We went in for my siblings' birthdays and everything was amazing!! Natala, our server was the sweetest!! She was super attentive and friendly. The service was overall perfect and everyone was welcoming! The food was also delicious and the drinks were great! We loved Natala!! read more

I honestly don't understand the low ratings here because my friends and I had an amazing time at Ula. We showed up at around 9-9:15pm without a reservation and they still went out of their way to accommodate us. We ordered a mix of dishes to share: truffle fries, Spanish rice, salad, meatballs, filet, drinks, and chocolate cake. Everything was delicious and fresh, but the truffle fries were my favorite - hot and crispy on the outside, just perfect! The host was very welcoming and attentive, we genuinely felt taken care of from start to finish. Our server, Joaquin, was very friendly and interactive, which made the whole experience super fun and special. They even stayed open later for us, which we really appreciated. Exceptional service and delicious food all around. We'll definitely be back soon! read more

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Just want to start off with the good, the interior design speaks for itself. It's stunning inside with great attention to detail and dining experience. Staff was great, attentive and simple, nothing to brag about but nothing to complain about either. The dinner had Live music (we came on a Friday night) as well, we were almost confused why a place like this wouldn't be crowded for a Friday evening. Then the food and dissatisfaction came. For the price of the items, the food tastes and looks lazy and sloppy. I'm under the assumption the chef is friends with the owner, because none of the items on the menu that we tried were worth the prices that they're charging. Compared to other Mediterranean "hybrid" chefs cooking in this caliber of a restaurant, I'm disappointed. The food was no better than a Thursday night at Applebee's. Aguachile was drenched to where you couldn't even taste the "fresh" ahi tuna. Chicken pastry was mediocre at best. Lobster & white truffle ravioli was good, but had way too much oil in each bite. And the filet beef was smothered in a sauce that I think was to help soften the rough n chewy filet? Each time I'd try to eat the filet I would have to take 8 bites just to be able to swallow it. With cooking like this for a Friday evening it makes me upset to see such a nice establishment throw it all away with the cooking. Probably wouldn't come back to try this place again unless they seriously do a menu/chef overhaul. read more

Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar - Lobster and Beef "filet" - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very cute interior decor, but the food was mediocre. The restaurant is big inside where the front part has the jellyfish chandeliers and the back part has a different cave-like feel. The back portion of the restaurant is connected to the kitchen, so you'll probably smell like food after the meal if you're sitting in that area. We ordered a bunch of different dishes, everything was sort of ok but not great. The only best thing was the eggplant parm. Overall, I wouldn't be rushing back any time soon. read more

I'm really disappointed with my experience with Ula Restaurant. I made a reservation 4 days in advance, but within about 15 hours of booking I realized I needed to cancel. Despite reaching out well ahead of time, they refused to accommodate the cancellation. They're now planning to charge me $200, which feels completely unreasonable given how quickly I tried to cancel. I even emailed them to explain the situation, and the responses I got were curt and unhelpful--just repeating that they wouldn't make any exceptions. No effort to understand or work with a customer. This is just not how you do business. In California, there's already a strong consumer expectation around fair cancellation policies (like the 24-hour flexibility you see with hotels), and it would go a long way for restaurants to adopt a similar mindset--especially when I tried to cancel 4 days in advance. Honestly, the whole situation feels more focused on enforcing fees than on customer experience because they can't get customers in the door. Really frustrating, and I'm not going to book here ever again. My understanding is that this is a TOURIST TRAP in Union Square, and so I would get that they'd want to lock me into this experience. read more

We made a reservation at 6:00pm was sitted @6:35pm, not sure what was the wait about when the reservation was made. The food was delicious, specially the appetizers, the beef carpaccio was amazingly good; it's rich in flavor with balance of bread. Second was the lamb meatballs was also excellent! Overall, the food is very flavorful. And the interior is beautiful. Definitely a place for special occasions. read more

