I know this place just got acknowledged as a Michelin Guide spot, but they truly deserve a star! They weren't lying when they said this is an "elevated southern dining" experience. The ambiance is swanky, perfect for a date night, with R&B hits playing as a nod to the southern vibe. The deviled eggs, prosciutto cornbread, pork chops, and surprise Cinnamon Toast Crunch milk at the end- truly made this an unforgettable dinner. To top it off, the service by Rashad and Max made us feel like VIPs (and they both kept us laughing too!). We canNot wait to come back. read more

Prelude - Pork chop entree, biscuits, grits, and mushroom entree - Southern Near Me - San Francisco, California

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One of the newest restaurant in the city. Located inside the jay hotel. The restaurant is really really beautiful. I love the interior and open kitchen. The restaurant run by chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones's fine dining approach to Southern food. Which rarely find in sf. I'm really excited to try the food now. So we got to order many dishes but I started off with cocktail gin and smoked tomato . Great! They served us with an amuse little bite that wasn't anything special. But then the food that we ordered was a hit! Started off with the chicken wings that was crispy and light with perfect saltiness that would be so great with a beer! And then the sweetbread that first bite just reminded me of chicken nuggets but then gamey flavor hit at the end. The dish that I was surprised with was the catfish dumpling that looks like a gnocchi but very mind fish taste and sourness bring the dish together. Tomato melon salad was refreshing and very nice palette cleanser dish before our main Which was the beef and duck. The steak was cooked perfectly, seasoned perfectly. And all the side dishes were all good especially the grits !!!!! For the duck I just expected to be more crispy on the skin. The dessert were all good , the banana creamy flavor and the top crispy thin was really good. The waffle was warm and crunchy that goes well with the ice cream. And love the ending with cookies and milk with brandy. I think this place is really classy and great for night out. Definitely recommended and probably will be back for the chicken wings and steak !!!! read more

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Came with a group. We ordered shortly after being sat. The first appetizer came out pretty quickly, but it took more than 45 minutes for the second appetizer to come. No one checked in on us. No explanation, no apology. Finally flagged down the server to ask him to fire all the remaining appetizers and entrees at once. Still took another 30+ minutes for remaining items to come out. The pickle martini and the chicken wing were the best things about the visit. Experience was not worth the price. Wouldn't go back. read more

Not so hot the second time, unfortunately. Immediately after notifying our server of a severe allergy, we were brought a dish containing it. The wing remains very good. Less so the caviar lost in a gloopy sea of nothing much. Wagyu should have been a showstopper but was a chewy slog. We asked to have our final dishes boxed, and had asked to skip dessert thanks to it also containing the allergen. The kitchen kindly replaced it -- with a cheese board containing the specific allergen. I've never eaten somewhere that took anaphylaxis so lightly. The martini continues to be outstanding, and the service is very friendly and warm. read more

We were looking forward to dining at Prelude, but our hopes were dashed when they said that they can't really work with a dairy allergy at the last minute, causing us to leave the restaurant. . I reached out to them 2 weeks before my reservation and they confirmed they can accommodate a dairy allergy. I then double checked whether they would omit ingredients completely (an issue I've had before) or be able to substitute them so that the dish tastes cohesive. They responded saying that they will mostly substitute, but may have to omit in some cases, which is quite reasonable. When we arrived at the restaurant, the sever checked with us about the allergy. Then he returned mentioning some details about substitutions, but didn't seem too sure. Then he came back and said don't worry, we got it. And then eventually the manager Jade came and let us know they can't support allergies as "they didn't know butter is part of dairy allergies". I understand if you can't support allergies, but it's pretty ludicrous to use the excuse that a restaurant doesn't know that dairy includes butter. They offered 3-4 dishes I could have, but without the sauces because for example, "the Cajun chicken was good enough on its own without sauces or accompaniments". That was not the dinner we came for, so we were pretty upset and decided to leave. That's when Jade was super nice, she personally checked with their sister restaurant upstairs (it's called the Third floor) and personally walked us to the table upstairs. In addition, she gave us her card and let us know to reach out to her when we visit next for a meal on her which would be allergen free. The gesture was definitely appreciated. In the end, we lost an hour of dinner time and our date night was pretty ruined, just because a high end restaurant from the famous Omakase group did not know what a dairy allergy consists of. Do better. read more

