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We were so excited to try Ernest's tasting menu, we booked it for our anniversary and were greeted with a card and congratulations from the host. Our waiter was a bit cold and direct but not rude. The tasting menu is served family style and essentially lets you try nearly the entire menu in small portions. Some dishes were amazing like the beef tartar sushi rice and shockingly their salads were unique and some of our favorites. The burrata and figs with peanuts was not a great flavor combination for us. Overall Ernest is an excellent date night spot and we're glad we tried it!
Came here for our anniversary dinner and it did not disappoint. The inside of the restaurant is gorgeous with lots of natural lighting. We opted for the tasting menu to try a bit of everything, but some miscommunication from the waitress on the menu left me kinda disappointed to realize that the uni toast isn't included in the tasting. However, (almost) everything else was great. We really enjoyed their oysters and one of the highlights for me was the banana bread+caviar. It was truly a unique flavor combination and the warm banana bread was suuper tasty. Our favorite of the night was the hangar steak -- they truly nailed the cook on it and it was buttery and well seasoned. Although apart from the steak, I would say their apps/small plates are probably the most interesting/best parts of the menu. If we came back, we'd definitely stick to ordering a bunch of small plates and drinks instead. I wasn't particularly impressed with the fried rice, tomato dish, or burrata, they were boring and bland imo, didn't add much value to the meal - we could have done without. The drinks were great, as was the dessert. I would come here again for just vibes, oysters, and steak.
I had an excellent celebration dinner here. Our menu is quite focused, which I appreciate and everything was a hit from cocktails to dessert. Service was very friendly and helpful. I had the makrut lime cocktail, which I was worried at first because it listed sour cream as an ingredient, but I trusted that they knew that what they were doing and it was delicious! We enjoyed every dish we tried, but the standups for me were the sushi rice and the Parker house rolls. The butter is the best I've ever tasted! Some of the dishes seem straightforward, but are just executed perfectly. The soft serve might be my favorite in the city. The soft serve itself is so rich and creamy and the hazelnut flavor is perfect.
3.5/5 I had a reservation for 2 on a Sunday night and it was surprisingly packed. We got seated after waiting like 5~ minutes. The interior is very modern with lots of warm lightning across the 2 floors; the downstairs has a bar area with a cute wall of alchohol. We got the $139 pp tasting menu and it was 3 courses with little dishes per course; definitely got to try a variety of foods but I wish portions were a bit bigger. We also got the Baijiu Milk Punch and Makrut Lime Fizz for drinks; both were on the sweeter side and kind of tasted the same. The Milk Punch highkey came in such a small cup and it look like just water LOL. The tasting menu included: - BBQ Shortrib (4/5 meat was tender but honestly, the hot mustard saved this dish because it balanced out the sweetness of the bbq; if it didn't have the sauce, it would be a 3/5 for me) - Watermelon salad (2/5 not like impressed by this, moreso I'm confused why this would be $19 on the regular menu) - Smoked Early Girl Tomato (4/5 the shiso green goddess was yummy) - Koshihikari Fried Rice (1/5 this was lowkey kinda bad like why were the beans the most flavorful thing in this dish; I feel like they just threw a bunch of veggies together and called it a day) - Burrata (3/5 alright I did not even realize there was scallion pancake) - Uni Toast (3/5 bread was very oily/crunchy; I like Bansang's Uni Toast more) - Osetra Caviar (4/5 very unique I've never seen caviar on banana bread, bread was thick and moist AND outside was like seared w butter - Hog Island Osyter (3/5 just ok) - Sushi RIce (3/5 also just ok, just ur normal ikura handroll) - Chilled Squid (4/5 yummy + unique especially the green curry) - Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio (4/5 also yummy & fresh but was literally one bite LOL) - Parker House Rolls (3/5 idk why I thought the butter would be sweet but no, it was mega salty LOL) - For dessert, we asked them to give us the $99 menu's dessert which was the Hazelnut Soft Serve Sundae; they did bring out chocolate and drizzled it all over the ice cream but that wasn't very tasty/special. Also a 3/5. The only thing from the menu that I did wish that we tried was the Buffalo Hamachi Collar but was this worth $35, I'm not sure... Service was fast and friendly! It's super cute that all of their staff wear panda dunks. Overall, we spent $420~ and I probably wouldn't come back. I see what they're trying to do with the Asian inspired & seafood menu but I don't think it's a must try in SF.
Food: Ordered the Makrut Lime Fizz, which was citrusy and refreshing. The beef tartare with ikura was a great combination of flavors and textures, though I wish the seaweed were a little crispier. The anchovies were a bit too salty and somewhat boring for me--it was essentially a whole plate of anchovies with a few halved cherry tomatoes. I would have preferred fewer anchovies paired with some additional ingredients. The uni toast was good, with fresh-tasting uni. The oyster was a little small and skinny. The bluefin tuna tartare was tasty, especially with the juicy tomatoes, but a little too salty for me due to the amount of salt flakes. Fish sticks are ok, fried rice is pretty good. I really like the small-dish style, which makes it easy to try a variety of dishes. Service: We arrived about 15 minutes early and were invited to wait at the bar, where we could have water or cocktails while waiting for our table. Our server was great, friendly and attentive, folds our napkin when we leaves our seats, refilled our water countless times, and also changed our plates. I didn't quite enjoy having a manager (the only guy in suite) or someone who appeared to be a manager, bring out some of our dishes. He came across as a little arrogant, lack of enthusiasm, and I would have preferred our usual server to bring and introduce the food. Ambience: Energetic and vibrant, with music playing in the background. The atmosphere was lively and added to the overall dining experience.