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What drew me to Ula was the decor, but what kept me coming back? The food!! Every dish was amazing! Everything we had was executed so well. The ingredients were unique, there was fava beans in my crab ravioli and my octopus became a paper thin carpaccio. The menu is ever changing and always evolving which I appreciate. What you had last year will most likely not be on the menu this year. The menu seemed seasonal as well but not too sure about the rotation or how they decide when to change it up. I didn't notice they use different plates depending on what day you come. The octopus used to be on a rectangle plate and last night it was on a circle plate with a little less octopus. The ambiance is really nice too and they have a full bar and an amazing wine selection. read more

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Came here for my birthday dinner on a Friday before Valentine's Day and they had some Valentine's decor which was super cute! We were seated across from the piano where two musicians played music. The service was prompt and friendly. We ordered the crab bruschetta, truffle fries, lamb meatballs, brazino, and eggplant parmigiana. The truffle fries were wedges and were airy and soft. They were perfect! The brazino was cut into pieces and cooked with perfection. I loved the gorgonzola gnocchi. Lamb meatballs were also flavorful. The crab was also tasty. We were so full that we didn't get dessert. I'd definitely come back! Super cute spot for a date night! Also, appreciated the waitress who took photos of my boyfriend and I. read more

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Decided to come here because the decor of the place looks super cute! Apparently it's a sea theme, which goes well with the food. The bread and butter were amazing. I'd was warm and had I think garlic and cheese on it. The truffle fries were amazing too. Crispy and just the right about of truffles. My friend got a fish dish, which she liked. I got a pasta dish, which was good too but did sorta wished there were more pasta pieces. The downside to our experience was that service did take pretty long. They only seemed to have one server for the back room or maybe two but our server had a huge group of 10-15 people, which took a very long time to take their orders. Then he came to us and apologized but he was still running around. Seems it was short staffed or maybe instead of giving him us with a group of 5 as well, might have been nice of the host assigning parties to the servers a group of two instead of 5 + another group of 10-15 people. This clearly seems to be too much on the servers plate. read more

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The restaurant was quiet for lunch at noon today. I had a reservation for 5 people. We were led to a table booth. As always the ambiance gives the restaurant the coziness of dining. The restaurant was clean. Our server Stephanie was so pleasant to talk with. We ordered separate dishes like Green Salad, Oysters, Scallops, Agnoloti and Bolognese. We did not have cocktails or wine. Just sparking water and hot water with lemon. The food was delicious. Later for dessert, Stephanie brought the bread pudding with ice cream on a big plate with a candle and letters written "happy birthday " and a balloon sketch picture. Our birthday friend was so surprised and appreciative. We stayed almost 2 hours and then left to watch M Butterfly next door, SF Playhouse. Every time we see plays, Ula is always our go-to spot! Delicious food, warm service and ambiance is beautiful! read more

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Ula is such a gorgeous jewel located right by Union Square. The restaurant is decorated in such a beautiful creative fashion. If you like healthy Mediterranean cuisine that is not pre-prepared this is your place.. Delicious sautéed garlic shrimp served on a bed of greens. This creates the perfect balance between savory and neutral green. Fabulous Service! We were greeted right away seated, and they came and took our order within three minutes. The sauce from the scampi dresses, the lettuce perfectly . A Fab choice in SF! Gaspar is incredible bartender! The Marriott GM recommended this restaurant! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised by Ula, but unfortunately don't have any pictures to share! I had booked for NYE because their fixed menu really appealed to me, but I started to have regrets when I dove into many mixed reviews on both the service and the food. However, our group of four loved pretty much everything! I'm giving this four stars because it was very good and on par for the price point, but also didn't have a huge wow or uniqueness factor for a five. First, the restaurant is elegant but not overly fancy (or stuffy) and we were seated in a large, comfortable booth. People have reported slow service, but we had no issues; our food came out with a good pace and the staff seemed accessible. For food, we ordered and shared several items on the fixed menu: crab bruschetta, salmon crudo, bread and oysters, bolognese, crema di stracciatella, branzino and filet beef. I won't comment on every item, but the salmon crudo had a great flavor and the pan searing on the branzino was perfect (loved the crispy bottom). Our whole group was commenting that the portions were good for each round of dishes; overall, we didn't feel like they were too small but it wasn't too much either. Lastly, I got the bread pudding for dessert and it hit the spot! I'd love to come back to try their standard menu options and tapas. read more

