We had a double anniversary celebration here in April, and had a fantastic evening! John was amazing, and it is very obvious that he pours his heart into both food and service! The prix fixe menu with the wine pairing is such a good deal. The wine selection was excellent and the pours were generous. I can't recommend this place enough! read more

The Richmond is a fantastic spot with great food, a wonderful ambiance, and an overall experience that feels special from start to finish. Chef-owner John is truly amazing and brings so much heart, talent, and hospitality to the restaurant. You can really feel the passion in every detail. read more

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Delicious food, beautifully and generously prepared and presented, with humble hospitality. Nice, nice owner-Chef John. Also thoughtful wait-staff. Wine selections are also excellent. Highly highly recommended. read more

Fantastic food and service! John always provides the best meal and experience. On our most recent trip, I sprung on him that I mostly eat a gluten free diet but would be fine with their prix fixe menu if I just knew what to pick out or skip. He wasn't having it and reassured me that he could accommodate my diet. Everything came out plated so nice and tasted great. I had the same dishes as my family without the gluten ingredient. My family including my 7 year old enjoyed the regular menu items. John said he would prorate the meal for my son if he couldn't get through all the courses but there was no need. My son finished the entire meal from salad to dessert. We have a foodie on our hands and The Richmond is the best place to take a kid who is well behaved and likes fine dining. The prices are very reasonable. We were very glad we did the wine pairing because the wines went well with the dishes. John is very knowledgeable of his wines. It was my friends' first visit and they both loved their meal and experience here. We're so glad they survived the pandemic. read more

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Everything! I highly recommend the wine pairing with your dinner. The dinner roll is outstanding. Love the Chef. A hidden gem for sure. Have come back twice already and will continue to go back! read more

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What an evening! We had such a memorable experience at The Richmond, this place is an absolute gem and feels so distinctly San Francisco. What really made our night special was John, the owner, who went out of his way to make us feel like old friends. He personally curated a stunning wine pairing to go with each course, not the usual "safe" picks, but thoughtful, unique selections that elevated every bite. Even better, John shared the stories behind several dishes we enjoyed, including tips on how he tweaks recipes for home cooking (honestly, I wish I took notes). You can tell John is from SF, there's an authenticity to his approach that blends the diverse influences of SF with a deep respect for seasonal, local ingredients. It's the kind of cooking that doesn't just taste good, it tells you where you are. If you're looking for a place where the food is inventive yet unpretentious, and where the chef-owner actually connects with guests, The Richmond is it. Can't wait to come back. read more

The Richmond - Roasted Beets & Cardamom Carrot Salad - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I've been coming to the Richmond for many years. The quality has always been stellar. The chef and his wife only work weekdays and are winding down their work days as their kids are finishing up college. Dinner is fancy, but not fussy. It's your modern American/French fare but very well-executed. It's a small restaurant so they take a lot of care in their service. The ingredients are seasonal so you know you're getting the best product of the season. This year's fall menu is great! The kobocha squash soup was piping hot and great for the cold SF night. The crab croquette had nice pieces of crab and came with a very delicious tomato bouillabaisse. And I enjoyed mushrooms and halibut as well as the classic oxtail stew. read more

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Went for birthday dinner, red curtains for privacy, sat in the front by window, John was nice and accommodating. Food was wonderful. Quiet with some music playing in background. Restaurant has been neighborhood gem for 22 years. Duration of meal is 2.5 hours. read more

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I stumbled upon this place on Yelp, so my husband and I decided to come here for our 3rd wedding anniversary. It was a rare date night out without our baby. We were able to make reservations day of, for a Wednesday evening. We got seated by the window. The long curtains made us feel like we were the only ones dining there! It was very intimate. We actually didn't know it was a prix fixe menu, but I was pleasantly surprised because it saved us from having to decide what to eat (I've been getting decision fatigue lately haha). $79 per person is a very reasonable price. You can also do $60 for wine pairing, but we decided to get a bottle instead. We got the calipaso cab sauv and it was excellent. There are four tasting menus per year. When we went during May, we got to try: -Cardamom Carrot & Beet Salad, goat cheese wrapped in phyllo -Potato and Crab Croquette, tomato bouillabaisse -Catch of the Day, pea purée, fresh peas, baby carrot & carrot sauce (we got halibut) -Petite Lamb Chop & Risotto, mushrooms and arugula -Toasted Pound Cake & Fresh berries, lemon curd and lemon cream We also got asparagus caesar, bread & butter, and ice cream with shaved brittle. Every dish was delicious!! Sometimes lamb can be too gamy for me but that was not the case here. It was so tender and flavorful. The potato & crab croquette was my husband's favorite. I'm all about pastries and desserts so the phyllo, pound cake, and bread & butter were my favorites. I was especially blown away by the bread & butter. The bread was sooo warm and buttery and the three different flavored butters were unique. John, the owner, said that on busy days, he's at the restaurant until 2am! You can truly see his love and passion for what he does, through the food and the service he provides. What a treat to be served by the owner himself. I would love to go back to try some of the other tasting menus. read more