one of my favorite meals ever! came here for my birthday and opted for the $139 per person let the kitchen cook for you option which included their uni toast and caviar with banana bread compared to their $99 per person option. I would never do it any other way because the caviar with banana bread especially was so worth it. the chocolate-less banana bread slices were pan fried so the outside was crispy while the inside was still soft and the flavor combination with the caviar and whipped miso butter was perfect. the croquettes were also stand outs among the appetizers. the flavor of the croquette with the hibachi mustard was mind blowing, especially for our party since we normally don't like croquettes. I also liked the seasoned potato chips with plenty of dip (I very much appreciate that you can indulge as much as you'd like!) and beef tartare with ikura that you could make into hand rolls. the oysters also had a nice balance of flavors! we then moved on to the second part of the meal which included short rib, fried rice with Thai basil, hamachi collar, and dumplings. The short rib with caramelized onions was the star of the show: melt in your mouth with an indescribably delicious flavor. they also brought out figs paired with creamy burrata and a crunch from the hazelnut to go with their fluffy milk bread! at the end of the meal they gave us a soft serve, basque cheesecake, and peach jasmine kakigori shaved ice with tapioca pearls! they poured melted chocolate over the top of the soft serve at the table which is so fun and it hardened into a delicious shell the amount of food we got was incredibly generous and I felt treated so well for my birthday! overall, Ernest blew me away with their great service and beautiful ambiance. you can tell that each dish was carefully crafted and so much thought was put into the flavor and texture combinations as well as presentation. I could not recommend this place more and I can't wait until the next time I'm back!
We came here for an early dinner on a Saturday! This is a wonderful nice cocktail and small plate type place. We did the smaller "trust the chef" tasting ($99 a person) - the dishes are so incredibly unique! I don't remember everything - but there was chilled shrimp, carpaccio, oysters, rice, burrata with figs, little beef tartare hand roll wraps with salmon eggs, eggplant, tomato, mini parker house rolls, shortub and a delicious Hazelnut soft serve with chocolate magic shell to finish. Basically all the good dishes on the regular menu. The service staff were very polite and the interior was stylish!
Finally got to try Ernest. I booked this restaurant a month in advance for a table for 5 and I liked that the table was located on the second floor with a nice view of the restaurant interior. It's really interesting how food were super fusiony and since menu wasn't extensive, we ordered a good amount of food from the menu for share. I had the daiquiri bolognese and it's slightly sweet and foamy on top. Some of us ordered wine and I was impressed with the quality of the wine. We had the uni toast, oysters, sushi rice and swordfish prosciutto. Sushi rice is a must order. I didn't get to try the prosciutto so no comment on that. I would rather prefer Uni on rice to on the toast. We had the house rolls which performed average. Chicken liver was very smooth and done well. I normally don't eat organs like liver but this is actually good and didn't taste like organ. Next up we had the fried rice, eggplant and burrata. Fried rice kinda tastes like Thai basil fried rice but the rice was harder and with some hint of non Thai sauces. The eggplant dish gives Mediterranean vibe and burrata is a combination of Chinese mala, Italian burrata and lots of fresh figs. I'm not sure who's the winner here but I really appreciate the fun experience eating a seemingly traditional dish with a modern international twist. Onto the meat and seafood- the hanger steak tastes like Chinese (Cantonese) style bbq pork and very tender that is served with mustard and pickles. The grilled hamachi with nardello peppers were made very well and the Smoky flavor of both compliment each other very well. The pork dumplings with rendang curry was also good. Dessert was basque cheesecake and non caffeinated tea and both were ok. Would love to try their other desserts next time. Good job Ernest!
What a find! I would never have guessed this was a restaurant from passing in front of it. But the plants in front caught my attention so I stopped by and saw their menu. Very elegant space, amazing service, and the food is delicious!! They keep their menu fresh every season, so beware that what it is in the photo might not be available at the time you're reading this! Regardless, I would recommend trying everything on the menu. I had a bunch of it and everything was delicious. Hats off to the stuffed mushroom! That was superb! Depending on your tastes you might like some more than others, but without a doubt it is an experience to remember! Their desserts are also very yummy! Will definitely be back for another great dinner. =)
Came here for dinner on the weekend. Reservations were easy to make online. They opened promptly at 5 PM and got guests seated immediately. Amazing natural light inside with super high ceilings. I normally dislike bar seating because they're typically so uncomfortable but their seats had a back and were quite comfy. Ernest's menu is relatively pared down. I do wish they had a few more vegetable forward dishes especially since we're in the height of summer. I ordered the SF Halibut, oysters, and the BBQ shortrib. The halibut was my favorite dish of the night. The halibut sashimi was paired with sweet slices of pluot and this slightly sweet pink sauce. Refreshing and delightful. I prefer my oysters straight up and plain, but I didn't mind the Michelada sauce they put on top. I thought it hid the "flavor" of the oyster a bit, but that's just a personal preference. The BBQ shortrib reminded me of Chinese char siu and the hot mustard reminded me of the Chinese mustard I grew up eating, which is probably what they were going for. I appreciated that the pork wasn't overly greasy or fatty. Service was attentive and professional. All of the staff were working as a team refilling water, folding napkins back on tables, getting checks ready etc. Overall, I had a wonderful dinner experience at Ernest and would recommend it to friends and family, especially if they're looking for a date night spot.
