Foreign Cinema is an institution, and I've enjoyed coming here for the past 18 years. The space is beautiful: the inside dining room is cozy with its fireplace and features stunning flower arrangements. The outside courtyard is airy and sunny, and they play movies on the side of a building at night. The other indoor space is an art gallery. It's all very tasteful and consistently makes for a fun experience even after many years of coming here. The food is also exceptionally good. The signature madras fried chicken is seasoned with a light curry powder in the batter which makes for a tasty and subtle shift of a very well executed buttermilk fried chicken. The radicchio salad is beautiful, and the dressing, Parmesan, and anchovy balance the bitterness of the fresh radicchio nicely. It also has these lovely little flat crisps on top that are satisfying to bite into (and that I prefer to a thicker crouton). The fresh oysters are always good, and this most recent visit I got the white prawn cocktail (which I've always wanted but never ordered). It was delightful: the prawns were perfectly poached and were of extremely high quality. I also got the Heirloom porchetta, and was pleasantly surprised at how crispy the outside skin was and how flavorful, well seasoned, and juicy the inside pork meat was. It also came with some pearled cous cous which was a wonderful starch pairing to the rich flavor of the pork. Finally, I commend Foreign Cinema on their kids menu. It would be very easy to just trot out some frozen chicken nuggets or a lesser version of the adult mains (like a burger of lower quality beef or a red sauce spaghetti). Instead, Foreign Cinema chooses to deliver excellent food here as well. The kids meal starts with a very tasty plate of crudités, featuring fresh, high qualoty fruit (kiwi, strawberry) and vegetables (endives, beets). The entrees are a smaller portion of the adult entrees (e.g., a single piece of the madras fried chicken) or very good versions of a kids only entree (e.g., the Trofie pasta with either butter or marinara sauce). There's even a dessert of home made ice cream. As a parent who often has to pay exorbitant prices for crappy kids menu items, I really appreciate this and feel it's indicative of Foreign Cinema's desire to deliver on all aspects of a dining experience. read more

Five stars for the ambience, three stars for the food. You dine in a courtyard which is generously warmed by heat lamps on chilly SF nights, and a movie is projected at 7:30 each night on the white wall at the end of the courtyard. You can have a complete drive-in experience at the tables on the edges which are next to those speakers our grandparents (actually me) used to hang on the windows of their cars in the 1950s, or just take a table in the middle and enjoy the extra entertainment. Very fun. I was with a large party so was able to sample several dishes. Oyster service was superb and the available mignonette was just right. An intensely anchovy-ish Caesar was great. I had had a very late lunch and decided to make a small plate my dinner with the sirloin steak tartare. The menu I had seen online said it came with "tonnato sauce, fried capers, preserved lemon, arugula, flatbread". My dish only included the last two items, in a sea of aioli. Maybe my bad not to check the paper menu before ordering, but this does not seem a judicial substitution. And the portion of steak was teeny. Also tried the brandade and a couple of mains and overall found just very cautious seasoning, a level below what it should have been in this environment and price point. read more

Foreign Cinema - Steak tartare (can you find the steak?) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Foreign cinema is always one of my go to restaurants whenever I'm in SF. The atmosphere is hard to beat especially if you're seated outside. There's always a movie playing, the lighting is beautiful, and the heaters keep it comfortable even on colder nights. The service is consistently top notch and I love that they print their menu every day. I've always been a fan of their duck dishes and they're usually a must order for me. I've had both the five spice duck breast and peppercorn duck breast before and they were absolutely delicious. The most recent time I visited, we ordered the duck leg confit, which unfortunately didn't live up to my previous experiences. It was a bit under seasoned and lacked the flavor I was expecting. We also tried the oysters, halibut, and beef carpaccio. The oysters were fresh and paired well with the sauces. The halibut was cooked perfectly but could've used a little more flavor. The beef carpaccio was good too but the dressing was a bit heavy for my taste. They also have a great wine selection which is always a plus. It's still a restaurant I make a point to visit whenever I'm in SF. Even with a few misses on my last visit, the atmosphere, service, and overall dining experience keep me coming back! read more