Absolutely delicious! They catered to my husband's allergies without hesitation or fussiness to which we were grateful. We were also impressed they understood the fruit and nut category included legumes. The staff are knowledgeable and so professional and nice. The decor here is also lovely which makes for a lovely setting. Highly recommend. I'm pescatarian and they understood the nuances of my diet as well. Thank you for such a lovely NYE experience. read more

The city has limited choices of Southern restaurants, and Prelude is the probably the only one fine dining southern food option. Located at the bottom floor of the newly renovated The Jay hotel, the restaurant has a separate street entrance to avoid being the "hotel" restaurant. The decor is extremely sleek and inviting. The lightly crusted wing stuffed with dirty rice is a must try. The fried sweetbreads with plum sauce is to die for. The catfish gnocchi "sausage" is a soft and creamy nod to chicken and dumplings. It's all fantastic, served a la carte and priced on par with many upscale places around town. The signature cocktails are amazingly handcrafted and well made. One night we came back at around 9pm for a drink before our dinner reservation at 10pm somewhere else - the side bar still open but the kitchen was unfortunately closed already as I would love to have drinks and get their small bites like the amazing salmon skin cheese dip. Service is spot on attentive and Michelin worthy. Come check it out! read more

Prelude - Beautiful side bar at the restaurant - Southern Near Me - San Francisco, California

5-course NYE tasting menu was perfect! Service so impeccable yet comfortable and chef made his way over to check in. Could not have asked for better evening. read more

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We had an unforgettable evening at Prelude -- a southern fine dining experience that's as warm and welcoming as it is elegant and composed. From the moment we sat down, it was clear this place is dialed in. The space feels intentional -- intimate lighting, soft textures, and a calm, collected energy that lets the food take center stage. Every dish we tried was thoughtful and memorable. The stuffed chicken wing was one of the most visually striking plates of the night, and just as delicious as it looked. The biscuits were flaky, rich, and gone in seconds. The grits, though -- those were a standout. Creamy, comforting, perfectly seasoned. Easily one of the best renditions we've ever had, especially with the playful mix of accompaniments on the side. For mains, the pork chop was beautifully cooked and sliced -- simple, bold, and confident. The red snapper was light and balanced, rounding out the meal with ease. We closed with two desserts -- the ambrosia salad and the banana upside-down cake -- both nostalgic and elevated in just the right ways. A special moment was when Michaela, the GM, stopped by our table. Her warmth and care were palpable and made the experience feel even more personal. You can tell this place is led with heart. Prelude delivers on all fronts -- food, service, atmosphere -- and still manages to feel effortless. Can't wait to come back. read more

