Hidden little spot even locals don't know about. Unless you live in the neighboring streets. Super small entrance from the top of the hill. Could easily be missed. The bigger main entrance is on Monterey blvd, tons of cars driving by daily and don't see it. It's Sunnyside's own little secret. What a cool find, a garden escape Park has two benches and that's it! A spot to meet up and chat. Venue rental available for a cost read more

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I officiated a wedding here, and it's such a beautiful location! The interior is stunning with large glass windows and wood accents. It's great for a cottage-core type feel. The space is small but it's perfect for more intimate ceremonies. There's a bathroom and space to store stuff off to the side. The surrounding gardens are lush and perfect for photographs. The only downside is the public can still access the exterior but we didn't have an issue with any wedding crashers. read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Interior - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I went to a wedding at Sunnyside Conservatory in November, and both the ceremony and venue were absolutely gorgeous. The wedding took place in a small, gorgeous wooden building--a historic house, from what I can gather, the perfect size for the 60-some guests in attendance. The grounds were lovely, though I didn't spend too much time exploring, as we moved to a restaurant for the reception. I'm guessing the space would've been a little tight for dinner and dancing, though I'm sure it would do wonderfully for a smaller party. I'm sure there are other uses for Sunnyside Conservatory, but I'd certainly recommend it if you're looking for a unique, picturesque San Francisco event space. I can't speak to the logistics or anything, but as a guest, I found the place memorably beautiful. read more

I read about the 111yr old Sunnyside Conservatory in the Chronicle and read they had a Grand Reopening on Sat 12/5/09. I couldn't make it and since I was going to be at Glen Park Bart station on Sun 12/13/09 decided to check it out. It's less then 15 min to walk here from Glen Park Bart station. It's on Monterey Blvd between Baden & Congo, look for the gate w/ sign & Palm Trees. It's FREE to enter & look around though it's a small garden, maybe worth 5-15min to look around. Building is Locked & only open for private events, etc. Bathroom was locked too. Some small sculptures to look at, Palm trees, some plants. Worth checking out if in the area, not worth a special trip. read more

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Interesting place to visit. Basically the size of a residential lot, in the middle of the block, you will be mildly surprised with this garden. The conservatory itself has history and the garden is a nice, if not brief, escape from the noise of life. read more

My now husband and I got married here, and this was the steal of the century. This place is gorgeous for a small wedding (we had about 40 guests), it's beautiful, warm (there is heating if needed), it's got the park scenery for the photos; we thought this was a fantastic value, and didn't regret our pick for a second. We also highly recommend Fogcutter for catering and other services: aside from being amazing at everything they do, they are familiar with the venue, which makes the coordination easy. Also, huge thank you to Amanda Lee and the Parks representatives for coordination and help with our questions. Everybody was very professional and pleasant to deal with. read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Beautiful venue for a small wedding - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

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You would have to be grumpy or a hater of plants to say this space is not inspiring and nurturing. I thoroughly enjoyed the nature setting within the city/neighborhood. You would never know if this escape unless you accidental stumbled upon it or knew about it prior. Great plant diversity and cool architecture. I wish the building was open for picture sake but otherwise highly recommend! read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

We used Sunnyside as a wedding venue & it was perfect. All of our guests were in awe of the beauty of the space. I agree with everything Valerie O. wrote on 10/15 A few additional tips: --The soonest you can book is exactly a year ahead of time to date. If there are multiple people trying to book that date, if someone goes in person to the main office they get priority --We had 85 people in the space and it wasn't at all crowded for a ceremony (including 9 people standing up front. Had rented extra, matching chairs to the 70 walnut ones provided) --We decided to host our ceremony there and reception dinner somewhere else because we didn't want to deal with flipping the space & had more people than would fit comfortably if we set up tables. If we had less people, it wouldn't not have been hard to flip the venue because there is enough room for people to stand outside for a cocktail hour --It's true that general public can walk through. Had some classic SF rich old white entitled dude stroll through prior to the ceremony (despite us asking him to go around the park) because he felt like it. You can put a sign up on the outside gate saying closed for private event, but people can still be jerks if they want. Shouldn't deter you from using the site, just be aware and put up a sign --We rented a sound system for our officiant and readers but could have gotten away without one. Hired string trio for the music, perfect for ceremony but harder to hear if ppl were outside --They have heat and fans, no air conditioning. Windows opened enough to let in great breeze --Amanda Lee is the best read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing special find off Monterey...rich with history, unique that one is found in this area, hanging off one of the most gorgeous neighborhoods to be found in San Francisco. Don't miss the staircase off to the side. Connects to more hill jaunt! read more