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We went to Foreign Cinema during SF Restaurant Week and we should have checked the à la carte menu first before ordering. Some of the options from the three course set menu combined would have been cheaper than the $60 restaurant week special. With that being said, we got the zucchini soup, heirloom chicory salad, acquerello risotto, butterscotch pot de creme, and guava semifreddo. Everything was super yummy! The risotto could have used some more flavor, but we added some salt and pepper ourselves. The staff were super friendly and the atmosphere in the courtyard was so cute! I definitely recommend coming here at night! read more

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This is such a lovely place, perfect for a group dinner or date! They played Fantastic Mr. Fox during our dinner (starting around sunset, so book your reservation accordingly), though I wish they would play it with closed captions so that we could actually watch it if interested as it's too loud with chatter to actually hear the audio. However, the ambiance is beautiful, both indoors and outdoors. The food was amazing as well! Be prepared to wait a bit between courses, as this is definitely meant to be a slow-dining experience. read more

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Finally visited the well known spot of foreign cinema. It's really nice inside, so much seating and it's beautiful. I love how it feels when you walk in. This spot is great for dates or friends dates etc. The menus have many selections in them. The drink menu has even more. They have something for everyone on the menu. The service is as you'd expect.. great! We had a lovely server and the food runners were a delight as well. The food was delicious, the chicken and the salmon were perfect portions. The martinis and caviar were great. read more

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Such a fun concept. The menu changes every so often per movie shown. Our server was great and attentive. The food was unique and pretty tasty! The pesto pasta wasn't your typical dish and tasted a bit veggier (if that makes sense) but the premieres were delicious!!! The goat cheese was delicious with the veggies and the salmon was also soooo yummy. We were seated outside and, even though the weather was cold, the heaters kept us very warm. Hope to come here again to watch a film! read more

Foreign Cinema - Pesto pasta, medium rare wagyu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Visited from out of town and had such a wonderful night. Samuel was extremely attentive while serving a lot of guests, giving great suggestions and making us laugh. The entire restaurant had a great atmosphere. Food was delicious, with many options and quality ingredients. Movie of the night was "Down With Love" (soooo fun). Would recommend this to anyone in town for a great date or night out. read more

Foreign Cinema - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Hosts were the best people out of those I interacted with. Absolutely welcoming and cheery :) Which helps for when they broke the news of them running behind. We had an 8:30PM reservation but ended up getting seating closer to 8:50PM :/ On top of that, our waiter was chill but didn't seem too interested in taking care of us. I won't hold that against him too much as we were close to closing. It's pretty loud outside, not too sure about the inside. Other people had their heaters already on; we didn't ask to turn it on, and they didn't ask if we'd want it on. The outdoor movie is a pretty cool idea... but does it have to include movies that had blackface. I get it, classics are classics.... But it's not much of a welcoming, inviting, or safe environment if we use that as entertainment or art in the background... This is not a hypothetical question: who is welcomed in this space? There are plenty of classics that don't have such racist aspects. We got one of the Wagyu dishes... 2/10. It was cooked to medium... but it was too salty for my liking. The hummus like food below it was okay. 6/10 oysters. Nothing special. They're oysters. 4/10 birthday cake. Small scoop of ice cream on top of dry cake :/ 3/10 focaccia. Dry, flavor lacking. Comes with a very small saucer of olive oil. I honestly went because my partner raved about how hard it was to get seating... maybe we should've taken that as a sign as to not come in here. read more

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It's been a year since I have been to Foreign Cinema and I have been craving this restaurant so I was so excited to be back! Enjoyed their courtyard and tonight's movie which was the Goonies!! And of course the amazing food! Ordered a lot of smaller dishes to share : Caviar, olives, sashimi, salmon ( that was the standout), calamari and biriani ( also spectacular) Food was great, as was service, drinks and the whole ambience! One of my absolute favorites time and time again! read more