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We had dinner at Prelude last night with a party of four. We had read about the place, including its emphasis on Southern ingredients and flavors, and were really excited to try it. I did like the design and atmosphere of the restaurant. Unfortunately, that is the only positive comment I can make about our experience. We arrived about ten minutes before our 6:45 reservation. They did not seem particularly busy yet, but the hostess asked that we go to the bar while our server got ready for us. We had just been seated in the dimly-lit bar when a blinding light came on -- another person at an adjoining table who had a large and VERY bright LED light attached to her iPhone was apparently taking photos. The bartender was standing right there taking our orders and I asked him whether he could ask the guest to turn off the light. He said he had previously asked her to do so, but she was apparently disregarding him and he seemed to think that was all he could do. The light stayed on for several more seconds. I like to take photos at restaurants myself, but using an external light is, in my view, way out of bounds, and is the sort of behavior that a restaurant should control. Sadly, things did not improve. We moved to our table which was very nice. One of the servers brought us an amuse-bouche of ham and jam on a piece of cornbread. She told us the ham was a "Benton's ham." I had never heard of that so asked where it was from. She said she didn't know, but would find out. She never returned. If they are going to go out of their way to emphasize the provider of their products, why not be ready to answer the most basic questions about it? For any who are interested, a quick follow up Google search suggests it was likely from Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams in Madisonville, Tennessee. I had read various reviews and comments about Prelude's dishes, and had seen photos which all looked great. We ended up ordering some of the items that had been highly praised - Deviled Eggs Topped with Crispy Chicken Skin, Dirty Rice Stuffed Chicken Wing, Smoked Catfish Dumplings with Toasted Bread, Dry Aged Pork Chop, and Hominy Grits. Deviled Eggs: I have to agree with Cherry W's review of this dish from a few days back. It was just underwhelming (if it had any chicken skin on it, I missed it), and something that could easily be made at home. Plus, while I know deviled eggs call for a bit of spice to give them a kick, this was over the top - I think Cayenne Pepper? Dirty Rice Stuffed Chicken Wing. The server's explanation of how they make this dish sounded quite complex and time consuming. However, again, I was underwhelmed. It just tasted like a plain chicken meatball without any depth of flavor. I did like the crispy skin. However, it was coated with the same spice (Cayenne Pepper?) that had made an appearance in the Deviled Eggs, something that was not indicated at all on the menu. My partner, who had a low spice tolerance, simply could not eat hers. Apart from the issue of disclosure, why have exactly the same spice note on two dishes? Smoked Catfish Dumplings. I am beginning to sound like a one-note band, but again, this dish was not particularly interesting. I like fish, but this was nothing special. Plus, the toast served with the dish was coated with -- wait for it -- the same Cayenne Pepper spice we had already had twice before. Again, no indication of that on the menu, and nothing mentioned about it by the server. Pork Chop. The "best" dish by far, although the chop was very fatty and was not hot when served. At least they did not use Cayenne Pepper on it! Grits. They were OK, although for my taste overcooked. They were served with an assortment of sides -- dried ham chips (very salty), and pickled okra, green beans and, of all things, shrimp. They also brought a small container of an extremely fishy sauce made from shrimp heads. It was just an odd combination of flavors. The grits and pickles combination reminded me of the rice and pickles combinations one finds in Japanese cuisine. I like it there, but it did not work for me here. Service. Overall, poor. Again, I hark back to Cherry W's earlier review, as our experience was almost exactly the same. Our first two dishes were served quickly, and then we had to wait a long time for the next dish to arrive. What should have been a 1.5 hour dinner, was turned into a 2.5 hour ordeal, mostly spent waiting. They finally brought the dessert menu, but then the server disappeared again. We had intended to have some dessert, but decided we just really didn't want to just sit around much longer. That proved to be a good decision since just getting the bill took enough time. I certainly wish Prelude well, but would never return and would never recommend it. I appreciate that restaurants may have off nights and deserve second chances, but the issues we ran into last night appeared far more systemic. read more

I feel bad about leaving this review since service was impeccable and decor was very nice...but a member of my party got pretty bad food poisoning and we traced it back to the pretzel banana cream pie dessert that Prelude's known for. He hadn't eaten anything all day and was looking forward to this meal, and the rest of the table had eaten and drank the exact same thing he had and the rest of us were fine. He said the pie was delicious and definitely enjoyed eating it, but within an hour he had pretty severe symptoms. The rest of the food was ok but not worth risking food poisoning for. Hopefully, the kitchen will figure out what happened and make changes so that it's an isolated incident. read more

You eat at enough amazing restaurants in a place like SF, and you start to think you can't be delighted any more. Enter Prelude, the best new restaurant experience I've had in years. From the ambiance, to the creativity and playfulness of the dishes, to the service, to the deliciousness (not an easy or common feat for a creative fine dining spot ime), Prelude just nails it. 10/10. read more

