The service is excellent, as it should be. Friendly and professional. The food came quickly and looked great. But the potato and leek soup was not special. The cassoulet was good, and the boeuf bourguignon very good. This is not an inexpensive restaurant and don't think we will return. Do many other choices! read more

Le Central - French Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We came here for a business lunch. While I know the purpose isn't solely the food, you'd think the restaurant could try harder to make it tasty for the price. The table bread was white and bland, but at least the butter was well salted. My leek and goat cheese tart had no tang from the goat cheese and the leeks were so al dente they were crunchy :/ the side salad was decently dressed. The service also left something to desire. Even though the restaurant was empty as it was midweek lunch, they sat a huge party right behind us which made it difficult to talk - they couldn't have been sat anywhere else in the empty restaurant? The waitress also kept hovering and asking us if we needed anything every 5 minutes despite us not. Idk if there's a cultural difference between traditional biz lunches expecting this kind of service but it feels like common sense that if a table hasn't indicated they need anything you shouldn't constantly interrupt their conversation? Logistics: - indoor seating only - Limited street parking nearby - Some vegetarian options read more

A great spot for a girls night dinner with good drinks and even better food. We started the dinner with the caramelized onion with goat cheese on bread, which I probably could have eaten 10 of. The onion and goat cheese complimented each other very well. I opted for the 6 oz of steak frites, cooked medium well. It was served with a generous portion of fries, and not pictured a side of green beans as well. As the dinner was winding down, I saw another table order the lemon tarte and decided we had to try it. It was perfect to split between the two of us to end the night. Staff were very welcoming and attentive during our meal. They promptly took or drink order and also shared with us the special of the night too. read more

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We picked this restaurant mostly due to the location - it's right across the street from the hotel we were staying at - but were pleasantly surprised as it turned out to be a really nice French restaurant. It's midsized, with two dining areas - one with bar counter and tables and the other side just a dining room. If there is anything that can be improved I'd say the tables could be a bit further apart. However we were there early, not a lot of people there so we had plenty of space. Had burgers, perfectly sautéed green beans and for dessert a super tasty chocolate mousse - slightly sweetened so bringing out the full chocolate flavor topped with delicious heavy cream (this coming from someone who don't usually like mousses of any kind especially chocolate). Service was great - I asked for some lemon for my water and they brought it right away - you'll be surprised how many restaurants either forget or ignore the request. They also don't keep asking if you want another drink so it was very relaxed but they were always on hand should you need anything. Definitely a restaurant to keep in mind for return visits. read more

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Cute little place with great food. Attentive service, will definitely be going back again. read more

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Early reservation at 5:30. Our waiter was lovely, the poulet roti, beef tartare, sole and steak and frites were great. I enjoyed the peche royale cocktail as well. Nice spot for a date night or special occasion with wonderful service and a well done traditional French menu across several courses. read more

I have many fond memories of this iconic and intimate restaurant while working in the neighborhood in the 90's and oughts. That continues. The French 75 was expert and excellent and our service was attentive and professional as per usual. But I expected more from the menu. All the standards remain, familiar and comforting. Execution of those dishes however was uninspiring. Both our mains (salmon and the roast chicken) were plated on the dry side, not as savory and toothsome as we recalled. The pommes puree with the salmon was the star of the dish, the asparagus was there to fill out the meal but nothing special. I would return but it would be for a light meal of the onion soup and frites with a cocktail. read more

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I've been to many elevated french restaurants in San diego/La. Camphor, LA all the way to L'Appart. These are all great french restaurants with their own strong suits but La Central Held its own with great service, amazing cook on the chicken and Sole and everything seasoned perfectly. My only suggestion would be towards the furniture. It was a little tight in there but other than that I had a great experience. Would highly recommend! read more

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Food is disgusting, chicken is dry, staff skipped my table multiple times, and funny enough I was the only person of colour while all the white patrons were served ahead of me and more than me and when I brought it up one of the staff members overheard and also got an attitude with me. If you are a Black , Brown or Asian I do not recommend coming here and if you are an ally and anti racist I do not recommend coming here. The microagressions are absolutely ridiculous. Trash food and overpriced with stank attitude service. read more

This place has a very old school vibe with lots of classic French decor. We got seated in their side room for weekday lunch. I got their chicken dish which came with gravy, greens and fries. It was a large portion for lunch and the prices also are on the higher side for a lunch. My dish was decent, good for causal lunch. They also gave us some complimentary bread and butter to start read more