Went here with a large group and so basically tried everything on the menu. The service was the standout - food arrived quickly and the servers were well organized. The restaurant is also very beautiful - the jellyfish are a nice touch! The food, however, is quite hit or miss (with more misses). Some highlights: -The tenderloin entree was cooked perfectly and delicious -The paella was very flavorful - though a bit soggier than I would normally expect, was still very tasty -The agnolotti had a lovely texture and flavor -Seared scallop appetizer was solid and the polenta was nice Some big misses -Beef carpaccio - Totally not seasoned, felt like I was eating a raw piece of piece with nothing added -Bread service- It's pretty laughable to charge $8 for 4 dry pieces of bread -Burrata salad - This is the smallest portion of burrata I have ever seen. Maybe 1/3 of a standard ball - for $26?? -Creme brulee - Really watery, very confusing -Tiramisu - Our group collectively deemed this the worst tiramisu they ever tried The rest of the various dishes (pastas, other apps) were middling. Ula's food unfortunately doesn't live up to its gorgeous interior, and it falls squarely in the camp of "I would go only if someone else is paying." read more

Food tasted good. Service was nice. It was expensive for what you get. It was not busy on a Saturday evening so it felt too quiet and weird. Nice vibes with jellyfish lights and decor. read more

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Came here for a fancy birthday lunch, dishes were very hit or miss. Oysters & Scallops were amazing. Shrimp was a huge disappointment, Gnocchi wasn't great either. Expected more consistency for the price ($189 before tips for lunch for two). We were the only customers for lunch on a Thursday. Our server, Casey, was great and gave us lots of attention. Parking was not terrible but not easy. We found a spot a few blocks away without circling but had made another stop in the area; we weren't looking within 2 blocks of Ula specifically. Cocktails * Black truffle old fashioned $25 - 4 stars. Sweet and nutty with watery mouth feel, ever so slightest hint of truffle (wished for more). * Winter in Japan $22 - 3.5 stars. Interesting and complex. Food * Half dozen miyagi oysters $28 - 4.5 stars. Very fresh! * Bread service $7 - 4 stars. Soft with a nice crisp. * Halloumi $22 - 3.5 stars. Cheese was a bit dry. * Garlic shrimp $18 - 2 stars. Way too overcooked, rubbery, dry. * Scallops $32 - 4.5 stars. Very nicely done. * Pesto Gnocchi $16 happy hour - 3 stars. A bit undercooked. Nothing too special. read more

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This was my first time visiting the restaurant. I thought the ambience and the jellyfish chandeliers really made the restaurant unique. We tried a salad, chicken patties, lamb meatballs, and the bolognese. I switched the rigatoni out for fettuccine noodles on the Bolognese and it came out really good. The chicken patties and lamb meatballs we're good. They have a dish in a lot of the Yelp pictures with a large prawn, bacon wrapped scallop and something on the bottom. I was looking forward to trying that but was told that was discontinued a while back. My friend didn't like her drink, but mine was good. The second one she got... She liked. read more

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The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the service is good. Unfortunately, the food isn't memorable. I enjoyed the scallops and crab bruschetta, but that was about it. I would spend your money elsewhere as this was pricey! read more

