Stunning underwater‑themed restaurant with amazing service I stumbled across Ula Restaurant & Tapas Bar while visiting San Francisco from LA, and I'm so glad I did. This place is absolutely gorgeous the whole restaurant feels like an underwater world. There are jellyfish light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, glowing softly throughout the space, and the decor is beautiful everywhere you look. The restaurant is massive, too. If you walk further back or head upstairs, there's even more to explore than you expect. The cocktails were lovely, the staff were incredibly kind and professional, and the service was genuinely great. They took us in with no reservation and made us feel welcome right away. The food was outstanding flavorful, beautifully presented, and memorable though definitely on the pricey side. But I quickly learned that's just San Francisco. Overall, Ula is a gorgeous spot with excellent service and delicious food. I'd absolutely return. read more

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Beautiful restaurant interior, but just really overpriced for what you get. Ordered a $50 ravioli thinking it'd be a filling pasta dish, but it literally came with 5 pieces total. Bill came out to $75 all-in, and I went to go eat mcdonalds after since I was so hungry still haha The tapas on the menu are also all around the $20-30 range which is pretty pricey for tapas. Think I just ordered badly this time around! We also brought a cake for a birthday and got charged for it as well :( Also a peeve, there's no reception or wifi signal inside either. read more

Unique, oceanic-themed restaurant right out of a Coppola movie! From the minute you walk in, you are greeted by friendly staff and escorted to your table--our was a seashell designed one. On the way there, you will notice intricate jellyfish chandeliers, a cool bar, a vintage curved staircase and an open ballroom like main dining area with ornate, curved ceilings. The live jazz on weekends is incredible -- complete with a trumpet player who serenades you at the table! And the food?! Deeee-LISCIOUS! We had a three course meal with bountiful portions that left us speechless! Highlights are the mushroom appetizers and salmon but honestly everything was picture perfect for a one of a kind dining experience! read more

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Ambiance is dramatic. It's a gorgeous building but a little dated. The food was so expensive and mediocre. There was a trumpet player that was really good. There were so many birthday celebrations that night we went. Service staff were nice. It's a nice date spot for out of towners. Good location around everything. read more

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This restaurant was beautiful decorated. It has two level. The service was great and the owner was nice. They make delicious drinks and we were both very happy with our drinks. We ordered couple of items. We had the ceviche, crab bruschetta and garlic fries for appetizers. The ceviche was good 6/10 Crab bruschetta was a pass for us. It has an interesting flavor that doesn't work for us 2/10 The fries were the star of the show! 10/10. It's more of a steak fries style and they were so flavorful and crunchy which we could stop eating them. Love, love, love! For our entree we had seafood Spanish rice which was so delicious as well. It's the equivalent of the Spanish paella 10/10. No dessert for us because we're stuffed. read more

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Amazing menu & delicious food! The service was absolutely awful - took at least an hour for them to get the check, split the check, then they made us redo how it was split, and when we finished paying the checks were still wrong and items unaccounted for. They definitely have some improving to do on the service side of things which is disappointing considering how "upscale" it is. Wish the experience was better overall. read more

We come to Ula every time we are in SF, but this time was special because we were getting together with people from NYC. I was a bit nervous, because I chose to represent a West Coast to a crowd with a great restaurant scene. Ula exceeded my expectations! Everything was top notch: stunning decor, nice ambiance with pleasant live music that still allows to have a conversation, very attentive, friendly and respectful service, delicious food that was also beautifully presented. We were very pleased and our guests were very impressed! Our evening was wonderful thanks to a great staff at Ula restaurant. Can't wait to return! read more

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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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The food was great as well as the presentation. The drinks were fire. Love the mojitos especially. The staff are all pros and got use the best stuff. I love the nautical theme to the restaurant but in a fancy way and not tacky. It's really chill in the back for a more cozy experience. read more