My wife and I celebrated our birthdays here the other night and had a wonderful experience at Prelude. The interior is really swanky yet welcoming. The entire staff was very friendly and helpful in our food and drink decisions. My wife had the PFC martini and she said it was the best martini she'd every had. I had the Short Stack and it was really good as well. We had the pimento cheese (a must have and both of our favorites of our entire meal), catfish dumpling (yum), chicken wings (wow), and for our main meal we had the pork chop and duck. While the entrees were good we felt the rest of the meal was more satisfying. For dessert we had the banana chocolate and it was delicious. Prelude isn't a cheap meal but it's a great spot for a special celebration! read more

I really loved the ambiance of this restaurant along with our waiter, the som and the wine list....all outstanding. The food was completely unremarkable and made me wish we were home making our own dinner, especially the pork chop. read more

A really nice addition to the neighborhood. Prelude brings an intimate space that offers both a tasting menu and a la carte. Our dining today was through a la carte. Food: Our first starters were the heirloom johnny cakes and deviled eggs. Both were fantastic and I really recommend them. The johnny cakes had a light but delightful mushroom flavor. The texture of the fried bits also really heightened the meal. Deviled eggs here were a no-brainer and I would repeat getting this in a heartbeat. Single bites that were just full of flavor and tiny bits of crunch just made these great Next 2 items we were served were catfish dumplings and the chicken fried sweetbreads. These were surprisingly more disappointing. It felt like catfish dumplings were just missing a bit of seasoning and just lacked some texture you would normally get from dumplings. It was closer to like sausage bites. As for the chicken fried sweetbreads I think you can skip these and save room for other things on the menu. Decent flavor but really nothing to stand out. Last 2 dishes were the hominy grits and the dirty rice stuffed chicken. Hominy grits were presented beautifully with plenty of pickled options. Honestly you can just dump all the toppings in the grits because they're all great. Nice acidity and texture from this dish. A simple but lovable plate. I'd repeat this. The dirty rice stuffed chicken was also great. At the price of $10 i'd recommend 2 orders if you want. Full of flavor and eating with hands, you forget a moment you're in such a beautiful room. For desserts we got all 3 options available that night: Pretzel and banana cream pie: This was great. I loved the flavor from the banana and the crust that is inverted also the pretzel added a nice crunch each bite. This was a fantastic start to desserts. Ambrosia salad: I loved the mellow but floral flavor of this. I was a bit hesitant hearing it had marshmallows but they did work in nicely. A fun and flavorful dish I would happily get again. Sorghum waffles: Probably the least favorite of the 3, but not to say it was bad, it just was trying to follow up 2 really unique dishes. Waffle had like a brulee of sugar so it wasn't anything too exciting, ice cream probably stole the show since there were really tasty prune bits at the bottom. Drinks: I'm not an alcohol drinker so I opted for the zero proof libation creations. These are more subjective and based on what you tell the server, but I really enjoyed these thoroughly. I ended up getting 2 of them for myself. Always happy to see zero-proof drinks on the menu Service: I really loved each and every interaction. I think my problem was the timing of the dishes. We arrived earlier than our reservation and seated, but by the end of dinner it was over 2.5hrs, often we were just waiting for one dish and at one point it was 30 minutes just for the next 2 dishes after we finished our current. This feels quite off. All said, it's a really exciting place that has some really great hits but some other dishes were a bit lackluster (maybe because being outshined by other dishes), but tying it together with really long service times is a bit unfortunate for me. read more

Had a drink for happy hour at the bar; amazing drink and such a cute atmosphere. The drink menu is so creative and stopping in for happy hour is a must. SF has no shortage of bars, but this little hidden gem is a must visit. read more