Le Central - French Near Me - San Francisco, California

We chose this place for the escargot and the mussels but also ordered the duck cassoulet. This felt a bit more casual than I was expecting. There were a good amount of flies around the dining room and the servers were casual but helpful. Overall the food was kind of salty. The escargots and mussels were not my favorite. The cassoulet was delicious but extremely heavy. We called ahead for a reservation but I didn't feel like we needed it, there was plenty of space on a weekend night. read more

We had a get together and 7 of us had dinner here, we had the French onion soup and steak and fries. 4 ordered that meal and there was salmon and other items on the menu. Service was good and they worked with workers to handle our table. Our reservation was at 7 and we were seated at 715 and finished by 9. The ambiance had a big of vintage Paris feeling. Meals and cocktails ran $500plus. They do add 20% and 5% additional to the bill. read more

My wife and I had dinner here at 530pm after attending the ballet. Overall experience was bad: food and service. Now I know why it only gets 3-star. Our mid-life crisis waitress was unfriendly, not happy with her job. Every time we asked for something like extra ice or lemon for our Evian water, she gave that "why are you bothering me" look. I asked for tea pot with 2 tea bags and she charged us twice ($12) the price! Really ?!? Gave a little kindness and Christmas joy to your customers by not charging us a lousy 50-cents tea bag. Now, the food: we had a $60 steak-frites filet. For $60 we got a 8oz (was more like a miniscule 6oz on the plate) filet with just lukewarm fries, nothing else! For $60 at Tides (4-star restaurant) in upscale Danville, you get a real 8oz filet with mash potatoes and asparagus! Then, they charge you $7 for bread and 5% cost of living fee for the lazy staff. Tides gives you free bread and no living wage fee. The lemon meringue tart ($14) tasted like it came straight out of Safeway. Overall, after spending $200 at this mediocre restaurant, we felt that we got ripoff . Never coming back again! read more

Being a native kid from San Francisco I would walk by LC when I worked in the Downtown area and it was always on my bucket list of restaurants to try. After all, it has a great story as being a bastion of where business deals were cut by folks such as the former Mayor Willie Brown and other movers and shakers. The former Chronicle Columnist would always throw in a barb or two about LC along with mentioning the famous Haberdasher Wilkes Bashford. On a recent Thursday afternoon, I met a colleague for lunch and pictured are what we had. Really enjoyed the coziness of the dining area along with the old school bar. Highly recommend dining here and capturing a bit of San Francisco. read more

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The food here is great. I loved the ambiance--it wasn't too dark inside like most French restaurants. The server was very attentive and recommended a Bordeaux that paired excellently with the beef bourguignon. As for the food, the beef bourguignon was very tender and not extremely oily. The onion soup had rich flavor and was very filling. As for the dessert, the crème brûlée was just good-- I wish the crust was a bit crunchier. read more

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The portions were tiny, especially for the high price tag. I didn't find this place to be authentic french food and the food they served was pretty generic. I feel like I could have been better off buying french Trader Joe's frozen dinner. I appreciated the service though and the ambiance was nice. read more

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Had dinner before a show at SF Playhouse and it was the PERFECT spot. The service was phenomenal - warm, welcoming and attentive. Food and drinks were fantastic, especially for "girl dinner" - truffle fries, salmon cake, French onion soup + kir royale and French 75s. Happy hour is bar seating only. Absolutely coming back. read more

I had THE BEST BURGER I have had tonight. It was amazing! (I added the bay blue cheese and ordered it medium). My other dining mates enjoyed their food as well, but I can't comment on it as I was completely enamored with my burger. The waiter was very attentive, and even split the dessert wine my husband and I ordered so we both had our own glass. read more

Service was pretty good. Wine was ok. I had the steak Frites, center cut filet with Bernaise med rare. The steak was charred on the outside med rare on the inside which, I hate. The Bernaise was terrible no tarragon flavor at all, and.....,the fries were cold. That being said my husband had the cassoulet and he really enjoyed it. read more