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This place is pretty cool! They have a cozy outside space where they project a movie on the brick wall. They played the goonies the night we had dinner. There are old drive through speakers on the sides where you can hear the movie from and you can control the volume. We sat outside and it was a bit chilly but got warm quick with all their heating lamps. They accommodated our party of 10 but anymore people they said they wouldn't be able to accommodate. We ordered a variety of appetizers. For dinner I got the fish which was a sword fish and it was very good but tiny. The meals are expensive around $40 and not that much food on the plate. The desserts are also expensive, it was $14.50 for a slice of cake. It was a good slice of cake but not worth the price. We split the bill and I paid close to 180 for one person with tax and tip. On the dessert menu there was a section called wet finish, which we all had a good laugh about :) It was nice for a team outing and the atmosphere is one of a kind. Service is great as well. Just thought the portions were small for the prices. read more

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The ambiance and vibe here is so beautiful! Service is amazing! Definitely a high end fancy place to go out too. The food was also beautiful but some dishes just didn't taste as amazing as I'd hope. Definitely good but wouldn't say I would come back for the food moreso the vibes. The ceviche was not great, it was soaked in almost a hot sauce and lime, would definitely skip. Servings are small, some of the appetizers like the ravioli are comically small. read more

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I came here with a large group that was able to snag a reservation. I will start off with the ambiance is unmatched, there is no other place like this that I have been to. Sitting outside was great, the movie was playing and eating dinner underneath the lights was magical. Our server was very attentive and had great food and drink recommendations for us. For the food we split a lot of the appetizers, which was somewhat hard given that the plates were on the smaller size and our group was large. For my main, I got the pasta and my friend got the curry chicken. Both were tasty but nothing special. I heard a lot of hype about foreign cinema and was expecting a mind blowing meal but the food fell flat and the ambiance made up for it. Overall, this is a great place for a celebration with a smaller group. read more

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Foreign Cinema has been on list for ages and I'm so glad I got to finally try because it didn't disappoint. The pork chop was juicy and cooked to perfection. The vegetables and couscous paired so well with it because it was a little pickly!! Then for dessert, this cake was phenomenal. Second stomach for dessert, because the main course was really fully. (I don't remember the name of the cake) The service was great. Water was always full & they checked in an appropriate amount of times. However, we were seated inside so we didn't get to watch the movie!! The interior and exterior are really pretty too. read more

Foreign Cinema - Maple Brined Pork Chop - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Made a reservation for dinner and got seated immediately! It looks like a movie theater renovated for dinner. We ordered the octopus and focaccia bread as appetizers and both were delicious. However, the octopus were a bit salty and the bread was dipped in olive oil. Both were pretty heavy. We also got the duck breast and pork chops to share. The entree were both very heavy. Next time, I def would come back but would make sure I don't over order the heavy things. read more

FANTASTIC. the vibes the ambiance the service the food, everything was on par. We loved this place, the portions were a bit on the smaller size but for the type of food I can understand, like a very nice restaurant portion. My pasta was a bit oversalted but other than that, our server was amazing. read more