Always a solid meal at Ernest. I've been there a couple of times now and the small plates are better than the mains in my opinion. Must orders are the beef tartare with ikura and the uni toast. And you MUST save room for dessert because they have some of the best desserts. They have a rotating kakigori that uses seasonal ingredients and is soo good. There's also plenty of street parking around the restaurant always a plus.
one of the best meals i've ever had in SF! There's something for everyone on this menu and I love how shareable it all is. We got practically one of everything on the menu but the standouts are definitely: Sushi Rice - not really a beef tartare person usually but this was so incredibly fresh and well done. Fried Rice - sounds simple but was perfectly executed with a unique blend of veggies you don't usually see included. Hazelnut Soft Serve - also not usually a dessert or ice cream person but this came highly recommended and I was thoroughly impressed! This was the lightest, fluffiest, smoothest soft serve I've ever had. There wasn't a single disappointment on the menu - can't wait to come back for more!
Finally tried Ernest and it lives up to the hype. They have a prix fixe menu that's $99 and includes the majority of the menu (except caviar) and all the desserts! All the dishes were innovative and beautiful. The prix fixe menu would be great for a large party since you'll usually have leftovers. I would say the highlights were the following: - bbq morel mushrooms that were stuffed with duck - Parker house rolls - the bread and butter here is the best - avocado with artichoke - shaved ice Restaurant is two levels, but feels roomy.
6 months ago
Loved the food, ambiance and service!! My husband and I also loved that all the dishes in the first and second course were brought out together. We don't like waiting too long in between dishes so this was perfect for us. We got the tasting menu and the beverage pairing and were not disappointed. read more
My husband and I have been wanting to come to Ernest for SO LONG and we finally got a chance to on our 8 year anniversary! We ordered: -uni toast: super small...tasted delicious but not worth it for the price and portion size. -oysters: 6/10. I love oysters but this was just ok. -hangar steak: 9/10. Cooked to PERFECTION and the sauces paired perfectly. -tuna tartare: 4/10. This was just okay. Nothing too special. Overall, it was a good experience but the service was very slow even on a Wednesday night. Pretty pricey for the amount of food that we ordered. Total came out to around $350. read more
Amazing asian+californian fusion food. Every single dish is interesting and creative but also reminds me of something from my childhood. The ingredients are high quality and fresh. The portions are decent but we still get to order a variety of dishes. Great ambience, the high ceiling and big windows make the space feel airy and I love the bright lighting. Sometimes they are a little inflexible on modifications and it's a little slow to get drinks and hard to flag down a server because they are so busy but the staff is friendly. read more
Ernest is one of my very favorite restaurants in the city and I was not disappointed to return for my third time last night; we had a fantastic dinner experience. The corn chawanmushi was our favorite dish ordered. The flavors were amazing. Service was a little slow to start but ended up being very attended to once our server approached our table. The beef tartare with nori was delicious, as was the shrimp tostada. The Grenache wine from Spain was also delicious and paired perfectly with our meal, which also included the hanger steak. The steak was cooked to perfection. read more
2 years ago
Amazing meal! Everything we had was really good, although I think the Uni toast, poke and desserts were true stand outs. Service is excellent and our server was super attentive and provided great recommendations. Definitely wanna come back again and try their tasting menu, though maybe I'll come with a much bigger appetite next time! read more
Love the food at Ernest. It was a bit easier for me to snag a reservation this time on Resy compared to last year. They had a few new menu items that we tried. Blue fin tuna tartare - served on milk bread. Tasted like poke and fresh. Scallop - scallop ceviche on a large chip. Fresh Sushi rice with beef - always a goodie Parker bread buns - always a goodie Dungenous crab - very tasty with the aoli. Wagy sando- they have a limited batch of these apparently. We were the first table to order so we were lucky to indulge Soft serve - always a goodie. Love the food at Ernest SF. Highly recommend. read more
I was looking for places to eat near the Victoria Theatre before a show and discovered Ernest. The photos immediately convinced me to give it a try. We arrived around 6:15 pm without reservations, but luckily, they were able to seat us at the bar. Although we didn't have enough time to order the tasting menu before our 8 pm show, we decided to save that experience for another visit. The service was excellent. The bartenders were attentive, friendly, and helpful, ensuring we ordered the right amount of food and answering all our questions. Ernest offers modern California cuisine and is one of the best restaurants I've visited recently. I wanted to try everything on the menu, especially the tasting menu, but we had to choose the dishes that stood out the most due to time constraints. We ordered: -Uni Toast -Sushi Rice -Chicken Liver Terrine -Monterey Bay Squid -Shio Koji Hanger Steak -Koshihikari Fried Rice Everything we had was amazing, with the Uni Toast, Sushi Rice, Chicken Liver Terrine, and Koshihikari Fried Rice being the true standouts. However, you can't go wrong with any of the items we tried. I will definitely return to try the tasting menu. I highly recommend making a reservation, as the bar seating can be cramped, with guests sitting shoulder to shoulder. read more
3 years ago