Absolutely beautiful venue! I helped out at an engagement party here and loved everything about it. It's a bit on the smaller side but has lots of windows so it feels very open and bright. The size is also part of its charm. I would have given this venue 5 stars but the lady who was there to "help out" was not the friendliest or most helpful person. She unlocked and locked the closet for us so we could grab the tables and chairs but besides that, she didn't do much to help us out and didn't seem too enthused to be there (it was an engagement party so it would have been nice if she could have at least pretended to be happy). read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The grand re-opening just past. I attended of course :) The conservatory is gorgeous now. They are apparently going to start hosting jazz nights, but I'm not sure on what day at this point...thinking Friday or Saturday. Other than that it's open daily from dusk till dawn. You can rent it out for parties; $300 for first two hours, $100 each additional hour. read more

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After the issues I had last Friday with the SF Recreation and Parks staff person, I emailed Amanda Lee, with the permits department. She called me the next day regarding the issue, and said she would look into trying to refund me for the staffing fee and sincerely apologized. She also said that she would speak to the staffing department and get the issue resolved. Today Amanda emailed me and said that I would be receiving a refund for the staffing fee, and again apologized. Like I said before, every interaction I had with any SF Recreation and Parks department staffer has been stellar with the exception of the staff member that was supposed to help me on my wedding day. Overall, I would recommend Sunnyside Conservatory for a small wedding venue. Amanda has assured me that what happened to me will not happen again, and I believe her. The venue is stunning and very well taken care of, the neighbors are friendly and there are lots of great photography opportunities in the area. And you probably won't find a wedding venue in San Francisco for the same price, including tables and chairs. Perfect for weddings with less than 50 guests. read more

Beautiful, small quaint park. A nice place to come and sit in the sun, or read in the shade on the concrete seating area. 2 park benches, and a nice small area to walk around and enjoy the landscaping. The succulents and plants are beautiful. (I didn't go inside.) And yes, there's a restroom! read more

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Nice rentable? Venue. Small old historic house that is converted. I used to pass by here as a kid all the time since its close to my child hood house. Glad i stopped in read more

This place has been here since 1900!!! (no, I was not at the groundbreaking = ) and over the years, with changes of ownership, complacency...well, lets just say time was not kind to the conservatory! However, even in a state of decay, there was something beautiful and proud about the place... you could easily imagine all the various events that had taken place there, men in morning suits and ladies in white gloves...sigh...if those glass panels could talk!) Anyway, imagine my DELIGHT when I stopped by Sunday to see it RESTORED to the HILT!!! It's gorgeous!! The buzz is that they will start hosting jazz nights in the summer! AND the conservatory is available for rent for events! She's a beauty! Come admire!! BONUS: There is a little park just a stone's throw from the conservatory, check it out, as with the conservatory, someone is finally paying some long overdue attention and TLC! read more

We had a small intimate wedding ceremony and reception at the conservatory in late February. The venue rental rate is extremely reasonable and the space itself is lovely. It was remodeled in 2009, and the windows allow for ample sunlight to shine through. At night, the conservatory looks beautiful illuminated in light. The conservatory and the surrounding garden is well-maintained and manicured. Padded chairs and tables (both round and rectangular) are included in the rental as well. My main point of contact was Amanda of SF Rec and Park. She was extremely helpful - always courteous and very responsive both via e-mail and on the phone. She provides you with very detailed instructions on what you can/can't do or have at the venue. On the day of the event, Jason from SF Rec and Park was on site from start to finish. He was there when we had questions and/or needed him, but also made himself scarce during the event. We had about 70 guests, and everyone fit comfortably inside the conservatory since it was a cold winter evening. I would highly recommend this venue for small weddings and other events. Note that the rates currently posted on the website are inaccurate. The current rate is $590/first two hours and $120/additional hour. Five stars all around for the venue itself, the amenities, the staff, and the location. read more

