get 3 people to order the special platter to get a sampling of their popular dishes where we would share the dishes which was great for us to see which items are good and when we come back later we would know what to order next time. Desserts was sweet and bite size A La menthe is sweet moroccan tea and the El Baklava is layered pastry filled with tree nuts + fried banana fritters. This made me think I was at a tea party. All in all I enjoyed this event, I had a group of 15 people so we took up 1/4 of the dining room. And yes, I would love to come back again! Fun to bring out of town guests to as well! read more

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I have been here several times for special occasions. Each time, I had a great time. It's a dinner show with belly dancing. The belly dancer encourages customers to join so it's interesting to watch those that gladly join and others hiding. The dancer passed out "tip" business cards to those that did not tip while dancing with her or just for her dancing. It's no different than those money dancing at weddings. I had the 5 Course Prix Fixe Dinner that was $58 per person that includes 3 appetizers (soup, salad and pastry puff) on a table shared plate, one entrée and two desserts (baklava and banana fritter) on a shared table plate, and a cup of Moroccan mint tea The food was interesting - Middle Eastern food. After ordering your food, the waiter comes with water so you can wash your hands. It's typical in Morocco. Since I had it done several times in Morocco, I asked my waiter to pour the water as high as he could and surprisingly, he accommodated and did well just as I had it in Morocco. My waiter was patience, explained the menu in details, out-going, friendly, and professional. He made frequent checks to see how the food was and if I had any questions. It's a an enjoyable place to take out of town visitors or a treat to yourself. It's like you are in Morocco. read more

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I've been wanting to try this spot for a long while and finally, I'm here. We came on a Saturday, limited street parking. We were able to snag a parking spot right in front of the restaurant. We came and waited until they opened for dinner (reserved, but was seated early). Walking in, I felt like I was walking into a whole new world, I loved all of the decor, art, and intimate sitting areas. The customer service is AMAZING!!! The food is finger licking good!!! The aroma and spices!!! read more

El Mansour - Moroccan Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really like the ambiance of this restaurant. The decor is very ethnic with seating in ring to make space for a belly dancing performance in the middle of the room. The menu selection is minimal but the prix-fixe menu has many ethnic and fun courses. The food is pretty good and the service OK but the experience is great. read more

So GOOD! It was my fiancée's birthday and wanted to give him a unique SF experience with delicious food. El Mansour was wonderful on all accounts. read more

First time we tried Moroccan food and loved everything about this place. Food was amazing! Plenty of food that we had to take some home. Staff was amazing! So nice, checked on us but not overbearing, personable and never rushed us. Chairs, tables, everything in this restaurant was amazing! Only downfall which was our fault because we didn't know. We booked our reservation for 5 pm and the belly dancing didn't start until 730. Before 7, we asked for our bill and the waiter asked if we were going to stay for the show. After 2 hours of eating, we were ready to go home. We will be back, but next time, I might make the reservation for 6 or 630 so we can enjoy the show. Thank you El Mansour for an amazing date night. Can't wait to go back. read more

A friend that had been here several times recommended it so we thought we'd try it out. I guess I must've caught them on a bad day. Turns out they had a pre-fix menu that day which didn't have many gluten-free options. I got the chicken kebabs which I "think" were cooked, they were a little chewy (was too dark in there to see anything) and not very tasty, Got a margarita which tasted like fruit punch, I couldn't tell if it had any alcohol in it. Place was packed and it was very hot in there. I had to tell them to open the door to allow some fresh air in, In general, a disappointing experience not sure I'll go back! read more

I have been having my birthday dinner here for the past 15 years. (Except when they were closed during the pandemic) We used to have 35 guests now we are down to just a handful plus. We have always been treated like royalty and the belly dancers are superb! They serve my birthday cake with candles and sing. Excellent authentic food! The mint tea is so delicious. Bring your friends and enjoy the evening! I highlu value this traditiinal San Francisco establishment! read more