8/6/23 I came here for dinner one night with one of my coworkers. I can't remember what this was place was called before, but I believe it was a coffee shop. My coworker, Vivian, was already there when I arrived. Parking around the area is kinda sketchy because there's a bunch of homeless people that camp around the nearby park...but I was able to park 2 blocks away so not too bad. Here's what we got for dinner to share: 1. Tempura oyster mushrooms. 2. Pork neck tonkatsu 3. Parker house rolls 4. Miso black cod 5. Shaved ice for dessert Both the food and service were excellent. The staff are super professional and very efficient. As soon as a table is empty, it gets cleaned right away and they pay attention to when water cups get low. There was a 2 hour time limit (not sure if that's how it is now), which was accurate since it took some time for the food to come. Everything we got tasted great, but I'd probably not get the shaved ice next time. The parker house rolls were fluffy and the butter that came with it was divine. The tempura oyster mushrooms were crunchy and I really like the dipping sauce that was provided. The cod was super flaky and delicious, I wish I had gotten my own since it's pretty small. The pork neck tonkatsu was tender and the sour pickles paired with it very well. Would definitely return here. read more
Hands down-my current favorite spot to go for a great tasting experience. By far the best bang for the buck. You leave happy. You leave stuffed. You leave totally satiated. Go crazy and get the upgraded tasting menu and pairing. It will still be cheaper than most places in the city. The ambiance at Ernest is super chill. All the staff are friendly, efficient, and fast. They have a shelf full of waving lucky cat dolls on the wall. Very cute. Speaking of fast - the first few dishes come out and load the table all at once. There's uni, caviar, crab, oysters. Tbh it's overwhelming and totally exciting at the same time. Every dish is tasty and a contrast of hot, cold, spicy, sweet. Hot things come out hot and fresh. Cold dishes are cold. Everything is good. The second wave of courses that follow up the staters are just as good. Heirloom tomatoes with anchovy. Sautéed broccolini with squid. Bread service. Whatever space is left in your stomach gets steak, mushrooms, fried rice, and an awesome chawanmushi for the final round of savory dishes. Hopefully you get the soft serve for dessert. It looks simple but totally worth saving a little time for. All in all- come to Ernest. Def worth it. read more
1 year ago
This place never disappoints and dining here is always exciting. Each dish is such a delight and i swear every time I bring a new friend here, I love watching them get transported by their first bite of uni toast, or cheesecake. I've been here many times and me and my friends are always giddy and grinning at each course. Service is incredible. They visited us often, gave us great pairing and menu advise, and kept our drinks full. I love how private and smooth the restaurant is. Ernest is such a gem tucked away from busy streets. You HAVE to get the kakigori shaved ice, and sushi rice. Also I'm always impressed with their vegetable dishes. I've never had leeks this tender and flavorful. read more
2 years ago
I made a last minute reservation for Ernest on a Friday and was able to grab a spot for 2 at 5pm which was clutch. I've heard my friends talk about this place for months now so definitely needed to come try it myself. To start, I got the cheri Negroni which was crafted well - quite Campari heavy but the gin balanced it quite well. For food, we ordered the sushi rice, Parker house rolls, koshihikari fried rice, and the brown butter spaetzle. Everything was very delicious! The sushi rice was my favorite - I typically don't consume raw beef but this dish was done especially well. The fried rice was unlike any fried rice I've ever had before; it was an explosion of flavors. And the house rolls were to die for - super buttery and soft! The side of butter that it comes with is extremely rich and creamy. Honestly a bit too much for me but it's a good option for those who want that extra butter and cheesy flavor. We noted on the reservation that we were celebrating a birthday actually, so there was actually a birthday card on the table when we were seated. Then at the end of the meal, they brought out a dessert on the house for us! It was their hazelnut soft serve which was the perfect end to our meal. They pour a chocolate syrup on top of the ice cream which hardens the chocolate. The hazelnuts were crunchy and sweet, highly recommend this dessert. A great experience and would definitely come back as the menu is constantly rotating! read more
2 years ago
Great restaurant, food, ambience, service, but ultimately fell short. Ordered the tasting menu for $99 and added the Uni Toast a la carte. The tasting menu is a significant amount of food and should fill anyone up. When booked our reservation, it wasn't clear what was the "Dining" and the "lounge" areas. We booked the dining and it was the right decision to be on the upper floor. Definitely recommend. Service was great. Extremely attentive and great job explaining the dishes. The food was great but quite a few dishes missed and felt lacking. I've rated them all below. 5/5 - Sushi Rice - Bluefin Tuna Carpaccio - Radicchio 4/5 - Hanger Steak Frites - Hog Island Oyster - Uni Toast - Grilled Asparagus 3/5 - Parker House Rolls - King Salmon Tostada - Mortadella Croquettes - Koshihikari Fried Rice Settled the bill and surprised restaurants are still sneaking in SF Mandate for 7%. Why not just raise menu prices? $15-$20 doesn't materially make a different, so why "hide it"? read more
6 months ago
We went for a birthday celebration. The 3 of us loved the food. We did the $139 per person Chef's choice. The selection and portions were abundant. The food was creative and the taste was fresh and vibrant. The service was excellent. read more
2 years ago
This one's tough -- because the food at Ernest is genuinely delicious. We did the prix fixe menu and every course was creative, beautifully plated, and full of flavor. The hamachi tostada and pork tonkatsu were definite standouts -- bold, layered, and perfectly executed. It's clear the kitchen knows what they're doing. But unfortunately, the night took a turn. My wife ended up getting food poisoning shortly after dinner, and it put a serious damper on what had been a great experience. We're not 100% sure what caused it, but the timing lined up too closely to ignore. Service was friendly, the vibe was energetic and fun, and honestly, I wanted to love this place -- but food safety is a big one, and it's hard to overlook. If everything had gone smoothly, this would've been a 5-star meal. Just hoping it was a one-off issue, because the food really was something special. read more
2 years ago