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I came here to enjoy brunch with a gf for the first time. Being that she is very familiar with The City, I left all the planning and decision making to her. Best believe, she did not disappoint. First and foremost, reservations are highly recommended @ Foreign Cinema during brunch. This place was jam packed and the flow of people coming and going didn't seem to stop. Brunch consisted of: * LAVENDER-BAKED GOAT CHEESE, HUCKLEBERRIES, BELGIAN ENDIVE, CUCUMBER, RADISH CRUDITE, CROSTINI * CROQUE MADAME: PARISIAN-STYLE HAM, GRUYERE, EGG, PAIN DE MIE, BECHAMEL, FRIES * ZA'ATAR GRILLED HALF CHCIKEN, FRIES, PICKED CAULIFLOWER, HERB SALAD, CHICPEA HUMMUS, LABNEH * SMOKED SALMON TOASTS, CHEVRE, CUCUMBER, PICKLED ONIONS, CAPERS, LEVAIN TOAST Food was shared amongst 2 and there was more than enough in terms of leftovers. I would have easily requested a doggy bag but because we were going to be doing a lot of adventuring, I brokenheartedly had to leave everything behind. The baked goat cheese was absolutely delicious and I especially loved the cute little radishes. Croque Madame was jaw-droppingly good. My gf was kind enough to let me sample a big chunk and I kicked myself in the behind for waiting this long to try this particular dish in general. The half chicken was massive, flavored well, but I found myself more drawn to the picked veggies and labneh. Salmon toasts were good. 4 stars overall. This place gets loud and busy so there was a few issues in getting refills on our drinks and our server actually missed our initial order for the goat cheese. Make sure to speak up and it wouldn't hurt to request the staff to read back/confirm your order. read more

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My partner and I celebrated our six-month-aversary here and the experience was so magical and romantic! Foreign Cinema is truly a perfect date night or special occasion spot that serves reliably good food. It was my second time dining here and the film of the evening was Ocean's Eleven. The atmosphere was impeccable and our table was perfect. Even in sub 50 degree weather, we were burning up, as the heat lamp by us was truly putting in work! We ordered the fresh pulled mozzarella with house bresaola and salsa macha, which was absolutely divine. It was probably my favorite dish of the night! We demolished it with an order of rosemary and black olive focaccia and iberico pork chicharrones, which were both mouthwatering. For our mains, we ordered the four-peppercorn duck breast with lentils and pear and the heritage pork chop with mojo verde and butternut squash. The duck was cooked perfectly the pork chop was a hearty choice that we did not regret making. The duck came with this bready side that I cannot describe but was genuinely to die for. It was almost like a bread pudding. All staff was extremely polite and super friendly. It was relatively easy for us to get a reservation for a Thursday night around 7:30pm. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Foreign Cinema - fresh mozzarella - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We had the perfect girls' night out at Foreign Cinema! Service was speedy, friendly, and attentive, and dishes were satisfying and shareable. It also definitely helped that we were seated outside on a warm evening with Ocean's Eleven playing -- a billion ambiance points for this. - Fried Olives: Crispy and delicious! My friend found this to taste a tad bit fishy, but it's good if you're into that. No pits. - Chili Focaccia: So good that we ordered two portions. Crispy on the outside and perfectly moist and fluffy on the inside. - Fried Chicken: Breading could have been a tad bit more savory, but this tasted great dipped in the sauces. The chicken itself was tender and moist. - Tagliatelle: Very standard flavor, but satisfying nonetheless. Noodles were cooked perfectly al dente. - Mozzarella Prosciutto: I'm always a sucker for fruit + cheese + meat combos, and the textural + flavor contrasts in this were excellent! - Ice Cream Sundae: My friends and I were shocked at how much we liked the marshmallow and ice cream combination in this! Not terribly sweet and a perfect way to end the night. We did have an issue being charged for one extra portion of focaccia, so just keep an eye on your receipt. Staff was super helpful and fixed it right away. read more

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Amazing ambiance and all the food + drinks we had were awesome! The ambiance makes it a great spot for date night. Would come back again

Foreign cinema is the date spot you go to when you choose ambience above other things. This was a first revisit in over a decade and things haven't changed drastically. Let's start with the positives - the place is stunning. The atmosphere is lovely and it provides a rather unique dining experience compared to your average restaurant. It's unique, quirky, and it just works. In other words, it definitely passes the vibe check. Service was spectacular and our server and the supporting staff were on top of things throughout the meal. From beginning to end, we felt taken care of. The food is just ok. It's one of those spots that the most memorable part of the meal is not the food itself. It's not bad, it's just not great; and San Francisco has a lot of great food to choose from. The prices are ok but not the best value. Again, you're paying for the experience. Overall, while the vibes are immaculate and service is solid, the food is not up to par. Even after a revisit a decade later, I still view this as a 3.5 stars spot. read more