We had our engagement party of about 50 guests here on Sunday, April 2. It is so beautiful! What a wonderful discovery. It is pretty reasonably priced for a beautiful venue (it cost us about $600 for the full rental) on a Sunday, but Saturday prices are a little over double (around $1200 I think). We did light green linens with daffodils and the green worked perfectly with all the beautiful dark wood. The tiny "kitchen" is cramped but still enough space to store a few things. I brought in my own hand towels and soap for the bathroom, which is a pretty standard (but clean) public bathroom. Amanda Lee was great and so was the gentleman who helped us take out the tables and put them away. Side note -- the tables are adjustable! You can raise them or lower them for buffet tables/bars/cake tables... I noticed that last minute and it was very helpful. The trash situation was a little tricky because you have to take out all the trash on your own, but I put a call out on Task Rabbit to see if anyone could help and I got immediate responses. I recommend Task Rabbit because you can ask people to do just what you need them to do. The music technically needs to be turned off at 8pm but we were playing it a very low volume and it was okay until 9:30. We had guests arrive at 4:30 and then mingle outside (with kiosk tables for appetizers) for an hour or so, go in an eat around 5:45 or so. All in all, it was stunning and a very special evening. read more

We're a non-denominational couple so we had a lot of options for picking a venue - so many that it was hard to make a decision! Fortunately a little park near our house had just been renovated and the 100-year-old conservatory on the property had been rebuilt, so we had the perfect wedding location for us and it was right around the corner! The conservatory once housed the rare plant collection of a large estate, and it has been renovated to exceed it's former glory. It's a little-known San Francisco landmark with as much character as other city sites like the Shakespeare Garden, and a unique charm. The interior is paneled in redwood, tall windows capture loads of sunlight (which can be scarce in the neighborhood.), and pristine grounds are anchored by giant palm trees. There are even playful little bronze statues sprinkled through the site. The space easily fit our 65 guests and everyone commented on the beauty of the space. One thing we were worried about was parking, since the site does not include any and it is in a residential neighborhood. But our guests that drove had no problems finding a space and some even walked from the nearby BART station. Another disadvantage is the fact that the space is entirely blank (there are no chairs, tables, or other accouterments) but for our purposes it was easy to rent what we needed, and the beauty of the space speaks for itself. Amanda Lee at the Park and Rec Department was a pleasure to work with and was available for everything we needed. read more

This used to be my happy place when I lived in the Sunnyside neighborhood. My son & I would go here to make a wish or just pretend we were in the middle of the jungle and out of the City. It was a few blocks from our house and on the way home from Bart. I recently went home for a visit and walked down Monterey to find this place. It made me sad to see it was torn up and under construction or renovation. I kinda liked it the way it was even if it was a little overrun. Amazing there is often no one here. I hope on my next visit it is open to the public again. read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was having difficulty finding a place to hold my wedding...I didn't want to do the Church route and have to go elsewhere for the reception, and I also didn't want a venue that would require a lot of decoration because I'm just not that creative and I've never been one of those girls thats had my wedding planned since I was in the 4th grade. My friend and I went for a walk and we decided to veer from our regular route. We came across a garden and stairway, so of course we had to follow it! When we got to the end of the stairway, we came upon the most beautiful building with such creative details! We both looked at each other and I said, "This is it! I found my wedding venue!" As soon as we got back to my house I emailed Amanda at the Recreation and Parks dept. and within a few days I had my wedding venue all set. The venue is very small; max sitting capacity is 71 and standing is 153. They have all the tables and chairs and there is a small "kitchen" which is pretty much a closet with a sink, so if you're going to have catering they'll need to bring a small grill. Just make sure to get approval! You can't beat the price. Wedding venues in San Francisco cost an arm and a leg, but the conservatory was very inexpensive compared to all of the other places I had looked at. The best thing about the venue is that it is so beautiful on its own, you really don't need any decorations. The only decorations I used were my floral arrangements along the window sills and in the bottom cubbies that were behind my husband and I when we did our vows. After the ceremony everyone went outside for hors d'oeuvres while the caterers set up the tables inside of the conservatory. The floral arrangements were moved to the tables and some were left in their original places. It was absolutely beautiful. If you're planning on having a small wedding (we had 60 people) I would definitely check this place out. read more