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I'm rather fond of the food here, particularly the ribeye steak. Two bonus courses. They accommodated my shellfish allergy with ease, altering one of the dishes. Everything was fresh and beautifully presented. We also enjoyed some excellent, reasonably priced wines. An all-round splendid dining experience. read more

The Richmond - New American Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Food was wonderful as was ambiance and service. Was our first time visiting in 10 years (we moved away in 2014) and didn't disappoint! Always such a special experience. read more

You don't find restaurants like this! John was an absolute please and his food was great. He handles both the cooking and serving of the food. Love the private experience his curtains provide. read more

Excellent dining experience and great value! We enjoyed the intimate dining setting and friendly service. Each course tasted fantastic and the wines paired well with each dish. I personally thought the crab cake, homemade bread and butter, black cod and apple tart were stand out dishes! I will be back. If you're looking for a fine dining experience that doesn't feel stuffy or exorbitant, this is the place to be. read more

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The Richmond is an absolute gem and I can't reiterate how blown away I am by not only the food, but also the impeccable service and intimate ambiance. The chef is a one man show and even then he made sure throughout the service that my boyfriend and I were checked up on. The timing on the food coming out was melodically thought through and there was very little time in between courses. Mapo Tofu fries- (5/5) crispy delicate fries with a soft interior but covered in a heavenly umami mapo tofu sauce. Crab cakes- (5/5) the subtle acidity of the tomato sauce helped elevate the sweetness of the crab enveloped in a lovely crusted ball. The fresh green beans gave the overall dish a refreshing bite which made this dish even better! Halibut- (5/5) perfectly flaky and the zesty sauce was pleasant Le petit ribeye- (5/5) any creamy sauce with tarragon always has my heart. Ribeye was cooked to perfection. I'm blown away that it took me this long to try this place out. What a pleasant surprise and I can't wait to be back again. read more

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The 5 courses we had were outstanding - the 6th was spiced apple cake not so much - we couldn't stay for the added ice cream John was very gracious, knowledgeable & talented since he is the owner, chef & server The issue we had was when a few other tables arrived - service was Very Slow - he seemed to get anxious & short with us I do hope to dine there again not too long off - but hope the service is more promt & manageable read more

Tips: - Open only for dinner at 6pm only on weekdays. - Call a day in advance to make a reservation. - While you wait outside, you can see the entire kitchen from the glass windows. - Car break-ins is unfortunately common all over San Francisco. There are a few Muni bus stops around the restaurant. The bus is never over crowded in this quaint neighborhood. +++Full review+++ Imagine Hannibal Lector invites you to dinner, "Before we begin you must all be warned, nothing here is vegetarian." Opera music is then queued on the speaker as your fingers glide expensive silverware against each plate. You sit at one of the tables separated by tall red curtains, inside looking out to Balboa, the street named after the Spanish conquistador who led a Pacific expedition in search of gold. That is how I theatrical feel during my 2-hour dinner at The Richmond. Every guest must accept to order the 5 course prix fixe by Chef John. That is the ONLY dinner option regardless of dietary needs (remember "nothing here is vegetarian"). Chef John makes sure you know that in the reservation call. He seems to be a likeable guy, tells me that the red privacy curtain was the concept for 10-20 years way before Covid. "We wanted every guest to have a personalized experience," says Chef John when he floats between courses to check in with me. I don't think it is necessary to describe the food at this point. The overall cuisine is French focus. The menu changes regularly at the Chef's discretion. So does the price, as everything is seasonal. I pay $79 for 5 courses and $60 for optional wine pairing today. But you, Yelp readers, may have all different meals at different price points when you visit. You will 100% have bragging rights for discovering a San Francisco hidden gem. read more