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What a fun place! We came as a party of four and were seated in the patio area a bit further from the screen. Everything on the menu sounded delicious but we settled on pork chops and pasta. This place has been on my list since forever and I'm glad it's still living up to its hype. read more

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Love this staple in the Mission! It was my first time here and it's super fun and lively. The servers were very attentive. The food was excellent and they have a large wine selection - they even have a sommelier-type who can assist with choosing one. Highly recommend trying: * Baked Camembert: who doesn't love warm cheese?! * Little Gem Salad: good ratio of toppings, lettuce and dressing * Grilled Calamari: this was so unique and different - sort of BBQ bean style (mole). * Pork Chop: perfectly cooked crispy on the outside, tender on the inside * Bavette Wagyu Steak: also perfectly cooked and well-seasoned. * Poule Frites: I typically avoid ordering roast chicken at a restaurant because what can compare to a Costco rotisserie chicken, but this chicken was perfectly cooked and juicy! Recommend skipping the anchovy-stuffed olives - they are very, very salty and briny. All portions were a really decent size too. Pro tip: make a reservation! This place gets pretty packed. Also a note - you don't actually "watch" the movie ... it just plays on the screen in the courtyard. read more

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At long last, I dined at foreign cinema rather than enjoying the bar. Chose to bring out party of 12 at 6pm on new years eve. Crazy, I know. They were ready to help though and killed it. Let me walk you through our experience. Booked through a mutual friend and he contacted Ashley, one of their great hostesses. Foreign cinema projects classic movies onto the walls and plays french music during service. The staff is professional and quick. Cocktails I tasted were all great! We had three bottles of wine as well and the somm was knowledgeable and helpful. Burlesque shows during dinner today for Mardis gras Nye! It was a choose your own item fixed menu. I had lobster consomme and filet mignon, and for dessert a passion fruit pineapple coconut mille feuilles. Samuel was our server and did a great job, and was very funny and charming. Executive chef Ahmad took time to chat with me and is so sweet! Amazing menu. Can't wait to come back for brunch! read more

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What a popular after-work dinner/date spot! Definitely recommend making reservations in advance We started with their acme bread and cultured butter and my goodness, so tasty, with butter that just melts in your mouth Then we tried a salad, fried chicken, and agnolotti for our meal. The fried chicken has a super unique spice mix, great flavor. I loved the texture of their agnolotti too We finished with a decadent, warm bread pudding for dessert. read more

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I am so happy to say this place lived up to the hype! I came here with a large group on a Friday and we had amazing service and delicious food. Everything we tried was great but the stand outs for me were the swordfish, the dessert (in particular the birthday cake), and the drinks (especially espresso dessert cocktail). I know they change their menu frequently so I'm excited to go back and try another iteration! read more

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This is a bucket list item for a foodie in SF! I've long awaited the opportunity to try their pork chop and enjoy a foreign movie! We happened to have our 14 month old kid with us and they were very accommodating and sweet with her! Pleasantly surprising for such a nice restaurant. They even had a kids meal that came with dessert. We went family style with another couple and enjoyed a few apps and entrees. I liked the steak best, then the pork chop, then the chicken breast, then the duck. But the order was switched around for other people in our group! So just know it's all yummy. Our server was attentive and brought out the food in a perfectly timely pace. We loved the German chocolate cake at the end! read more

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This place is unique, fun, and delicious. The room is wide open and makes you feel like you are part of a Fellini movie. They also show films in one of the rooms and in the other one, you can take in the cinema of the kitchen through giant mirrors. The food, which has a fresh California vibe, also features twists from other types of cuisine, such as Indian spices in fried chicken or Mexican flavors in a cocktail. Sasha, our server, was fun, nice, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend this place for a lovely and fun night out! read more