Beautiful, relaxing, so...just you and the conservatory. There are several selectively placed benches through the small ish park space. Perfect for a picnic lunch or sunny afternoon. Great space for a small private event as well. 2-hour free parking is convenient on the street and usually always available out front. Love! read more

Went to the Sunny-side in my current search for a wedding venue. The inside of the building is very well kept. The chandler room I think its called. Has a rustic feel to it. Enough to have a indoor ceremony maybe possible 4- 6 round tables but no more. and only one rectangle table for food...would barley fit a DJ. When I called to get info this is what I got: As of Oct 2014: First two hours 590 there after every hour $120.00 so if you do seven hours $1190 total. No insurance needed as long as you don't bring tents. (there wouldn't be no space anyhow) the outside is super small. Everyone needs to be out by 10pm. Music must stop at 8pm since its right next to homes. You can bring your own caterer alcohol no kegs can make payments in partial. read more

I don't get it. Small building looks interesting. But locked. A few tall palm trees. An outside bench. Like a small humble guest house in someone's palatial estate but there's no estate. read more

An amazing little spot. I don't know the history, except that it must be interesting. All that remains is a two lot park with amazing trees and a large abandoned conservatory. Unfortunately,it is undergoing a massiveoverhaul so hopefull the city gets this right and it is as good or better in October 09, when it is scheduled to open again. Truly a hidden treasure that highlights San Francisco's often paved over history. read more

I'm getting married here in May. The atmosphere is great and the staff have been really helpful. The price is cheaper than most venues and more intimate as well. They have tables and chairs available but thats about it. You'll spend more on caterers here as there is no kitchen but this 70 person venue was an immediate and easy decision for us after visiting and experiencing the cozy nature and exotic plant life. With so much pre existing flora you'll save on your floral arrangements! read more

We had our wedding here in October 2011. It was fantastic. We originally were going to have it at Golden Gate Park, but I'm glad we chose this place because it rained on our wedding day -- in October! It turned out to be a misty cool day and the space was perfect for it. We fit in about 65 guests for a really special, intimate wedding. Amanda from GGP was super nice and helpful and so was the site supervisor on the day of; can't recall his name. They provided the wooden chairs, we had passed hors d'oeuvres catered by Hugh Groman Catering; which were AWESOME!!! They had a portable grill outside with little hamburger sliders. Drawbacks were that you can't get in to scope out the place except for certain Sundays once or twice a month, the Facilities management don't know much about the space such as where we should plug in electric devices, and parking seemed tight since one doesn't want to encroach on the neighborhood. That being said, on the day of the wedding, my best friend of honor and I were parking and a super nice lady who lived there offered to move her car for us. We got our pictures back and looking at them now makes me realize how pretty the space is and how glad I am that we had it there. read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

Went to a wedding reception here, lovely experience for a crowd around 40-50 people. Light and airy, festive yet casual, very nice! I'd recommend it to anyone looking to have a simple non-formal wedding reception or other party. I think Buffet-style works best in this setting as it might be tight for servers getting around tables.. read more

My friend held her baby shower at the conservatory. The flora, the sunlight, and the beautiful Victorian redwood octagonal building was a great environment for the intimate event. It was newly remodeled and clean, and a real nice getaway on a busy boulevard. Great gem in the neighborhood. read more

The whimsical Sunnyside Conservatory, tucked between City College and Glen Park in the Sunnyside neighborhood, was resurrected by neighbors and preservationists in 2009 after a $4.2 million restoration project. The surrounding garden is filled with 23 small bronze sculptures Sunnyside Menagerie is a collection of 23 fantastical bronze creatures designed by the artist team of Wowhaus. Commissioned by the SFAC's Public. William Augustus Merralls, a British engineer and inventor, built this Victorian oasis next to his home on an old dairy farm, in the new Sunnyside District in 1898. Stroll through the hundred-year-old garden, rejuvenated with a thriving collection of drought-tolerant plants, succulents and palms. The octagonal redwood building, which dates to 1900, has been completely renovated for public use. It now hosts cultural events for the community. They even have live music there from time to time. Good place for a picnic or just to relax. The Conservatory is an easy 8-minute walk from Glen Park BART and is open dawn till dusk. read more

