I love history and great coffee. When we visit the city and stay at the Fairmont, we will visit to…read moreget some coffees in the morning and usually a pastry or two! Since it is in the Fairmont, this spot has allot of history: It is told this was the first bar celebrated in San Francisco to open following the 1933 repeal of Prohibition. The walls are designed with gold-leaf murals by the Bruton sisters (Esther, Margaret, and Helen) depicting circus scenes. This art deco style is was popular at the time and has tons of charm. If you look closely, you might see some unique things in the gold leaf - such as a Mickey Mouse! He looks a bit different here than we are normally see on TV. Rumor is this might have been done to avoid copyrights, but who knows! When you're there, I recommend just sitting down, enjoy good company, and admire the history, and great views of the city!!!

I loved Caffe Cento (used to be on the bottom floor, next to the Fairmont garage Powell St…read more entrance), but unfortunately they're long gone. They left a very large morning/coffee/cafe void that is surely hard to fill. Laurel Court is beautiful but rather distinguished; it just doesn't take care of that bustling morning cafe niche. Enter Cirque. I have a soft spot for booths, art deco, & beautiful hotel venues, & this space has & is all of that. Sit in a booth at a window here, & you've elevated a simple cup of coffee or cappuccino a hundred times over. A true stunning insta moment. And you'll pay for it, too. 9 bucks. 9 bucks for a cappuccino is certainly excessive, but this is The Fairmont, folks. This is customarily the hotel where the POTUS stays whenever he's in town (almost every one since Taft, through Biden). So, the sticker shock is par for the course. They are only open for coffee & light breakfast fare now, 6am till 10am or 12pm daily. But at Christmas time, they're open in the evening, too. My first date with my husband was right here. We had arranged to meet up at the Christmas Tree in the lobby, walked through the gingerbread house, & then came here for hot chocolate. Yes, service can be snails pace slow, but back then, being our first date, we certainly didn't care. Lol, it's never where you are, but who you're with! We turned the tables on the slow service by nursing those hot chocolates for quite a while! The staff were totally accommodating & sweet though. Final thoughts... If, or when, you're in a hurry, then this is not going to be the place. But, if you're looking to turn your morning coffee or cuppa into an experience, you should definitely come here. Sit in a booth that has a window, & relish the moment. 4 stars.

The holiday season is crazy. It is exponentially crazy at the Fairmont. I just was in town for a…read morefriends bday and n ew it was gong to ho late . So in stayed the night and missed breakfast. But the late tea and food service is pretty decent. The only time I've ever done something similar is at the Dorchester in London but that was intentionally scheduled by a friend. This was just me happening to be there. Struck up a conversation with someone from Washington state who had kissed their flight and wad also just chilling. I think this would be better on a non holiday time but hey it was cool to experience out of luck too

Disappointing, child-hostile experience and by no means worth the money. We were on time (a few…read moreminutes early) for our reservation and among the first parties seated. In the first half hour, we received water, glasses of Martinelli's, and a small scone and a small biscuit. There was no opportunity to place a tea order for about half an hour, and our table was one of the last to receive their tea. We saw other, adult-only parties enjoying their sandwiches and sweets long before ours arrived - more than 45 minutes after we sat down. The food was decent, but nothing is worth that long a wait with two young children. Save your $$, tour the gingerbread house, gawk at the holiday decor, and patronize a less child-hostile establishment.

The good: valet and wait staff-excellent. Bottomless champagne worth 5 stars, high tea food looked…read morepretty The bad: cost to valet, you only get to pick 1 tea flavor and the high tea items were just ok. The looked better than they tasted.