We were here for lunch, so not quite as intimate as it may seem in the evening. That's okay, because we were here with a group. Our server was pleasant and helpful. He was only slightly too familiar, but not enough to remove any stars. His service was great. We ordered several appetizers. I'll say I didn't eat much. We ordered the Dungeness Crab Cake Beurre Blanc, which looked delicious. The Escargot Bourguignon also looked delightful. I did try some of the Fries, which I don't see on the menu. They were delicious. I ordered a Salmon dish, which again I don't find on the current menu. I am 99.9% certain it was served cold and it was fantastic. I must say all the food was plated beautifully and everything I ate was very good. There are a gazillion and a half restaurants in San Francisco and the Bay Area. I'm glad we chose Le Central for our team's lunch. read more

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Really liked the onion soup - full of cheese on top and a rich taste - salty but sweet. Crème brûlée is also a highlight, very crispy on the top and not too sweet. The main was okay. The restaurant itself is a little old, their sofa has cracks on the surface making sitting there a little uncomfortable. The server was also not very available - we sat for ~20mins before the server came to our table to get our order, and they had to separate drink and food order due to restaurant being too busy despite we were ready to order both. Then he got our bill wrong and charged 1 extra item.. $70pp post tax and tip read more

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Came here for the SF restaurant week menu. Decent sized food for the price we paid ($45 each) Service is good. Ambience is very good. Very few parties and quiet (we dined late at 8pm) we were seated by the window by the plants, I liked the deco of the restaurant. Belgian endive salad: beautifully presented, good flavor, the honey walnut is a nice touch to balance out the bitterness of the vegetable. I think adding some vinaigrette will make this dish so much better. 7.5/10 Escargot: this is my favorite dish. Great sauce, perfectly cooked. And the olive oil/garlic based sauce is a great sauce to dip the bread in. 8.5/10 Sole: the fish was ok. The fish lacks in texture and the sauce was alright. It's not memorable. 6/10 Beef: the wine was a bit overpowering however the overall flavor was good. And braised beef is very thoroughly cooked. 7.5/10 Chocolate mousse: was ok. 6/10 Crème Brûlée: was very good. 8/10 Overall it is 7/10. read more

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We visited Le Central for SF Restaurant Week (Nov 2023). We enjoyed the 3-course meal which is a good deal ($10-15 lower than regular prices for the same items), but the slow service made the experience frustrating. The ambience was fairly cozy, with most parties seated somewhat but not too closely together. It took 30 min to have our order taken, seemingly because of the staff having to attend to other parties ordering wine. It was difficult to get the attention of the waiters. It was frustrating to have our order delayed a long time to give long uninterrupted attention to wine orders. We ordered the French Onion Soup Gratinée and Escargot Bourginon as appetizers, the Sautéed Petrale Sole and Beef Bourginon as mains, and the Crème Brûlée and Mousse au Chocolat for dessert. Most of the food was flavorful and not too heavy. Our favorite was the chocolate mousse which had a nice texture. read more

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The Only place I will eat escargot and spit roasted chicken with French fries. The best. Their Lamb dish is good also. Everything on the menu is good but these are myIt is very small but cosy. My husband and I loved to go here for Sunday dinner. A SF favorite of ours. read more

Cozy little place for traditional French food. We went to see a Saturday theater matinee, and came here for an early dinner afterwards. It's right next to Café de La Presse, and almost opposite the gates of Chinatown. For some reason, even though the place was empty, we were seated in the very very back next to the restrooms. It would've been nice to get a better table, especially since we had a reservation. Food was pretty good, my partner got the beef Bourguignon over noodles. This was excellent. I got the cassoulet, which was good, with duck confit, and some really yummy spicy sausage. The cassoulet was a little thick (and my date said "not as good as in southern France", but we weren't really expecting that!) We were debating between the pate and the mousse but the waitress recommended the mousse. It was OK, but seemed a little off, kind of stringy. Maybe it needed to be puréed longer? Also, the bread accompaniment was a little stingy, there was a lot of mousse, and not nearly enough bread, so we asked for more which they charged extra for. I enjoyed a nice rosé Grenache, and we also got the apple galette for dessert, which I liked a lot. My date thought the galette was thicker (taller) than he expected, and next time we would have it with vanilla ice cream instead of the raspberry, which was excellent, but overpowered the galette. Overall, it was a nice dinner in a comfortable setting, and I'd go back if I was craving French food in that area. We did not see Willie Brown. read more

Le Central - Le Central Cassoulet - French Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Quaint, delicious, and intimate make for a fun evening when lunch was too much for a loaded meal. Happy hour is a great deal & all the kitties add up to a perfect amount when you're not ready to have multiple courses. Carlos was a terrific bartender; great attitude and courteous throughout our time here! read more