Beware of making a reservation here! Beautiful interior and good service but that's about it. The food is average and overpriced. If you are willing to pay that amount there are so many better options in the area. My biggest qualm with the place is their reservation policy. I made a reservation for Friday on a Tuesday. It required me to put my card down. I was silly and didn't read the fine print - I assumed the cancellation policy was 24 or 48 hours, and here I was like basically four days before the reso booking, so I thought I was fine. 20 minutes after I make my reservation, I decide to go with a different place and call them to cancel. They say I cannot cancel without being charged $150 ($25 per person on the reservation). I called and emailed with them multiple times but they refused to budge. It is because their cancellation policy is that you cannot cancel without getting charged ONE WEEK before the date of the reservation. This is an absolutely ridiculous policy. I've dined at so many restaurants where I've had to put my card down and no one has had a policy that went anywhere more than 48 hours before the reservation. This restaurant is mostly empty, which is exactly why they try to force people to come by having an insane reservation policy. There is no point even making a reservation because there is barely anyone here anyways - if you want to come you can do a walk in. Don't waste your money making a binding reservation. They were so inflexible, despite the fact that I was trying to cancel almost 4 days before the reservation and also tried to cancel almost immediately after I made the reservation in the first place. I know I should've been better with reading the fine print but this place is seriously so weird - honestly the policy seems scammy. At least now I learned a lesson with being super cautious. read more

Very welcoming, super cool scenery. We sat in a booth back of the restaurant. First of all, the bread was to die for, I wish I could ship it to Florida where I live. We also had the Green salad which was so light and refreshing. The lamb meatballs were a treat and we had a few mains that didn't disappoint. And whatever you do.. do NOT skip dessert. This family owned establishment absolutely does dessert right, we had the chocolate mousse and crème brûlée . Will definitely come again when next in SF read more

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I had given up on finding fine cuisine and happened to come across this gem. I am blown away. This is by far the best that san francisco has to offer. I want to fly in just to eat here. Exquisite!! Food,drinks,service and decor are a step above the rest!! Highly impressed. Don't leave without trying this place out. You'll thank me read more

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SUCH a cool restaurant! The design, decor and artwork is gorgeous and the food was also fantastic. Service was excellent as well. Will recommend to anyone looking for a unique dining experience in SF and would definitely return. read more

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The restaurant is beautiful and well themed. Have you ever wanted to see what it's like to be the little mermaid in the sea? Well now it's your chance. The was good but our seafood dishes were a little bit over cooked. Overall we enjoyed our time. read more

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Rude staff!!!! im really disappointed with my experience with Ula Restaurant. I made a reservation 4 days in advance, but within about 15 hours of booking I realized I needed to cancel. Despite reaching out well ahead of time, they refused to accommodate the cancellation. they're now planning to charge me $200, which feels completely unreasonable given how quickly I tried to cancel. I even emailed them to explain the situation, and the responses I got were curt and unhelpful--just repeating that they wouldn't make any exceptions. No effort to understand or work with a customer. read more

Good service but incredibly overpriced for what you get. It's a nice atmosphere, the service is good but it's already 20% included, an the portions are so tiny. I was just very underwhelmed. read more

I wish I could give negative star. This is so bad. Absolutely no way im coming back. Food is cold, way overpriced, service is bad read more

Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar - Food is bad, way overpriced. Food isn't even hot - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

delicious food (particularly scallops and baked polenta, lamb meatballs; garlic prawns); attentive and friendly staff; inventive cocktails; perfect location for pre-Theatre meal or light tapas while shopping; and delightful sea atmosphere. read more

Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar - Garlic prawns tapas - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