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Definitely 5 stars. We came to this place to celebrate my birthday. We made reservation one month earlier. Got a text message in the afternoon to confirm the reservation. The dinner started from salad and bread. They are not in the tasting menu, but included. They were paired with sparkling wine. Next one is the soup. It was paired with white wine. I liked the puff pastry very much. Then the fish cake came with another white wine. This is the best dish of the whole dinner. The scallop is tender and fish cake itself is delicious. Duck dumpling and tender breast is paired with red wine. The dumpling was crispy and breast was tender. Main dish was roasted pork. It was a big pork with mushrooms and green beans. Mushrooms were so delicious. I personally didn't really like the pork itself since I am the lamb lover. Of course it was paired with another red wine. Dessert was coffee ice cream paired with dessert wine. Since it is my birthday, I also got a special treat: a piece of cheesecake. Thanks chef John for the kindness. I am the cheesecake lover and really like it. Overall experience is super. We got a very private table and excellent service from Jeffrey. It was a very special birthday dinner! read more

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Every dish is meticulously done. You can tell that the chef put a lot of heart and thought into preparing the meal - down to the flavoured butter and bread. We loved everything on the menu! Simply divine. The only negative thing I have to say is that we don't drink wine and there was no alternative beverage choice. No soda, no juice, nothing. I know that this is a wine bar but there are a few of us who don't drink (I know, rare!) but just want to come here to enjoy the delicious food! read more

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We enjoyed every bite! Cute and romantic restaurant. Definitely a place to celebrate a special occasions! Thanks for the wonderful evening! read more

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A true gem of a restaurant, if you enjoy trusting the chef's selection. It was mostly one "several course" menu, and every single bite was excellent! Very good food, great ambience and very nice staff. You can get a private room with beautiful burgundy velvet curtains to give you privacy. Generally, it has a very nice ambience. It was a very good and epic experience. read more

Our experience at The Richmond was awesome. After a day at Academy of Science we enjoyed a beautiful dinner for 3. The chef was so accommodating as we arrived earlier than our reservation. He prepared delicious plates and even made a couple surprise dishes that were very yummy. I recommend getting the wine pairing. The lamb & risotto was so good, I was wanting more! Also, we brought our 3 month old and Chef was so understanding when he was fussing. I was very appreciative of that because I was so stressed about it. I already booked another dinner for next month! read more

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Reservations are a MUST due to their limited seating and few tables. So glad hubs made reservations for our Friday night dinner date. It's been a while since we were last here and couldn't wait to return. Instead of their full menu like before the pandemic, right now they serve one prix fixe menu ($60/person) which includes 4 courses, as well as fresh rolls and a dessert. Can't remember everything we had, but it was all sooo good. Fresh rolls right out of the oven. Crispy crab cakes. Corn brioche custard. Medium rare prime rib. Oh my goodness! And the dessert?!? Panna cotta cheesecake. If I wasn't so full I would've taken up the chef's offer for more. The service was awesome. He ensured our drinks were always topped off and checked on us often. Chef also made sure to welcome and check on each guest. Although it's a small establishment, every effort was made to provide each party with privacy. Love this little neighborhood restaurant and enjoy supporting family owned businesses. Planning our next lunch trip to try their burgers as there were quite a few people ordering these to go. Price seems reasonable - $16 for burger and fries. read more

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Perfect restaurant for date night! There are only five tables so you can talk to each other with lovely music in the background. The food was delicious and the wine reasonably priced. The owner is so welcoming. Our new favorite restaurant! read more

Talk about hidden gems: they've been in business 20 years and I only heard about via Tock. Since it was my birthday, I figured I'd give it a try--happy birthday to me! The chef serves the six-course meal which came with two extras: rolls with three types of butter and a baby asparagus salad dressed with caesar dressing and accompanied by the most buttery croutons. There are only five tables in the restaurant, and yours is set aside for the evening. The leisurely two-hour delicious and innovative meal started for real with a beet and goat cheese salad topped with a fluffy phyllo pastry, followed by a crab and potato croquette floating in a tomato sauce, then a local, succulent black cod, a petite but meaty lamb chop, and finally toasted pound cake with berries and cream. I will never eat pound cake again unless it's toasted first. The presentation, flavors, and sauces were all top notch and thoughtfully prepared. The Richmond is so close to the Cinderella bakery, which always has deserving crowds, but for a special occasion in a relaxed, welcoming environment, don't pass up this place. For $79, plus well priced wine and beer list, this meal will linger in your mind for months, leave a smile on your face, and a warm spot in your belly. They make everyone feel special. read more