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Good food, but the sneaky upcharges and mandatory fees ruin the experience The food and ambiance at Ula were actually quite nice, but the overall experience was soured by a distinct lack of pricing transparency. It feels like the staff is trained to casually offer items in a way that implies they are standard table amenities, only for you to get hit with premium prices on the bill. When we sat down, they asked if we wanted water, sparkling, still or tap. We asked for still water, and they brought out a bottle that we later discovered cost $12. Right after that, they casually asked if we wanted bread and olives to start. Again, it felt like a welcoming hospitality gesture, but it ended up costing us an extra $16 for the olives and $8.00 for the bread. To top it all off, they add a mandatory tip/service charge to the final bill. While I'm always happy to tip well for good service, combining automated fees with sneaky, unmentioned upcharges on basic table starters leaves a bad taste in your mouth. The food is good, but be incredibly vigilant when ordering--even for just water and bread--and double-check your receipt. read more

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

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

Before you even sit down to eat the decor and construction of this restaurant is the best I have ever seen. It's like walking into an under sea experience right out of Capt. Nemo submarine. The light fixtures are squids and sea urchins. This restaurant must be seen to be believed. Not to mention the food is excellent. I ordered something that was not on the menu any longer, and they still prepared it for me. read more

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

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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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Great evening with dear friends!!!! The only issue here is there is a bit of sticker shock, especially with the tapas! So we shared one tapa and got three entrées to split and everything was so delicious!!! The fried cheese was not greasy, and the compote with it was amazing!!! lamb chops were cooked to perfection, the Bolognese was rich and lovely and the Bronzino was also cooked to perfection. All sauces etc were paired so well!!!! bread, service and olives were nice portions! Drinks were delicious!!! and chocolate mousse was light!!!!! bravo!!! Service was spot on very attentive without being micromanaging or intrusive read more

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

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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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

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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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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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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I wanted to reach out and share what a wonderful experience we had at your restaurant recently. We were passing by union Square and ,feeling a bit hungry ,stumbled upon Ula right in the heart of the area. As soon as we walked in we were greeted warmly by the hosted and walked to our table.The ambiance was lovely you will feel like you are in aquarium, what a ambiance. We shared couple tapas and entrées my personal favorite was scallops and lamb chops cooked to perfection. Service was top notch .to top it all off,there was even live jazz playing . What a great restaurant! We had an absolutely amazing dinner and a fantastic time .thank you everyone on the Ula Team. read more

Loved the atmosphere there, very beautiful restaurant. The food and service was amazing too!:)

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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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

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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We had banquet with over 30 guests Menu said Grilled Alaskan Salmon but description said grilled Atlantic salmon so contradictory and confusing read more

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

The food and service was amazing! Extremely classy restaurant and the food came so quickly. Everyone from SF or visiting needs to come here. The live music was the cherry on top. Couldn't have been happier with my experience! 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

It was an amazing experience. We spent my friends birthday there and the staff was phenomenal. Not just a staff, but the food was also amazing. read more

The food was amazing. Natala was our server and was super professional and caring. Raul was bussing out all the dishes we ordered and was great filtering out their orders. They were absolutely great building such an amazing dinner before the SF marathon. I highly recommend anyone coming here to this event go during happy hour. Their oysters were awesome. Please reach out Natala if you get the chance. She's a staple. 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

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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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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We were greeted warmly by the host. The interior design is beautiful and stunning. We enjoyed the food but not fabulous...but $8 for bread. In addition, there is a mandatory tip/service added to the bill. The server, Natalia, was unprofessional in many ways. She presented herself as uninterested and provided minimal service. When I wanted more wine, she was nowhere in sight and I had to ask her assistant to ask her to bring me a glass. When we asked for service including dessert, she walked away from us while talking. Very unprofessional and disrespectful. When I asked for the manager, she appeared. Informed her that her service was below expectations. She did apologize but stated that it was the end of a long day. My thinking is that is here problem, not mine and that I deserved and paid for good service. I won't be back! read more

Ula was lovely for the first half of our girls night out. Then the service nose-dived right into the Bay. There was a mishap with a major food allergy. One of the dishes that was recommended for us with dietary restrictions had a big no no in it that wasn't caught until midway through the meal. My friend became severely ill and instead of showing compassion, the manager on duty smirked while apologizing and upon our departure, he had the audacity to say "call me when you get home". We emailed the "owner" only to be met with the most bizarre email exchange I've ever read from a business that wants to put the customer first. In a nutshell, there was no apology from this email owner. And this person said "our owner is a 75 year old one finger typist so calling him is best". After that, this person invited my friend (with the food allergy) to the owners house in Palo Alto for Chai. It's so bizarre that I can't make this up. Maybe we should share screenshots. read more

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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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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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