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Located right by the Dragon Gate, the interior was cozy and decorated traditionally. Food was alright for its price. I enjoyed the cheese on the french onion soup but it was on the saltier side. Beef bourguignon was quite solid but nothing to rave about. However, I will say that they did a great job with presentation and plating the food. read more

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Absolutely worth the hype -- portions are generous, service is attentive, and the staff went above and beyond when I left an important item behind tonight. Go for the warm and cozy ambiance, stay for the cassoulet and frites. But save enough room for dessert! read more

Highly recommend the salmon here. My colleague got the steak frites medium and it was very rare, so that wasn't great. Everything else was delicious! read more

Le Central - Salmon - French Near Me - San Francisco, California

My husband and I recently had lunch at Le Central, a french restaurant in San Francisco's Financial District. We were able to escape 103 degree weather for a beautiful 82 degrees and enjoy the cooler San Francisco weather and delicious french cuisine. We started with San Pellegrino water and a lovely french blush vin rose . I ordered oysters on the half shell as a starter along with hot french bread and butter . For our entrees, my husband ordered his favorite, Beef Bourguignon and it was absolutely divine. I had by my absolute favorite, Moules Frites and it did not disappoint. I chose a pinot grigio which paired perfectly with the mussels. The mussels were tender and delicious! The servings were more than ample and left no room for dessert. read more

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San Francisco's Union Square neighborhood is in need of a new breath of life. But old standbys like Le Central that prove that life in this area is still worth looking into. Located on a busy stretch of Bush Street, Le Central has been treating locals and tourists alike to their traditional French bistro fare for what seems like generations, as their signature pink neon sign has been almost as omnipresent as Union Square itself. I have actually been to Le Central twice, and both times it was for the same reason, because they were participating in San Francisco Restaurant Week. This is a promotion in which local restaurants offer customers the option of ordering from a curated list of pre-fix menu items, usually an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, for a set price in this case it was being offered for 45 dollars, which for French food in a restaurant located in Union Square can only be considered a real deal. The first time I came to Le Central was over six years ago, and I found the food decent but somewhat unremarkable, perhaps owing to the fact I didn't know what to order. But upon my second visit all these later, I found the food comforting and inspired by the many bistros in Paris that I have been to since my last visit, which was a surprising change. Reservations for our party of four were super easy to make for a recent weeknight dinner, as driving in from the East Bay was the only real challenge as traffic crossing the bridge was tumultuous to say the least, but luckily by arriving so late finding parking directly on Bush Street was super easy to make, and being able to find my party waiting for me in their dining room next to their bar made my evening a delight. The current menu at Le Central is separated into categories including Starters, Salads, Entrées, Sides, Cocktails, Wines, Beer & Cider, and Non Alcoholic Beverages. We of course came for their Three Course Dinner Menu that was specially curated for San Francisco Restaurant Week. For my first course, I ordered their Escargot Bourguignon, which were five French Escargots served in garlic, butter, pernod, topped with parsley and served with two slices of baguette. Others in my party ordered their Onion Soup Gratinée, which was served with onions, croutons, gruyère cheese and fine herbs. For my entrée, I ordered their Beef Bourguignon, which was braised short rib, carrot, pearl onion, butter & herb egg noodles, while others ordered their Sautéed Petrale Sole, which was served with marble potatoes, haricots verts, lemon, butter and capers. For our dessert course, I ordered their Crème Brûlée, which was a vanilla bean custard which was topped with caramelized sugar, while others ordered their Mousse Au Chocolat, which was served with a rolled gaufrette. It should be noted that it did take a while for our courses to be served, as they were busy this evening, but there wasn't necessarily a wait lining up to get in, as the place was loud and bustling. Once we did begin to dine on our food, I loved every dish, especially my first dish the Escargots, as it brought me back to France with its overindulgence on oil and butter, so much so that the snails just melt in your mouth. I really liked the overall taste of my Beef Bourguignon as it has a nice proportional pairing with the skinny flat egg noodles that they were served with. And to end my meal with a traditional French dessert like a Crème Brûlée was the perfect way to end the evening. Since it was only 45 dollars a person, for the four of us our total bill was very reasonable. This time around we had a really nice time at Le Central, service could have been a little more attentive as they seemed to get slammed and handling that came across like a challenge that they couldn't quite meet all evening long. But rest assured that there is a reason that Le Central has not let the current situation that is affecting the neighborhood in which they reside get to them. They continue to thrive for a reason, and I for one am glad they have survived long enough to prove that they are in it for the long run in the heart of San Francisco's business corridor. read more