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John is a great host and chef!! The cod and the lamb were perfect! I could have that every day of the week. And he was really nice and knowledgeable about wine. So we ended up talking about the different wineries we liked. Overall a wonderful experience. read more

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We dined at The Richmond previously pre-COVID-19 although that was a while ago. Recently walked by and saw that they are doing takeouts for lunch and dinner. And what really struck us was that they are only offering one food item (Cheese Burger) on their takeout menu, two if you count the fries that comes with the burger, $15. Cash only please. We decided to try it. I called a bit earlier than before they open thinking I can leave a voicemail. Someone (the Chef and owner maybe) answered and thought I was one of his employees, and offered me money. Haha. Case of mistaken names on caller ID. Anyway, after the confusion, I was able to place an order for two cheese burgers for pickup. At around the designated pickup time, I was able to pick up with no problem. Hb was excited to try the burgers with me. His thoughts were: very French style of preparation, burgers were filling and delicious. I love my burger, cooked perfectly at medium rare, but I ate it without the buns and I only ate two pieces of the fries. Will I order pickup again? Absolutely! read more

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Saw their sign selling burger and fries for $15 and thought to myself why not ?!? Who would've imagined this may be the best burger I've eaten!!! It was so juicy, flavorful, and just perfect each bite. I also loved how the fries were thin and crispy and he gave 3 types of dipping sauces! The owner was so nice when we asked for more sauces and he gave it with no extra charge. I believe their dine in starts nov 5! Can't wait to try their dine in later in the future! hope it's as good as this burger! read more

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Two years later, I'm writing another review of The Richmond restaurant at 615 Balboa street in San Francisco. This small place has seating that is curtained off so you have privacy. The owner & chef creates a prix fixe menu with optional wine pairing at a reasonable price. Every dish is delicious! We will be back several more times this year. read more

We went on Friday, 02/10 to celebrate Valentine's Day a little early. My fiancé found The Richmond while browsing online for wine pairing restaurants. We were pleasantly impressed. There are only 5 tables in the restaurant, each with curtains to provide a nice private experience. The table is yours for the entire evening. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time. Ben was our server, who was friendly and very informative about the wine and the food. Chef John brought each course out to us, providing a detailed description of each item in the course and how it was prepared, while offering suggestions on how to make the flavors really explode. I would love to attempt to describe each course for you, but I wouldn't do them justice, compared to the descriptions presented by Chef John. Not only did we have a bonus salad course at the beginning before the prix fixe courses started, but Chef John also gave us an additional dessert to congratulate us on our engagement. Everything we ate was absolutely impeccable, including the "Bread + Butter" which was more of a warm soft freshly made cross between sourdough and croissant, along side 3 delectably whipped butters flavored with onions + chives, honey + sea salt and olive. You can't have just one roll - I dare you to try! I would highly recommend The Richmond for your next date night out. If I could give 6 stars, I would. We will go again, I'm sure of it. Thank you, Chef John and Ben for providing us with an experience we (and our palates) will never forget. read more

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This was one of the best dining experiences I have ever had! The food was amazing, the service was personal, and we got a fabulous value for both the prixe fixe meal and wine pairing. The chef came out and explained every course and each wine. He offered to replace anything we didn't like (but we loved everything!). read more

Our family enjoyed dinner at the Richmond. Chef John accommodated food allergies with advance notice. Unlike so many restaurants that ask you to give up your table as soon as you have the last bite of food, we had our table for as long as we wanted. read more

Fantastic neighborhood restaurant! I had not been there in a few years but it's even better than before. Such an intimate setting and very comfortable dining experience. Highly recommended. read more

My partner and I came here craving for a burger and all of sudden ended up at a 5-course meal restaurant. Gave it a chance and it did not disappoint. If you're looking for a multi-course meal and don't want to deal with the downtown aspect, this spot is pretty sick. It's very intimate inside so there's not much seating from what I saw. I believe reservation only. The host and waiter was extremely were extremely hospitable. Each dish was incredibly rich and what I did enjoy the most is the bread with the sides of dips/butter. And on top of that, they were able to provide more bread which most places are just set, since we still had some dip/butter left. Not entirely sure what it was called but they provided like different types of butter or cream of ranging tastes. And oh my god that shit was like crack. Each course and pairing were extremely memorable and I did in fact leave satisfied full. It's not like those full course meals that still leave you hungry and I would say you don't need the wine pairing and can still leave full. read more