Laurel Court is exactly what you'd expect from a restaurant tucked inside the Fairmont, polished,…read morecomfortable, and a little elevated without trying too hard. For dinner, we started with the Niman Ranch Steak Tartare. The flavor was solid and well balanced, but the portion was very small for the price. It felt more like a tasting bite than a true appetizer. The steamed muscles, however, were a win. Great flavor, well executed broth, and a portion size that actually felt worth it. Easily the highlight of the dinner. For drinks, I opened with an espresso martini, much needed after traveling all day. It was good, smooth, but not particularly memorable. The dirty martini was better in my opinion, nicely, balanced, and exactly what I was hoping for. Breakfast The next morning I came back and the experience shifted into classic upscale hotel, breakfast mode. I ordered a bloody Mary with blue cheese, stuffed olives, honestly perfect for the morning, and probably my favorite drink of the whole stay. Fresh orange juice was bright and flavorful. The veggie omelette was exactly what you'd expect, solid, cooked properly, nothing over the top. Vibe It's definitely still a hotel restaurant at heart, but for dinner, they dim the lights and make a real effort to create a comfortable, intimate atmosphere. It transitions nicely from daytime elegance to evening lounge. Overall, they delivered a reliable experience with good service, not revolutionary, but a solid option.

Worst place EVER you'll never get a good nights sleep here with a nightclub below you that is open…read moreuntil 1 o'clock however, my other choice was the other wing facing the freeway . The windows are not sound proof therefore you cannot get a good night sleep. I rather sleep in my car..

This review is specifically for the Gingerbread House located in the lobby of the Fairmont Hotel…read more For more than a century, Fairmont San Francisco has enchanted guests with its joyful holiday festivities and exuberant seasonal ambience. From our life-sized Gingerbread House and Holiday Tea to staying in Santa's very own Suite, we have something for everyone to cheer. What is 22 feet high, 23 feet wide and full of thousands of bricks, a ton of royal icing and candy décor? Our famed and much beloved two-story-high Victorian Gingerbread House which will be back this year in our lobby. Each October, painter Larry Walton puts down his brush and embraces a new temporary role: gingerbread house animator. He's part of the engineering team that spends 520 hours each year building, lighting, and outfitting a life-sized Victorian gingerbread house in the lobby of Fairmont San Francisco. More than 8,000 baked bricks cover the two-story structure, which stands at 25 feet high, 35 feet wide, and nearly 11 feet deep. Pastry then dedicates 450 hours to decorating those bricks with icing and sweets. By the numbers, it's an astounding feat -- and just as impressive to marvel at in real life. Builders introduce new details each year, and families build holiday traditions around tours of the awe-inspiring display. "This year, I made a model Lombard Street and cable cars that move over the Golden Gate Bridge," shares Walton. "It's a whole new structure that took five days to build." Visits from Santa and a champagne bar round out Fairmont' San Francisco's engaging schedule of seasonal events, and through it all, the gingerbread house remains central to every celebration. Here's an inside look at how it all comes together.

Kitschy and expensive, but my wife and I had fun at the Fairmont Hotel's Tonga Room. Strong,…read morefruity tropical drinks, live "yacht rock" music, moody lights, and a light and sound show reminiscent of the Rainforest Cafe, all add up to a great place to start or finish an evening date night. We visited on a Saturday evening in May, not an optimal choice as the place was full of prom dates and wedding parties. Our original table was directly beyond the dance floor so all we could see was various couples swaying to the band. The server was kind enough to move us to a table with a view of the pool and band. The food isn't much to get excited about here, but we were hungry and ordered a couple appetizers. Quite pricey, I mean, it's the Fairmont Hotel, plus there's an additional entertainment fee when the band is playing. But hey, Anthony Bourdain actually liked this place. I agree, it's worth experiencing. PS - This was the second time I've been in the SF Fairmont Hotel. The first was Feb 1988. I was attending a conference with several lady friends, we walked by the hotel and discovered that Lou Rawls was singing in the Venetian Room. My friends finagled the staff into giving us a table at the back for the show. They loved it, but I was young, and bored, and left after a couple songs. I went to a nearby bar, had a couple drinks, and then meandered back to my room, alone. So much for my carefree bachelor days.