Foreign Cinema - Fried chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Very good ambience and an amazing date night spot!! Its hard to find a reservation so be sure to book weeks in advance. You can also lookup on their website which movie is playing and you can decide to go accordingly. Food is mid and the service is slow but we still had a good time! Limited vegetarian options but you can call ahead and ask them if the chef can make something else vegetarian for u. read more

Foreign Cinema - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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From the beginning to the very end of our dining experience, our server Samuel made sure we were completely taken care of. For context, I'm a wedding planner visiting the venue for the first time, so my boyfriend and I came to dine and also familiarize ourselves with the space. I had a floor plan and contract with me, and Samuel noticed them and asked if we were planning an event. From that moment on, he went above and beyond, answering every question we had and making us feel incredibly welcome. To start, we ordered the Focaccia and Schoolyard Bread, both of which were delicious. Samuel also brought us olives that were incredibly flavorful and a wonderful addition to the meal. My boyfriend ordered the Wagyu Bavette. While it was a little more rare than he typically prefers, he said it was so flavorful and well-prepared that he thoroughly enjoyed it. I had the House Tagliatelle, which was absolutely delicious as well. Of course, we couldn't leave without trying dessert! I ordered the Ice Cream Sundae and my boyfriend had the Affogato--both were the perfect ending to an amazing meal. After dinner, I asked Samuel if it would be possible to take a look around the venue. Not only did he happily say yes, but he made a point to find us later and personally show us the upstairs area where my bride and her family can spend time before the ceremony. He walked us through the space, answered additional questions, and shared helpful insights along the way. I made sure to tell the manager on duty how much we appreciated Samuel's attentiveness, professionalism, and generosity with his time. I even requested that he work on my client's wedding day because I know we'll be in excellent hands. The food was fantastic, the venue is beautiful, and the service was truly exceptional. Thank you, Samuel, for making our visit so memorable! read more

Foreign Cinema - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Listen, this is the place for your next romantic date night! The food and atmosphere are catered perfectly with the staff being some of the best I've had the pleasure of meeting. They have a movie playing every night but I doubt very much you will be able to take your eyes off your date in this setting. Plus the food is divine and presented with finesse and an artistic flare. You have to get the focaccia! My wife and I had our Valentine's date here. The food is expensive but next level and the wine and drink selection is perfect for it. Eat here for a romantic special date. read more

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I really enjoyed this place! I was visiting San Francisco over the New Year and met with family here for brunch. The food was great and our waiter was so friendly! I had their pork chop and it was cooked perfectly and the braise paired well with it. We were there on a rainy weekend, but my family told me that they play movies in their outdoor patio sometimes. I would love to try that out sometime. It was a great experience and unique interior. read more

Foreign Cinema - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

Food and vibes are pretty good but feels a bit overpriced. For starter we ordered a selection of oysters - pretty fresh with a wide selection of source though didn't tell too much of a difference (lol), and crudo - the sauce has a sour taste to it, super appetizing and blends well with the fish. For main we ordered the steak - tastes good but pretty standard, and clam pasta with fish roe - savory but a bit on the salty side. Dessert was pretty sweet. Our server was super nice. Maybe we went a bit early so didn't catch the movie. ~$100 pp post tax and tip read more

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A special experience celebrating a birthday in a group of 6. Daily rotating menu. You are paying for the atmosphere and experience. Food was yummy and highest quality of freshness, but not necessarily where you want to return frequently. Long wait for the food so have some patience. Server wasn't genuinely friendly, but very knowledgeable on the menu. read more

Josue made there service a 10/10! Very attentive and you can tell he loves his job. He needs to become a lead server if he isn't already. Great job. The food was a 10/10 as well, full of flavor. We had the smaller bites but it did the job. The drinks top notch The atmosphere is great as well, it's feels like a high end movie theater with food and great cocktails. read more