Sunnyside Conservatory - Nice garden, interesting sculptures, good place to picnic or kick back. - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I live right across from the Sunnyside Conservatory. While the new conserv. is very pretty, I kind of liked the old conserv. It looked like it was haunted and kind of spooky. Now, it's all clean and pretty blah blah blah, but the old one had soul. Also I am very much NOT NOT in favor of jazz concerts being held there. The parking situation is bad enough without having a bunch of people invading our little dopey neighborhood. STAY HOME!! Go to jazz events near your house. Leave us alone. And, I still haven't figured out what this thing is supposed to do. What is a conservatory? I thought it was all about plants. Their plants are nice, but there isn't too many of them. AND with all of the pressing needs of the city, why o why did they budget some ungodly amount of money to refurbish this thing. If I had been in charge, I would have hired some guys to clear away the debris, and to make the building safe. How many people are actually going to use this thing? What do they need bathrooms for? To me, it's just a big waste of time and money. The original person who built this was an astronomer, but the lights around this thing are very bright, they face skyward, and in fact, if the fog ever lifts, these bright skyward facing lights will wash out much of what can be seen at night (which wasn't very much to begin with). read more

We had our wedding reception here after our City Hall ceremony. We had so many compliments on the venue, and it fit our 40 person party. It has no kitchen, but our caterer worked around it well. I love the pictures we have and how easy it was to work with Amanda Lee (permits and reservations) and Cynthia (site coordinator). They even let us add another hour day of. And tables and chairs are included in the rental. Woo! read more

We had our wedding ceremony here and it was perfect. We lucked out with the weather - it was sunny and gorgeous, so beautiful light streamed through the windows of the conservatory. Tables and chairs were included in the rental, so we had friends help us set up and break down the event. The neighborhood behind the conservatory has some great spots for photos, which was an added bonus. read more

We reserved the Garden of Fragrance at the San Francisco Botanical Garden for our ceremony and reserved Sunnyside Conservatory for our backup rain location (just in case). It didn't end up raining (not that surprising, it was September), so we used Sunnyside Conservatory for our "first look." It was absolutely perfect! read more

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We had our wedding and a cocktail reception at the Sunnyside Conservatory. The space was beautiful and met all our needs perfectly. The staff was friendly and helpful. Thanks!!! read more

Beautifully restored neighborhood gem. We got married here! It's a lovely setting. Because it's such a pretty venue, it doesn't take much to make it look great for any occasion. Amanda from Rec & Park was very helpful with setting up the booking. It's really flexible because can choose your own caterer, not limited to a list of "preferred vendors." We used Tacolicious and were really happy with the food and service. read more

I feel like i need to do two separate reviews for Sunnyside, one for the venue itself and one for the experience in dealing with the staff. To start the venue is beautiful and perfect for a small wedding, i had a wedding of 55 people and was able to have a ceremony and reception with no problem. The outdoor area is great for cocktail hour and even had perfect space for a photo booth. The price was unbelievable for such a gorgeous space, on this alone i would have given 5 stars. Had it not been for such a pretty space at such an affordable price i would have given this 1 star for the experience we had. First in the contract it is required that we pay a person of their staff for the day to not only open the venue for us but to help set up and breakdown, this appointed person did nothing but open the door and stand around. She was also dressed unprofessionally in a pair of jeans sneakers and a zip up hoodie. She was distracting during our ceremony, and then during the reception served her self a plate although my guests weren't finished serving themselves. She was rude to our guests and threatened that we were going to loose our deposit at every chance she got, she also had no problem walking right though our wedding to ask our dj to turn down the volume it was truly embarrassing. Second, the latest we were able to book our event was 11 pm but music was to stop by 10pm, not if the neighbors can help it though. We had neighbors yelling over the fence at our guests and then the cops called on our event at 8pm our dj was not overly loud, and people were able to have conversation outside in the garden area without any problems hearing each other. Overall i do think this is a beautiful place at an amazing price however i don't suggest it as a wedding venue, i say spend a little more on a more wedding friendly location. read more