I was able to celebrate my birthday here. The vibe and experience is definitely like Hawaii. We did…read morethe poo poo platter as well as two drinks the Golden cup and then we also did a Kahlúa pork plate and it was very filling. Service was pretty good and the ambience definitely felt like I was back home. Definitely would come back here and celebrate my birthday again. Thank you for letting me spend my birthday with you guys.

It's called the Top of the Mark because it sits on top of the Mark. The Mark Hopkins Hotel, that…read moreis. This is not your standard rooftop lounge. Pretty much everyone who's anyone who's ever been to San Francisco has stopped in here. It's one of those "You mean you didn't?!" landmarks. If these windows could talk, oh, the tales they could tell! The food, drink and service are top-notch--and the prices reflect that. It ain't cheap. But you can't beat the views and the ambiance. I always enjoy it. Check out the website (and the hotel's website) for more on the history. The Top of the Mark opened in 1939, but unlike many saloons of yore, it's not Gone with the Wind, although if you sit here watching a storm, you might wonder if you'll soon be off to see The Wizard of Oz. Not to worry. The place was designed to withstand winds of up to 125 miles per hour. ... But On A Clear Day, You Can See Forever. There is live music here on Saturday evenings (a cover charge applies, discounted for hotel guests). The food menu consists of small plates, snacks and desserts. Don't plan on having dinner here. Although I did once combine the charcuterie board and the hummus plate on a stormy evening when I didn't want to go out and the hotel's main restaurant was closed. It was pretty good. The kitchen closes at 9:30 p.m. and only guests age 21+ can be here after 10:00 p.m.

This place is surviving off vibes. My friend suggested Top of the Mark for drinks after dinner at…read moreMensho, so a few of us came to check it out. The interior has a very retro historic SF look, which seems to be what the establishment is going for, so it executes it well. However, I think it could use some upgrades, namely the worn carpet, tables, which have suffered from water damage, and the windows, which are so smudged and don't look like they've been cleaned in years, but if you look beyond the surface, it's a prime spot. The friend who suggested Top of the Mark and I got a round of Spiced Trade cocktails, and our other friend ordered a mocktail. I found the cocktail really light and fruity, pretty good but nothing uniquely exceptional. The highlight of our experience here was watching as the sun set. It was a magnificent view, so what I deduced from the entire experience is that we really paid for the view.

Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day breakfast at Intercontinental Mark Hopkins hotel was…read moreunderwhelming. One bright spot was excellent service both at dinner and at buffet breakfast. First, prix fixe dinner menu - by 7 pm the restaurant was already out of holiday drink (advertised on the prix fixe menu) and out of sweet potato special desert - poor planning? Second, salad with winter squash did not have any squash but was a mixture of chicory lettuce and grilled Napa cabbage- presentation of the dish looked sad, taste was just ok. For main course I had prime rib with mashed potatoes and carrots and my significant other had mahi mahi. Both dishes were just average and reminded me a meal one would have with a relative at a geriatric facility - bland! House wine red and rose tasted like it came from a boxed packet- screamed cheeeeeaaaap! Desert- crème brûlée tasted bland and a bit runny. The restaurant was not decorated for holidays. The next morning we had buffet breakfast at $45/pp. again, it was evident that management was trying to cut costs on quality and variety- selection of cereal was all junk options. Frittata was overcooked and rubbery. Bread and pastries - from packaged store bought grocery stores like Safeway. No options for condiments like mustard, gerkins, aioli, etc. waffles were dry. The only good options were fluffy scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, cold cuts and cheese. Bottom line, I would stay at Mark Hopkins hotel in Nob Hill but eat elsewhere- Fairmont across the street or other places.

Interior design clean, modern, good seating with space…read more Short staffed, not able make reservation on Open Table even though website instructs it, and the restaurant only had a few patrons. Not able to call ask about corkage fee don't answer phone calling from hotel room. Found out fee is $45 if you bring own bottle wine. Otherwise servers attentive and kind. Again short staffed two employees running whole restaurant. Food is expensive, but burger was tasty. Dessert was delicious.