Came here with a group of 4 because I've heard so many good things about this restaurant!! The service is very considerate and great ambiance as well! We ordered the following: - Parker house rolls - oysters - avocado tostada - sushi rice - lamb shoulder - spring vegetables - basque cheesecake - kakigori Overall, I really liked the lamb shoulder, spring vegetables and both the desserts. The appetizers were good but none of them really wowed me. I was especially excited about the sushi rice since I see it everywhere on social media and it was great but would've been cool to have more unique seasoning. Overall really liked this place and would recommend for date night or girls night out :) read more
2 years ago
I'll come again soon for the other tartare, oysters or maybe fries, and the house rolls. Much of the menu really works for my palate. I hope an evening maybe mid week is quieter than Friday night. Ernest, if you notice this review, please reply with potentially the most quiet evening. read more
Very cool experience. Tucked away on a corner of Bryant St in the industrial Mission/SoMa area, this modern michelin-y spot is definitely worth a try! I know what others may say but that $27 uni toast was divine and worth the splurge. Honestly, I slightly regret even ordering any main courses because the starters were filling enough for 2! Sushi rice was killer and those Parker house rolls were so tasty buttery fresh. The fried rice was definitely unique and paired perfectly with the crispy crab cake and aioli and lemon. The cocktails were fun but food was definitely the star here. The ambiance was surprisingly lively and perfect for smaller parties! Service was also outstanding and even seated us when we arrived 30 min before our reservation time. read more
2 years ago
Had an amazing dinner at Ernest to celebrate my friends birthday dinner. We opted in for the pre rice menu that let the kitchen cook for us and it was totally worth it. To start my meal I got the makrut lime fizz cocktail and it was so good. I didn't know how I would like it since it had egg white and sour cream as ingredients but it was delicious. The dishes here had such a nice variety and I was impressed at the flavor and unique profile of each dish. Definitely recommend doing the pre fixe option. Appreciated how nice the service was as well and for sharing what each dish was as it was a lot. Truly an amazing dining experience. read more
The Parker house rolls! Get them!! I was skeptical but they were the best thing we ate. The other highlights included the beef tartare w fish roe ("sushi rice" on the menu) and the katsu w pesto. Also enjoyed the scallion pancake and pate. The soft serve sundae was also surprisingly good, we got it as part of a bday celebration but probably would not pay $13 for it. I thought the garlic fried rice and tuna tostada was just fine. Our server was soooooo nice and awesome at explaining all the dishes in detail. I wish I got her name so I could give her a shoutout here read more
My boyfriend and I came here last Friday. I loved the overall vibes of this restaurant. It has a modern industrial-esque interior. We went with the chef menu, which included 3 courses and dessert. For drinks, we ordered the Strawberry Paloma and Makrut Lime Fizz. The paloma had a smokiness to it. The taste really reminded me of bonito flakes on takoyaki. The lime fizz was delicious and my favorite out of the two. In my boyfriend's words, it was like a "key lime sorbet." It wasn't overly sour or sweet; it was perfect. For the first course, we had a variety of items from the raw bar and seafood categories. As someone who loves raw fish, the Bluefin Tuna Tostada was really good. The tuna tasted fresh and flavorful. The base provided a nice crunchy texture. The Uni Toast was quite different and unique. The toast itself was crispy and warm. The uni gave a nice contrasting texture and lightness to the heaviness of the buttery toast. Everything else (Aonori Doughnuts, Jamon Iberico Croquettes, Hog Island Oyster, Sushi Rice, and Mexican Shrimp Coctel) from the first course was delicious. If I had to choose my least favorite from this course, it'd be the coctel. Although still good, it just didn't stand out as much as the others. For the second course, we had the Parker House Rolls, Spring Vegetables, and Hawaiian Hearts of Palm. The rolls were warm, soft, slightly salty, and buttery. The vegetables looked, smelled, and tasted like a garden. When I put the artichoke in my mouth, I was greeted with different textures. It was crunchy, crispy, and soft. The hearts of palm, unfortunately, were not a hit for us. We are not fans of the numbing and tingling sensation from certain peppers, and this dish had sansyo. I really wanted to like this dish, especially given the sweetness from the strawberries and subtle nuttiness from the black sesame. However, all I tasted was the sansyo. This just came down to personal preference. For the third course, we had the Grilled Hanger Steak and Koshihikari Fried Rice. My favorite from this course were the fries. They were crispy and well seasoned. No need for any additional sauce. Just perfect. The steak also came with sansyo. Our server was so considerate and put the sauce on the side since she knew we weren't a fan of it. The sansyo in this dish was milder compared to the one in the hearts of palm. My boyfriend didn't mind it, but I was still not a fan. The rice was interesting and different. I love fried rice, and I love cheese. I don't think I ever had those two together until now. I was a little unsure of it at first (most likely because I was so full at this point), but I enjoyed it. For the grand finale, the Hazelnut Soft Serve Sundae. This was so, so yummy. It was sweet and a great end to our meal. Our server, Courtney, was amazing. Overall, we had a delicious dinner and a great experience! read more
When we got a notification for an opening at 5 PM we were so excited and snagged it immediately. We went with a group of 4, so we got to try a lot of different apps and entrees as well as dessers from the menu! My favorite was the croquettes and the pate, especially with the scallion pancakes! The tonkatsu was crunchy and flavorful. The only thing was we felt really pressed to order the drinks and food, and we weren't told that the sparkling water was 7 dollars per bottle, yikes- and we were poured 3 bottles in total. The food was still amazing and I can't wait to come back! read more
2 years ago