This is a restaurant that I have been wanting to try out for three years. Finally here I am. I had such a pleasant experience and very enjoyable meal. It is a family owned small restaurant that serves delicious French American food. Everything is homemade, even the bread is freshly baked, you can tell it is still piping hot from the even. The owner is so nice and service is very attentive. The restaurant is divided into small section that is intimate and private. The most important thing is my husband and I love every dish they served. Simply delicious! Highly recommended. Definitely will come back when they change their menu. Due to COVID 19, they only offer one set menu which costs $60 per person right now. What a great deal! Your stomach will be happy. Don't miss it. read more

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My friend had dinner at The Richmond and thought highly of it and wanted me to try it. He made reservations for 6pm on a recent Friday and I was looking forward to the dinner. The restaurant is small with two tables that could accommodate six, a table for four and two tables for two. Each table is separated by floor to ceiling curtains, which offers privacy. Our party of four was sat at one of the two larger tables in back and we felt spacious at the table. The menu is simple. It's a four course prime rib dinner special tasting menu with a Chef's wine pairing option. The waiter stated that the prime rib is served medium rare, but they could amend the doneness as needed. We were first served warm house rolls with three butters, herb, honey and olive. The rolls we soft and light and the flavored butters were so delicious. It was so good that we ordered seconds. Italian sausage and mushroom en croute - the sausage was in a pastry shell on a cheese fondue and tomato sauce. Unique and tasty. The cheese and red sauce complemented the sausage well. Potato leek soup and mini crab cake - a crab cake in a potato leek soup topped with an arugula salad. The light crispy shelled crab cake was full of crabmeat.. Delicious. Corn brioche with corn custard topped with heirloom grape tomatoes - this evening, this substituted for the Asparagus Caesar Salad. A dish that played on corn. The corn brioche was enhanced with the corn custard. The slices of grape tomatoes was a nice fresh complement. The entrée was the Dry Aged Prime Rib on top of mashed potatoes and cream of chard and a brown gravy. The beef was about an 8oz slice and was served medium rare plus. Though it was a little rarer, it was perfect for me as I prefer medium rare plus. The beef was very tender. Delicious main course. Though not listed on the tasting menu, we were served two desserts. Each couple shared a dessert. Both were a nice surprise complement to our meal. Panna cotta cheesecake - The panna cotta was on top of a cake with a graham cracker base topped with fresh fruit slices on top and on the plate. Peach crumble - the warm dessert had slices of peach and topped with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. What's a neighborhood gem? The Richmond fits that bill. Nice and quaint with friendly service. The chef/owner, John, visited and checked on us a couple of times. Beautiful presentation on each of the dishes. The restaurant is located in a mainly residential area, parking could be a little challenging. This meal was well worth the $60. Check out this gem. read more

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What a delightful way to celebrate our anniversary! Great food with elegant presentation, extremely reasonable wine list, warm and intimate ambience, topped off with attentive and personable service by the chef himself. We loved all the courses, including a bonus bean caesar, warm bread rolls with 3 butters, and a bonus ice cream topped with delicious crumble and celebratory candles. Hard to pick a favorite, but would probably say the potato and crab croquette on tomato base. The catch of the day was black cod straight off the fishermen's boats, and its preparation was perfect--delicate and tender. The lamb chop was tender and perfectly pink. The dining room is intimate and beautiful, with long dark velvet curtains that add a touch of elegance and privacy to each table. Thank you for a wonderful evening! read more

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Every course was very well put together, for example perfectly made crab and potato croquette with tomato bouillabaisse, in terms of texture and flavor, it was very very enjoyable dinner. My second time having dinner here and the food, service, pacing all have been perfect both times. The bread with 3 different types of churned butter is so good. You should just call for a reservation and go try it out if you have not already. read more

Michelin Star experience at a surprisingly reasonable price. Great food, service and atmosphere!

San Francisco's secret: amazing food and service. Fixed price meals are an outstanding value given the quality of food here. The chef floated out between courses and turned out to be fascinating and engaging. I came here after reading their outstanding review in the local newspaper. Ask them about it. Will return again. read more

John and his wife are superb chefs and sommeliers. John carefully chooses interesting wines from small wineries and pairs them very, very well with the scrumptious, beautiful food they serve. I've had several large parties here over the years and the service is always wonderful, we practically have the whole place (which is small) to ourselves, nice and quiet so you can actually have conversations over dinner! I'm almost reluctant to recommend The Richmond so highly because I want to keep it to myself! But you can't go wrong, especially for a romantic dinner for two! Trust John with wine choices if you're not doing the pairing menu, he is always right! read more