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Food was so good, we had the tartine chèvre and the croquete, as well as the beef bougigione. Alfonso was wonderful, he helped us pick a wine and his after dinner drinks were perfect!! read more

We visited this place for a brunch with friends. When we arrived around 11:30, it was pretty empty, but it got busy later on. We enjoyed the food - everything was great; my favorite was onion soup and beef bourguignon. Our waiter was wonderful and fun and they have a calm atmosphere. read more

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Iconic place with classic & delicious French food. We were warmly greeted and seated at the window table that is famous for being the favorite table of former Mayor Willie Brown, my favorite journalist, the late Herb Caen, and Wilkes Bashford (fashion & clothing). Their French onion soup is the best, with perfectly cooked tender onions and melted cheese over a slice of baguette. The mussels are to die for - cooked in garlic and served with toasted slices of French bread. The burger & fries (frites) are also very good served in a generous portion as everything else here. Their sliced up chicken roll is tasty but we were already getting too full to finish it. For dessert we had the Apple Tartine which had a buttery thin crust topped with lots of spiced apples slices. Overall it was an excellent meal in a nice & relaxing and environment with good service. I can certainly understand why folks like coming here again and again. read more

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We celebrate it our 26 wedding anniversary My wife wanted to have French food . We made a reservation @ 8:30 pm at 8:28 pm received a call asking if we were coming for dinner??? Pretty disturbing. There was only 3 tables occupied. Bartender greet us. My group ordered 3 cocktails and bartender was assisting people on the bar . 1.unprofessional.2 .Long wait cocktails as well long time to take order . Long wait appetizers and main course. Not all that . I will not recommend this place it all. Service/food. Poor. Value horrendous. No Soufle on a French restaurant. Are you serious!!!!!! read more

A warm and intimate spot serving delicious French dishes for any occasion. My husband and I have been dining here for 25+ years, most recently for his 50th birthday. Amidst so many celebratory/holiday meals in December, I opted for the flavorful moules frites instead of the heavier classics like steak frites or cassoulet. The restaurant was packed for dinner, a few days before Christmas. Service was on the perfunctory side from our server while our busser was cheerful and friendly. To this day, they serve my favorite French 75 in the City. read more

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The food along with the service was exquisite! We had escargot and the endive to start! and then I had the cast away, which is always extra extraordinary, and my friend had the seafood pasta which was out of this world. It was over a month ago and I don't remember what I had for dessert however that doesn't mean that I was displeased. The ambience is lovely. It's a standby for many in San Francisco and after living here for 34 years it will be a place that I will gravely miss. It feels like I'm in Paris. And I love Paris. read more

Great French Bistro. Décor is typically French as is the background music. We were seated promptly at our reservation time. Waitress was a tiny bit aloof ( perfect for a French restaurant ) but efficient and knowledgeable. Ordered the flank steak with fries and wife ordered the roast chicken with fries. Steak and chicken were cooked and seasoned perfectly with the fries crisp and fresh. With one drink, tax and tip, just under $100. Will definitely return. read more

Le Central is a welcoming and enjoyable French restaurant in the financial district. In a city that has a curious number of French restaurants, you can count on Le Central for the basics and more. We started with deviled eggs, which were small but flavorful. What I will never understand is how a serving can consist of one and a half eggs--just serve two and call it a day. The French onion soup was served hot and filled with a delicious broth, good slice of baguette, lots of onions, and the right amount of cheese to soup. We had the burger with brie, cooked medium and served with fries. Very good. The piece de resistance was the braised lamb shank in a red wine reduction over polenta. Fall-off-the-bone excellence. A true treat. Just had beer and sparkling water, but they have a good wine list and full bar. Still serving up great food in the Union Square area. Can't go wrong here. read more

Le Central - Braised lamb shank. - French Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I don't understand the low reviews here. I booked a last minute business dinner for 7 of my out-of-town colleagues. We were treated so well, had a great table, warm and friendly service, and on point recommendations. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their food and drinks. They made me look like a hero as it was the best dinner of their week-long work trip. I will always recommend this place. read more