We had dinner at Ula recently and felt compelled to leave a review because this was a true example of what real customer service looks like. We had a 6:30 PM reservation booked a week in advance, but when we arrived the restaurant was packed with several large holiday parties, which clearly put a lot of pressure on the kitchen and the floor staff. As a party of two, we were initially seated in the only space available -- right near the kitchen. It was extremely loud and very hot, and after a pretty rough Uber ride getting there, we were honestly already a bit overwhelmed. I explained the situation to Bijay, the host, and without hesitation he completely understood. There was no attitude, no dismissiveness -- just empathy and a genuine desire to make things better. It took about 15 minutes for them to shuffle things around, but not once did anyone complain or make us feel like we were being difficult. They found us a much better table, and the difference was night and day. On top of that, Cristian, the manager, went above and beyond. When we mentioned we were heading to a musical next door after dinner, they surprised us with a 10% discount to support the arts -- an incredibly thoughtful gesture that turned a stressful start into a really special night. This is the kind of customer service that feels rare these days: real care, real understanding, and people who actually listen. If you're looking for a place where hospitality still matters, Ula is it. We'll absolutely be back. read more

came in on a wednesday night to celebrate my partners and i's anniversary! we were super excited, as the ambience and decor looked so cute! definitely a classy / upscale vibe to it, but that's all they have going for them unfortunately. the restaurant itself probably had about 6 active tables inside with a larger party on the second floor but somehow we still felt disregarded (me and my partner look fairly young so maybe she thought we wouldn't tip?) we got to the restaurant at 6:50, ordered before 7 but didn't receive our main entrees until almost 7:50! we had also ordered the truffle fries thinking it was an appetizer but it came AFTER we finished our main entrees with no apology from our server. okay so now for the food/drinks - essprotini: 10/10!!! this was my first ever espresso martini but i loved it!! fairly strong but a good balance of the espresso and bay leaves. - scallops: 100/10 these were amazing, the sauce they use with the cake really balances out the flavor of the scallops - truffle fries: 0/10 disregarding the time we waited for these, these fries were nice and crispy but had no flavor. the only good thing about it was the dip. - lamb chops w/ gnocchi: 8/10 favorite main entree from the two, small serving size but the lamb chops as really good and the gnocchi SOO GOOD - salmon: 6.5/10 something that could be made at home, nothing special overall, a nice place to chill and grab drinks but would not recommend for the food. somehow the service / hospitality fee is included but definitely feels like a scam at that point because girl atleast give us some updates for the food pls you had two tables. read more

Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We had a large group outing during a conference. They were able to accommodate us easily and even added another chair when another colleague arrived. The tapas were all tasty and there is a wide variety of options including vegetarian. They were out of the bottle of wine I chose but substituted a better one for the same price. The gentleman greeting everyone was also very friendly. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is the music in the dining area is a little loud for when you want to have a conversation. read more

Came here on a Sunday night and the restaurant was almost completely empty. We got great service and the restaurant itself is honestly really beautiful / cool inside, but ultimately there was just a big disconnect between the prices and quality of the food. The only dish that I thought was actually quite good was the eggplant carpaccio. It was nicely crispy on the outside and the flavors really worked. Otherwise, I think many other dishes could either use some improvement or they could shrink their menu a bit in order to recalibrate pricing. If you want a quiet, intimate dinner focused on the conversation, this is a great option. But if you care a lot about the food, then maybe try another place. read more

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Omg :( the food was so bad that I sent a dish back for the first time (well my friend and I agreed to but I was too scared to do it so I made her do it lol) but we spent $220 and went to the Cheesecake Factory around the corner to make up for it because holy moly. The food looked and tasted microwaved, with crumbly beans, fishy rubbery octopus and scallops, and bright green frozen peas. We sent back the Spanish rice because the fish was so fishy and chewy and we couldn't handle the aftertaste. The rice also tasted and had the texture of the Costco fried rice packets. The bass was also overcooked. We were pretty surprised by how bad the food was, which was unfortunate because the service was good and the restaurant itself was beautiful. We didn't even like our appetizers. The bread was hard as a crouton, the aguachile was overly sauced, and the truffle fries were burnt. Sigh! read more

Omg the food is GREAT & the service is GREAT We really liked the "Tapas" menu. Please try this place, even tho the prices are a bit high~ it's San Francisco read more