Fantastic food, very attentive staff, a show with dinner and all without breaking the bank?! Almost unheard of! My wife and I had an amazing time. Great energy and got to enjoy a full Moroccan experience. There is nothing like this! 5/5 stars, we will be back! Thank you El Mansour for a wonderful evening. read more

The restaurant was very impressive looking. The staff were very friendly. It was a weekday and we were the only ones there. read more

El Mansour - King's platter this was Beef Kabob, Chicken Kabob, Lamb, shrimp. - Moroccan Near Me - San Francisco, California

I bright my sister here for her birthday. The service was amazing they didn't rush us or ask questions during bite . The entertainment was amazing and the food was outstanding we had the lamb shank with couscous and the seafood plate. I was so intrigued I forgot to take photos of the food before we started eating . We will we making the trip again to try more. read more

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The 5 course meal with the belly dancing show is the best experience for the whole dinner! The food was amazing and service was top notch. It was traditional Moroccan ambiance which was great! read more

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Amazing service from staffs Amazing food Fun environment Everything was great. Will visit again read more

So I'm not fond of loud music playing while we have dinner. I actually like to enjoy food in a calm environment and can hear my companion speak, and he knows this, so he was surprised when I booked us a table at El Mansour recently because this is a pretty interactive dinner that comes with belly dancing entertainment. What can I say, I like to keep things interesting. We passed by El Mansour many times, but we have never been here, so it was exciting to see what's behind the interesting exterior. The inside is decorated like somewhat what you imagine between the interior of a Kasbah and a Berber tent with lots of carpeting and cushions to seat on. We were given choices of set menu that came with appetizers, main and dessert. It also came with hand washing at the beginning and end of the meal. Lots of groups celebrating birthdays and special occasions. We were kind of the odd ones because we weren't a big group and weren't celebrating anything. Wait staff was very nice but everything was pretty slow paced. Expect to be here at least for 2 hours. My husband got really hungry at one point because the food wasn't coming out fast enough. The belly dancer was great. Very beautiful and entertaining. I didn't know this but she can invite you to join her to dance. Another table joined, but we didn't. I just wanted to take photos and vids. Also tipping the belly dancer is a thing. And if you don't have cash on you, no worries, she has Venmo! And yes, we definitely tipped. Maybe we are not used to Moroccan food, but we thought the dinner was just okay. The lentil soup; however was pretty delicious. I would say that you need to experience this place as a complete package, and not just food then you will have a good time. read more

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El Mansour is a unique restaurant in San Francisco. As soon as your walk in the front door you feel you are in Morocco. The food is delicious, the slow cooked lamb and chicken tagine is to die for. Highly recommend to do the 5 course dinner to enjoy the full experience. read more

Had an amazing dining experience at El Mansour Restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious, the service was outstanding, and every dish was beautifully presented. The Moroccan-themed atmosphere and decor truly made us feel like we were in Morocco. The authentic belly dancer was incredibly entertaining and made the evening even more memorable. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a unique and flavorful dining experience. We are returning with more friends. Loved all of it. read more

Purchased a Groupon for a full course meal and belly dance show. Thought it was a beautiful place! Service was amazing, show was so fun to watch! The food was a bit bland, but the Groupon price was a great deal although y hey end up charging fees and a 20% gratuity, but it's still ends up being a tad bit less than if you walk in and order without the deal. Would likely come here again for a date, fun experience! read more

El Mansour - Moroccan Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food is amazing! This is a fun delicious place to eat. The staff showed us a great time. We loved the music!

The dinner ambiance started from the minute we walked in. Service, food and dancer was 5 star! All the dinners in the restaurant made it feel like we were with friends at a party in a living room. read more

I used to come here in my twenties... quite a while ago. This place has retained and exceeded all the ambiance, charm and culinary delight it always had. We loved everything! We drank Moroccan Cava, ate the meat platter and all the other courses and put plenty of bills in the belly dancers belt. She was a great and charming dancer by the way. As she left in her street clothes everyone cheered her again! There were many people there all enjoying as much as we were. Fantastic evening out with adult children. read more

El Mansour - The interior of the restaurant - Moroccan Near Me - San Francisco, California

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