Came here to celebrate my friend's birthday on a Saturday night. We decided to go with the $99 tasting menu which included about ten different dishes. A lot of the dishes were very unique and blended interesting flavors that surprisingly worked well together. I thought the chicories dish was quite refreshing and enjoyed the crispy texture, the pork neck tonkatsu had an nice kick to it with the numbing mala spice, and the hamachi tartare seems to be a staple dish. As for drinks, we ordered the shiso gimlet and alpine colada which we both enjoyed. Overall, I enjoyed most of the dishes presented throughout the tasting course and it was surprisingly quite filling. Service was quick and our waiter was great at refilling our water. The only thing that I didn't like was how rushed we felt throughout the course of our meal. We made reservations for 5pm at the lounge table right in front of the bar near the entrance but didn't arrive until about 5:07pm and immediately felt rushed by the person who checked us in as well as our server who mentioned that we were running a bit behind schedule and would need to get started if we wanted the option for the kitchen to cook for us. They weren't rude but it did make us feel bad when our server would come by to take our plates away but we weren't finished with the dish; this happened multiple times throughout our dinner. Despite this, we still enjoyed our meal and would come back to try their other dishes. read more
Friend made a reservation for dinner on a weeknight. Overall, I felt like a lot of the items have interesting takes that I've never really had but I personally didn't enjoy it. Everything has like a fusion take on it. We went with the a la carte menu. uni toast - one of the long standing items on their menu, obviously the uni was good but doesn't need that much toast sushi rice - the rice seemed too basic, not enough vinegar if they are trying to mimic actual sushi rice fried onions - I actually quite enjoyed this specific dish. Onions were not too stringy and every bite was consistent. basque cheesecake here is definitely not my style. It's really thick, heavy, and creamy in a unsatisfying way that doesn't remind me of what I had in Spain. read more
There are so many wonderful things I could say about Ernest. It's a beautiful establishment, the service is amazing and the food is phenomenal! I had a solo dinner on a Saturday and I loved my experience. The best onion rings I've ever had! Definitely looking to visit again. read more
Sorry to say this was probably one of my more disappointing fine dining experiences in sf Great service and cute space, but this menu was an unfortunate example of how Asian ingredients are being shoehorned into dishes by western chefs just because its the new fad.. In our opinion, dishes felt consistently overseasoned/salted and the expensive featured ingredient didn't really stand out. e.g. uni toast was soaked in a sweet sauce - good flavor but uni was overpowered & was served at room temp, beef tartare was salted despite being paired with ikura (already salted), etc. Best part of the meal was the oyster! read more
The most value for money prix fixe menu in SF! Either $99 or $139 (for caviar and extra uni), I have never been so stuffed after a set menu before!! Staff were really welcoming and explained the chef's menu experience to us. I love anything Asian inspired / fusion so this was the perfect menu for me. The vibe was nice and spread out with 2 levels - if you don't manage to get a reservation, you can walk-in and sit at the bar. We started off with oysters, their signature sushi rice with ikura and beef tartar, Mexican inspired shrimp avocado salad, duck confit spring roll, Tom kha with tuna and onion, Japanese egg salad croquette, Uni toast with glazed ham and caviar with tater tots. I would say the sushi rice with ikura was a bit too much ikura but I absolutely loved the uni toast with glazed ham as it melted in your mouth with every bite. We also really liked the egg salad croquette and tom kha. The second course was a carbonara with uni (loveeee), French roll (so soft), and carrots with scallop ceviche. You'd think that'd be enough but the third course then came with fried rice with mango, cheese, brussel sprouts as well as a mala rub pork cutlet. The Mala pork cutlet was a bit of a disappointment as I felt there was too much spice on it for my liking (and I normally love Mala / the spice). Last but not least, our favorite part of the meal was their signature Vanilla icecream with praline, salted caramel and chocolate. This was perhaps our favorite part of the meal even though we were STUFFED by then - we still had to finish this icecream. Would recommend getting their set menu (which does change regularly) but be prepared to be FULL by the end of it! read more
Came here for the boyfriend and i's annual holiday dinner before checking out the Christmas tree in union square. My boyfriend found the place by googling "holiday dinner menu in sf" and this was one of the options. My boyfriend found a last min reservation for 2 bar seats the day of which was great! Luckily parking is plenty and we got to the restaurant 10 mins early. When we got there, we were greeted right away. We asked if there was a table available but unfortunately not that time and we didn't wanna wait. We sat at the bar and we were offered water right away. We looked at the menu - they have a la cart options and also chef's choice. We were curious about the chef's choice so asked more info but the bartender/server was v soft spoken and couldn't really understand what he was saying. We could have asked for clarification but ended up just ordering a la cart. We got a bunch of stuff from the menu and were really excited to eat. We got our drinks and a couple items from the raw bar - tuna crudo and scallop - both were tasty! I thought they were gonna keep serving the rest of our items but there was a huge gap between the next course - probably 20 mins. And the bartender/server never once checked on us. They were pretty busy, but also was expecting just for them to check in. 30 mins later we got our small snacks which was the salmon roe and sushi house and the beef cheek. Then 20 mins after we finished those they finally served our main course - the tonkatsu pork, halibut and cabbage. They also never offered if we wanted dessert, we had to flag someone to ask for dessert. The food was good - ngl but man that service was very very slow. It made us miss our reservation for a holiday pop up bar. Would I comeback? Maybe. And really would hope for a quicker service read more