Got to try Ula for lunch on a Saturday. Place was not busy so we were able to enjoy our lunch without being rushed. Our server was excellent, even gave us a tour of the restaurant. We loved the tapas and the drinks. Some of the dishes that we enjoyed: scallops, lamb meatballs, burrata w/ the added prosciutto. I think the paella could use more spice. Overall, great food, excellent cocktails and service was attentive. We got to enjoy 20% off , happy hour value!!!! read more

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After the theater on a rainy evening in SF, we stopped in ULA for dinner. It's in the former Farallon (still an over the top, beautiful space). Food, cocktails, and service was excellent, and we very much enjoyed chatting with the owner, who takes great pride and attention to detail in his restaurant. A lovely (and delicious) evening. We will return when next in SF. read more

This was my 2nd visit to Ula and they certainly didn't disappoint! Service was welcoming and attentive, and the food was exquisite. They also made my birthday celebration special. Had the Fried Halloumi, Agnolotti, and bread pudding. I highly recommend this place for a wonderful dining experience. The ambiance is perfect! read more

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The staff was friendly and was genuinely trying, but service can't make up for the general blah of the menu. Also amused they serve wine that has been opened for up to 2 days. They opened a fresh bottle when I said it tasted flat, but it's boggling the norm is to serve old wine in the first place. Ambiance was ruined by elevator jazz music playing way too loud. Never again. read more

Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar - BRANZINO. pan seared mediterranean sea bass, citrus cream, orzo, fava, heirloom carrot relish??? - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I loved my scallops and polenta!! The Spanish paella was outstanding. Great service and beautiful decor.

What a fun spot! Come dressed up for a night out or come in for dinner and drinks after a day around town. The drinks were great, even the zero proof was tasty! The food was okay, and the service was wonderful. The eggplant carpaccio is not carpaccio. It is thinly sliced eggplant in a sesame seed pocket bun, that is more bun than eggplant. A great spot for tapas and drinks! read more

Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar - Steak tartare - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Be careful making a reservation here! I made one and canceled 30 days prior to the date and the restaurant still charged me $50/head for a total of $500. Can you believe it!? I have dined at thousands of restaurants and never came across such a dishonest establishment. read more

I'm surprised that their Yelp Star average is only 3.8. We read all of the reviews and "took a chance" as the location was excellent for our "Improve society" show later that night. Got a reso for 2 @ 6pm on a Friday (no credit card fee/guarantee required). As everyone notes the place is beautiful--part of it used to be a swimming pool. It is like dining in a cross between an aquarium and an art studio. The front bar area was hopping with a private party. Back in the dining room things were more calm--however our small table was right in front of the open kitchen. Since we ate tapas for dinner, seeing the food come out definitely influenced our selections. The service was impeccable. Help with the menu, proper amounts to order (no left overs allowed), water refilled and plates cleaned after each course. Pre-dinner cocktail was very good (Mediterranean G&T). Wine with dinner was very good but $$$$. The food: We ordered one tapa at a time over a 1.5 hour time-kill before the show--perfectly timed/spaced service. We started with the tuna tartar--not spicy at all even though the menu mentions jalapeños--very tasty and fresh tuna melting in your mouth (our fav of the night). Next was the octopus. Sliced thin and boiled--very tender and tasty (our second fav of the night). At this point we decided to just do more tapas and forego the planned lamb entree. Scallops on polenta were very good as was the bread (very "airy", light and garlicky but the dipping sauce tasted off to me). They should have a "1/2" order of bread as the full order is too much for 2 people (they ended up comping it for us). The lamb meatballs were quite large--we could have done with a half order (which was an option). They were very good (if you like a heavy lamb flavor--which we do) and the sauce was delicious--especially on the bread we still had! Finally we shared an Affogato for dessert which was excellent. None of our food was cold or bland as other yelpers have complained. Yes it is expensive (especially the wine) but if you think of it as a high quality delicious tasting menu, under $150 each isn't that bad. Highly recommend. read more