Prelude - Southern Near Me - San Francisco, California

This gem of a restaurant has me feeling emotions! My friends had to cancel so I said F it and came alone. I made a really good choice as I would have had to share the food. The service was warm and attentive, but still friendly and casual. This place could easily feel stuffy--they have the merits to do that, but they don't. Every single person was down to earth, funny, and intuitive. The chef even came by to chat. The dirty rice stuffed chicken wing is the best G Damn chicken wing I've ever eaten in my entire life. I was nibbling on pieces of the wing that I have never nibbled before. It felt dirty in all the right ways. The catfish dumplings seemed like they were cooked by a wizard. They were so delicious I laughed out loud because I couldn't believe it: buttery and savory but with a slight sour/onion finish. The hardest part was remembering to chew. I got the pork chop with grits and couldn't believe how much I liked the grits. I don't love grits but these blew my socks off. With pickled shrimp, ham, shrimp head gravy, and pepper relish with tons of butter, what's not to love. The cocktails were strong, well balanced and not overly sweet--a master class in cocktail alchemy. I didn't even have room for dessert but she talked me into the banana cream pie: which had a thin crispy shell and bits of pretzel which gave it this immaculate crunchiness that I never knew I needed. Every dish was a carefully studied evolution of the traditional recipe, the result breathing new life into southern cuisine. This restaurant truly gave me faith that San Francisco is slowly but surely getting its swagger back, with this restaurant and its brilliant staff leading the way. Bravo! read more

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Had an incredible experience at Prelude at the Jay Hotel. The menu consists of really inventive upscale renditions of southern fare. The wine list and cocktails are top notch. The ambiance is warm approachable and intimate yet also modern and smart. The staff and service were friendly, proactive and knowledgeable about the menu, an impressive feat given there were a lot of new dishes on the menu. One real standout on the food menu was the chicken wing dish. Chef Celtin really earned himself and Prelude a spot at the top of the lengthy list of creative takes on chicken wings in SF that seem to have become so popular recently. The prelude rendition takes obvious inspiration from LihoLiho and Mission Chinese and elevates it to a level of addicting and crave-able that LihoLiho never quite achieved with Preludes incredible flavorful dirty rice stuffing. They've also paid homage to Mission Chinese's Sichuan peppercorn rub with their own in house "Prelude dry spice" that feels like a grown up, and more mainstay-than-novelty versus the Mission Chinese version. 10/10 must get. read more

Prelude - Southern Near Me - San Francisco, California

Overall, food was kind of disappointing. I was expecting a lot, since I really like southern food. Influencers definitely hyped this place up too much. Food can be heavy so I would add a salad or vegetables or something light to help balance out the heaviness of the food Service: 10/10 - super attentive staff! My glass was never empty and they kept the tables very clean in between meals Ambiance: Cute art deco / mid century Food: 6/10 Catfish dumplings: worst thing we got. I was not a huge fan of the texture of the dumplings, and the flavor was decent, but my main gripe was the deep fried milk bread. I literally could push on it lightly and end up squeezing oil out of the bread. Way too heavy. Would've been a whole lot better with a medium toast and light butter or oil Pork belly and biscuits: decent, had a BBQ banh mi flavor profile. Biscuits were really good by themselves Chicken wing: fabulous, one of the best things you can order here Pork chop: good flavor and well cooked. Needed more of the sauce, as I think the sweetness would've added more to the overall flavor. Know pork can be salty so I would recommend getting it on the side so you can add as much as you want Pretzel banana cream pie: this was okay and I like the concept of the thin croissant layer crust, but I think a salty cookie or pretzel crust or something thicker would've added a nice texture. Also needed more bananas Peanut butter cookies and cinnamon toast milk: the best. Highlight of the meal! read more

The ambiance was lovely, the setting beautiful, the drinks phenomenal The food felt overall below average, but especially for its price. So so. Nothing memorable or yummy enough to bring me back. read more

Prelude - Bar area - Southern Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food and service were absolutely incredible! Definitely do not leave without ordering the catfish dumplings and pork chop. HUGE thank you to Ressard for making our dining experience one to remember! His service, attention to detail, and light heartened personality made dining so much fun read more

Amazing food, amazing ambiance and amazing service! Went here to catch up with a friend after work in FiDi and we were so impressed, we want to come back! The server really helped us decide on what to order and gave us a clear breakdown on each dish. We got the gem salad, oysters, rice stuffed chicken wings, and banana pie + 3 other drinks. Their take on a martini with a Nashville hot chicken taste was so unique! Their cocktail menu is out of this world. We had a couple complimentary dishes that were amazing like the home made nutter butters in bourbon cereal milk. The chef came out to speak with us and we had multiple people on their staff be so attentive. Can't wait to bring more of my friends, family, & coworkers here! read more