Delicious food, attentive service (fresh plates before each set of dishes), modern setting. Appreciated the Asian-leaning elements of the menu and how they served our dishes in what appeared to be complementary pairs. Pair #1: Uni toast - in past experiences, all of my toasts (whether they be avocado or uni) has a level of toughness that makes it difficult to divide with my husband. This one however was precise and delicate in a way that made the bread texture sing with the brininess of the uni Oeufs Mayonnaise - interesting combination of poached eggs with sardines and mayonnaise - reminded me of a deconstructed deviled eggs dish Pair #2: Shrimp Tostada - bright flavors with a great crunch Sushi Rice - generous helping of ikura and beef to make your own little handrolls with sheets of seaweed Pair #3: Shio Koji Steak - tender, flavorful steak and perfectly crisp onion rings Parker House Rolls - soft & buttery Recommend! read more
My view at dinner was the kitchen. I kept seeing them make their delicious desserts. Even before our food arrived all I wanted was the soft serve and shaved ice. It was quite the spectacle. Every item that we ordered on the menu was delicious. Great ambience, delicious food but our female server had a lot of attitude. It took away from the entire dining experience because the food was fantastic. Come for the food and if you're lucky you won't get the server we had. Oh, the soft serve was amazing! read more
I had been looking forward to trying Ernest for quite some time. Largely because of the Infatuation's particularly high rating (in the upper 9s!). With Japanese background and a love of wine, it really was the ideal spot for me. Opted for a glass of the orange (they only have one orange by the glass). It wasn't my favorite, rather mild, whereas I prefer a more full-bodied beverage. We really contemplated the tasting menu, but also knew the dishes we really wanted to try so instead opted for a la carte. Started with the uni toast and sushi rice. THe sushi rice was great. The ikura was very high quality, as was the beef and it paired wonderfully with the nori. I don't think there was any seasoning to the beef, so the saltiness from the roe is what carried the flavors here. Uni toast was interesting. The quality of the uni was great, super fresh and indulgent, and the base was nice and crunchy on the outside but pillowy on the inside. I wasn't sure how I felt about the sauce?? Perhaps I was just unaccustomed, but it was a flavor bomb regardless. And in a good way. For mains we split the katsu and the squid. Everything here is a bit on the saltier side, but pairs wonderfully with a drink. The katsu is spicy so if you don't handle spice well I wouldn't recommend it. The spices were reminiscent of shin-ramen packets. It also came with a ranch dipping sauce which was quite pleasant. Squid was great, again a bit salty, but I appreciated the brocollini in there, as often when I have dinner at an institution like this I find myself missing vegetables. I don't recall the name of the wine that I enjoyed with my entree as it was a recommendation from the server, but it was a delicious red. It may have been a natural wine. For those curious, the wine list by the glass is all organic, but only some are categorized as natural wines. read more
My friend and fiancé took me here for dinner to celebrate my birthday, and overall, it was a great experience. We'll likely be back again! Although my friend arrived quite late due to work, the staff was very accommodating and never made us feel uncomfortable. I don't recall having any dishes I didn't enjoy ~ everything was tasty. As a nice surprise, I received a complimentary cheesecake for my birthday, which was such a thoughtful gesture, though it wasn't exactly my favorite. The atmosphere was a bit noisy, but I really appreciate how spacious and open the dining area feels. read more
I've been meaning to write this review for a while now -- but came here for my birthday dinner back in August. Our friend had came here for their birthday dinner and recommended it so we had to try it ourselves. The food was so good hear! I've been trying to find times to stop by and have a few bites. We chose the option to let the kitchen cook for you, which is a fixed menu for $99 not including drinks. For cocktails we had the market lime fizz and a milk punch drink, both were good. The fixed menu included the following: - Mexican Shrimp Coctel (4/5) - Oysters (4/5) - Sushi Rice (5/5) - Heirloom Tomatoes (5/5) - Parker rolls (5/5) who doesn't like fresh baked bread! - Fried Rice (5/5) this rice was so good, it had a kick it but paired well with he tonkatsu - Tonkatsu (5/5) this was served with a side of ranch and pickles. Still think about this! - Uni Carbonara (3/5) this was good, but not my favorite, it was a bit on the fishy side because of the uni - Soft Serve (4/5) this was good but want to come back and try the shaved ice next time Everything was so good and really flavorful. I definitely want to go back! The restaurant itself was really nice and busy. Recommend making a reservation, although they do take some walk ins. read more
3 years ago
Wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion! Restaurant interior is nicely decorated and feels very bright and inviting. The surrounding area is a bit empty though -- definitely not a place to take a stroll around after dinner. Service was top notch; servers are very attentive and refilled my water so often without me asking, which was a pleasant surprise. Feels like a team effort because we had different servers taking care of us the whole night. Food itself is a unique take on Asian flavors, and the menu has a lot of options and rotates often. Some classics -- the Parker house rolls especially -- are definitely worth a try. The house rolls are the most buttery delectable and soft rolls you'll ever have. Some other favorite dishes were the fried rice and the pork neck tonkatsu -- they felt very comforting and had familiar flavors of home style Asian cooking. The Maine lobster salad dish with house made buns was also phenomenal. I wish it was a staple on their menu!! Save room for dessert, because you have to try the hazelnut soft serve they're known for. It's a very strong salty and sweet dessert, and we paired it with the more subtle flavored sesame kakigori (shaved ice) which was the perfect pairing. The flavors here are on the bolder side -- definitely an SF restaurant not to be missed! read more