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A Cinematic Culinary Masterpiece! The cinema theme is incredibly well-done and classy, making for a truly beautiful dining environment. I had a wonderful experience for my Wednesday reservation at 6:30 PM. The atmosphere was lively but perfectly comfortable, not loud at all. The wait staff was friendly and highly professional. For starters, we were blown away. The Sonoma Little Gem Salad was a lovely surprise; even as a non-blue cheese fan, I thought the flavor combination was executed brilliantly. The Brandade was even better and an absolute must-try! And seriously, do not overlook the bread. Both the rosemary & garlic focaccia and the acme levain were superb. Our main dishes, the 5-Spice Duck Breast and the Grilled Akaushi Wagyu Bavette, were both phenomenal. Loved every second of this dinner and can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu! read more

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Very romantic and beautiful spot! We got the focaccia, halibut, mushroom pasta, brandade, and the agave flight. Everything was delicious and unique! So flavorful and fresh, the agave flight had great picks too. For dessert we ordered the caramel ice cream and it was also amazing. Perfect for a date night spot or to celebrate a special occasion. The ambiance was incredible and the servers were also wonderful. read more

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Our waiter was delightful. The food was on par with what we expected. Everything we tried was unique and delicious. My only complaint was the soup needed a bit more salt and was a bit underwhelming. I would still give our overall experience a high rating read more

Foreign Cinema - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Weeknight 6 pm seating low key celebrating birthday, warm welcome with attentive service throughout the meal. Easy to see why this restaurant is revered and loved as time goes on - it's the food, perhaps even more than the setting. We dined comfortably outdoors in the courtyard but the dining room is cosy and beautiful as well. I chose the fried chicken and it is the best I've eaten in a long time. My companion enjoyed the bavette steak as well, also appreciated the sides substitution made. Will return and will recommend to visitors looking for solid execution in the kitchen, a strong and creative cocktail program and a well curated wine list. Bravo! read more

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Made reservations for Thursday for a party of two at 6:30pm, arrived a few minutes before and checked in with the host and was shortly seated in the patio. Temperature was perfect, not too warm or cold felt very cozy with the string lights and heater. Drinks: Dirty Martini - good, grabbed mine with roku gin, splash of olive juice and garnished with an olive, well chilled, savory and smooth Best in show - leans a little sweet, nice pleasant balance of strawberry, whiskey and lemon with a touch of bitterness from the amaro Food: Local Halibut Crudo - good, 5 pieces of thinly sliced halibut, served on top of a slice of avocado in a creamy tangy passion fruit sauce, great balance of sweet, tart and tropical flavors, the fresno chili garnish added some heat and curry leaves added another layer of flavor, texture and dimension, if you like crudos definitely worth a try House made Focaccia - good, pillowy with a nice crispy exterior, lots of rich olive oil, roasted garlic added a touch of sweetness Autumn Veggies - good, perfectly roasted delicata squash, with plump chocolate persimmons on top of a yogurt sauce, garnished with pomegranate seeds adding crunch and acidity, dukka added a nuttiness, and lots of olive oil and a balsamic like reduction that added a little sweetness Five Spice Duck Breast - excellent, the pate toast garnish was a great start to our entree, nice portion size, ordered this medium and it came out perfectly prepared, wells seasoned with a savory five spice note, the herb spätzle seemed made in house, we got some nice small pieces and some that were a little clumped together, chopped almonds added a nice crunchy texture to the dish, the sweet creamy koginut squash paired perfectly with the duck as well, the jus on the plate we soaked up with the focaccia so if you order the duck would suggest some bread to go along with it Service was outstanding, truly noteworthy, our server (I think Samuel G) made us feel welcome and cared for throughout our meal, friendly warm hospitality and had great recommendations and knowledge of the menu. Water was refilled as needed, he checked in with us throughout the meal. Plates and silverware were changed between courses, napkin was folded when we left the table. Very attentive and some of the best service i've experienced in SF. Overall really enjoyed our experience at Foreign Cinema, so glad to finally have made it for dinner. Menu changes often highlighting seasonal California produce in fun unique ways. Feels like there is something for everyone here. Definitely worth a visit if you haven't tried this institution. read more

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