Prelude - Oysters - Southern Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Delicious food, excellent service, and very chic setting. The quaint cocktail lounge is a perfect setting for a quiet drink or a date. Dessert is a must, especially the banana cream pie. read more

Overall, the service was pretty nice and the staff were genuinely trying their best. Most of the dishes were decently done, but when the main pork dish came in as mostly fat, and even on the second try from the kitchen came is as 70% vs 95%, from the initial servicing sent back, pure fat, given the price of the check, we decided wouldn't come back. To us, that speaks penny wise, pound foolish philosophy of the chef, which is unacceptable for the $$$$ price range with add ons of truffles, etc. read more

I have watched this place being built under The Jay Hotel - thought it was going to be crazy expensive but not at all - great menu - loved the ambiance and full view of the kitchen - food was pretty amazing - didn't think I would be a fan of some of the more eclectic items but nothing was that "out there" . Uptown banana cake is to die for - loved it !! read more

Perfection! My husband and I had a date night there tonight and it was amazing. Exceptional customer service and the food was delicious. Everything we tried was fresh, creative, flavorful and the perfect size. We didn't know what to expect when we made last minute reservations before attending a comedy show and this was truly the highlight of the night. The servers were on point and everyone seemed to be genuinely interesed in taking excellent care of us! We will be back! read more

An exceptional experience, starting with the ambience, wait staff, wine list, food selection and value! Each plating was mouthwatering and was checked each time to ensure we were satisfied. Would definitely go back to try the pork chop and other small plates! read more

Incredible & creative experience. Designed to entice your Southern cravings in an artist way. Thank you Todd & team for a memorable dinner with friends. read more

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We did the tasting menu (on the first day they offered it!) with wine pairing. So good! The food portions are VERY generous. Especially the Rib Eye. I've never seen so much meat. We asked to have our leftovers boxed up, and there was a mix up where they didn't give us the correct left overs on the way out. After calling them, they Uber'ed the food to our place in the city. That's more than I expected and very generous. Overall, it was on the pricier side of similar restaurants we've been to, but worth checking out. read more

Everything at this restaurant hits. The food, ambiance, but food especially. Truly, some of the best and most original southern (but diverse!) flavors in over saturated SF. What takes it over the edge is the fantastic staff (and chef!) They truly understand good service and provide it in an accessible way. And the food I must go back to - really phenomenal. Everything - from the oysters to the pork chop, you will be impressed. Best experience I have had at a restaurant in a long time. read more

Amazing spot even for it being so new they really offer something different in San Francisco. Food, service, ambiance 10/10 ask for your server to be Josue I promise you will not regret it. Such a knowledgeable person! read more

Went to @prelude_sf last night and had an amazing dinner! Let me start with the fact that the interior is beautiful! The dining area is open and airy , yet our table felt private. The staff was attentive , kind , and made amazing recommendations! I started the night with a smoked tomato gin martini. It was amazing, and the flavor went with all of the apps and the mains. The burbon selection is top notch at my hubby partook in the small batch mitkel (I think that is the name). For starters, we had deviled eggs with chicken skin crispies. The BEST pimento cheese with fish skin! We also got the stuffed chicken wings, and we ate those before my camera could. 10 out of 10! I had the gem salad with herbed ricotta and the catfish dumplings with crayfish gravy and old bay buttered toast points. My hubby got the pork chop with herb salad, my niece got the trout, and the nephew got the steak. It was all so wonderful. There were grits for the table with different toppings like pickled shrimp, ramps, shashitto peppers, shrimp tail gravy, and crispy ham chips..yuuuum We ordered the whole desert menu, haha. I got a gin fizz with dessert, but this had an almost banana creme pie vibe.. without being overly sweet.. it was perfect with the desserts! The sorghum waffles have this delicate crisp exterior with a cloud like interior, and the malted potato and chocolate combo took them to another level. The banana cream pretzel desert was built upside-down with a wonderfully light crust you broke through to get to the cream. The ambrosia dessert has a beautiful texture with surprise citrus jelly at the bottom of the dish and spirits of absinthe that brings delightful floral notes to the dish. The chef sent us a gift of milk and cookies at the end of the meal with a spiced boozy burbon "milk" and double chocolate chip cookies. Overall, it was an amazing dinner and experience. 1000% would recommend! #preludesf #southernfood #5stars read more