I'm not sure if it was an off day but I came with a group of 5 and ordered the $99 menu. More than a handful of our dishes were ridiculously salty which was disappointing. So for that, I'm knocking down a star. Also, I'm knocking an additional star because the service is rushed to the point where they take away your plates with food on it. At that point it feels like they're wanting you to get on and out. Didn't like my last experience there and I'm not sure I'd go back after that. read more
truly one of the best dining experiences i've had in sf! i came here for my friend's birthday dinner with a group of 4. he made sure to book ~1 month in advance. we did the "let the kitchen cook for you" ($139 option) which basically let us sample everything on the menu. the main difference between the $139 option and the $99 option was the caviar with banana bread. it was good, but i don't think it was worth the extra $40 pp especially given that there was so much food already. the first course of raw bar was stellar, loved the way raw fish paired with bread. second course was vegetables and third was meat and seafood. we were all pretty full by the third course so i'm not sure if that was the optimal positioning for meat. they're known for their soft serve ice cream which definitely lived up to the hype - it tasted like a ferrero rocher. i really enjoyed the variety of food that we got to try. the service was really nice and was super patient with all the videos that my friend was taking, and explained all the menu items well. they explained that the menu changes frequently so it'll be a new experience each time, so i would totally come here multiple times. probably only for special occasions though, my wallet couldn't handle it otherwise :,) read more
Getting to Ernest is easy as it is located in an area of the mission where there is plenty of parking! I was really excited to try Ernest after hearing so many things about this place, however, it turned out to be a huge letdown. Tasting menu - The tasting menu consisted of 3 courses and dessert, featuring a variety of dishes such as oysters, beef tartare, fried rice, a mushroom creation, bluefin tuna tostada, tonkatsu with pickles, house rolls, and soft serve. Unfortunately, apart from the oysters and tostadas, which were decent, the rest of the dishes were overly salty to the point where it was challenging to consume more than a bit or two of each dish. We couldn't even taste anything except an overwhelming wave of salt. Even the soft serve left a salty and unpleasant taste. Uni toast - Regrettably, the uni toast did not live up to expectations. Msg martini - On a positive note, the martini was enjoyable, and I would consider ordering it again! While we may have had an unlucky one-off experience, the food was a major disappointment, and I cannot recommend this place at all. read more
3 years ago
Ernest was delicious and I'd absolutely go back again. Reservations took some planning to get, but I'm so glad we were able to get them! The layout of the restaurant is open and spacious. The area around the restaurant isn't the best, but there's plenty of parking. We got around 8 dishes to share between the 4 of us and it was enough to keep us satisfied. My favorite dish was definitely the Beef Tartare. I still dream about it to this day. Service was fantastic. They checked in multiple times despite being really busy with the dinner crowd. Highly recommend stopping by! read more
More info about Ernest
1890 Bryant St
Ste 100
San Francisco, CA 94110
Mission
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(415) 829-2961
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https://www.ernestsf.com
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Ask the Community - Ernest
Any low sodium options for someone with high blood pressure?
I doubt it. All our dishes were over seasoned. I left with my lips wrinkled from all the salt.
Is this restaurant a good place for large groups, like parties of 14-18?
No, you could book them for an event though
If I get a gift card how much is a reasonable amount for 2 people?
I'd say if they both do the tasting menu then $200-250 atleasr but if you're thinking they'd just do an entree and an app and not go all out $100 would be generous, too.
How far in advance do reservations open up? Is there a specific time as well? I've been before and want to go again but I wasn't the one who booked previously. Thanks in advance!
Usually 2-4 weeks out is when it's beta to make a reservation. But I have called for a day of reservation.
Whats the difference between a lounge table vs dining table?
I think the lounge is the downstairs area by the bar. Dining table are all the regular seatings on the upper level.
Friendly for kids? Babies? We have a 9 month old but would love to come for an early dinner. Thanks!
when we were there, we saw a couple who brought their 1yo. The baby sat in a high chair and was entertained by their iPad. He seemed to enjoy watching the chefs cook
Not seeing a whole lot for vegetarians on the menu.... Will the kitchen make modifications to provide more vegetarian options?
yes, if u give them 48 hours notice
Hello... Are the tables spaced out and how is the air flow? Still being cautious.
It's pretty airy in there. If you reach your arm as far as possible, while seated, you still wouldn't touch a chair from another table. I felt pretty safe and I'm on the higher end of paranoid. Get the uni spoons! Enjoy :)
Can two guests walk in at 5:30 and get dinner on Thursday?
Eddy! Typically the only spot we have for guests without reservations is at the bar! The seats are first come first served and you can usually grab seats pretty easily on a Thursday until about 6pm. I hope this helps and we hope to see you soon!
How gluten free friendly is the menu?
If you want to really enjoy it you need to get the chef's menu, which includes glutenous items. You could navigate around it ala carte, but its not optimum in my opinion
How do you get a reservation? Everything is always booked online
You have to book EARLY- weeks in advance. set up a notification if it's booked because people cancel all the time. They have walkin but it's for a limited bar seating.
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18 reviews that are not currently recommended
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Ernest - newamerican - Updated October 2026
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