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lovely place serving amazing food, I found myself very close to forgetting where I was and licking my fingers many times. I definitely recommend trying everything but the gem lettuce salad is one of the best salads I've ever had perfectly garnished with Bronx grapes and crispy shallots. The vegetarian option for the entree was what they called "holiday stuffing without the turkey" and it was so different and delicious. It was so amazing that it had so much thought behind it compared to other vegetarian options at other places where vegetarians are an afterthought. We had to try all the desserts after seeing how amazingly mind blowingly tasty all the food was. I recommend you come hungry and try all they have because their dessert was the best I've had in a long time. The banana pretzel cream tart was so fun and different but still with very familiar flavors. Their take on the ambrosia salad was way better than whatever my mom used to make and call by the same name and might have been the closest to perfect bite I've ever had. You must try their waffles as well, they were my husband's favorite dessert and the combination of dipping them into the chocolate malt ice cream with prunes was so fun and tasty. The service was amazing and everyone that stopped by the table was knowledgeable and warm. Meena our server was amazing, make sure you ask for her. Their beverages aren't an afterthought either. Morgan their sommelier has put together an amazing list including a champagne that I couldn't get enough of. Franco the bartender made the perfect Non alcoholic naked and famous after realizing how much champagne I had. My husband loved his cocktail called the tempest which had this amazing chocolate foam. read more

Great ambience, the chicken wing dish tastes absolutely amazing. The pork entree is very large and cooked to perfection.

Prelude is the latest addition to the Omakase group of restaurants in SF. The executive chef and lead bartender are from Niku and they have assembled an outstanding team to support them, from the likes of ABV and True Laurel. We sat at the bar and service was exceptional. The decor is relaxed and comfortable, the cocktails are outstanding and inspired by familiar flavours, with the Hotel Largo evoking a light and refreshing key lime pie, for example. The food did not disappoint, the dirty rice chicken wings were perfectly seasoned and crispy, the hanger steak was tender, flavourful and immaculately decorated with roasted vegetables and onions. The banana bread dessert had a delicious coating of roasted banana foster. Parking is not difficult in the area, look for the entrance around the corner from the entrance to the Jay. read more

We've been there twice and all the time it's a good service good ambience and good food

This was actually one of the most pleasant "occasion" dinners which I have had in the Bay Area in a long time. The space is welcoming and elegant in a very tasteful and understated way. Very good atmosphere for dining, tables well spaced so you're not on top of the neighboring tables. Portions are on the large size; we over-ordered. Only one dish (among the 4 of us) was not excellent. Food was interesting and unique and NOT generic in any way at all. Really a great meal and a great experience. Staff were very professional, but a little too much hovering for my personal taste. Minor complaint: they would not seat us before our reservation, which I understand given the small kitchen, but just point this out for an FYI. read more

What an amazing dinner for my hubby's birthday. First was the amuse bouche. A delightful little bite. Then came the pimento with fish skin. Along with the chicken fried sweet breads. The pimento is a good size appetizer. The sweet breads were to die for. I had the trout and it was cooked perfectly. Hubby had the pork chop. It was so tender. It melts in your mouth. The family style grits with the garnishes completed the dinner. The grits were corny deliciousness. I'm always wanting more for dessert options and Prelude didn't disappoint. We had the pretzel banana pie. So good. If that wasn't enough. We were served a mini dessert consisting of a peanut butter cookie (looks just like a peanut) with a cereal milk to dunk the cookie. They even remembered that my hubby didn't drink an alcohol beverage and I did. Mine was spiked with bourbon. Would definitely recommend and go back. read more