Bouche Reviews

A little rustic version of the french kitchen. Well made food, we all took the steak, a plus for the sauce. A bit pricey for the level detracts.

Went to Bouche on Dec. 28 and was amazed by the food and service. This is small restaurant that deserves a lot of attention. There are only 8 or 9 tables in the upstairs dining area and it's s like a café and is rather dark. Downstairs has a bar and seating area along the wall with stools wher you can wait and have a drink and peruse the menu or dine if they are very busy. We are fro Boston and were visiting SF for a few days and discoved this restaurant on Open Table and then again on Trip Adviser. WE took a chance and had one of the best meals in a long time. The menu is limited and they had just changed it . I had an appetizer of the most delicious Halibut carpaccio that I highly recommend. This is not a dish I have ever seen but it was amazing. The flavors were subtle and the halibut was so fresh. They also had a Hanger Steak which my wife had and enjoyed, and a Swordfish that was unlike any preparation I have ever had - the fish was thin and son fresh it had a very mild and unfishy flavor that was perfectly complimented by the light sauce. I highly recommend this if they have it when you go. The Chef, Melissa, came by and chatted - she is so talented and has such a knack for pairing great ingredients that melt in your mouth and are exceptionally well balanced. No one flavor overpowered the dishes. By the way, their wine selection ais very nice and of course, favors French wine, but they are very helpful in making a nice affordable selection. I highly recommend it and don't be surprised if this gets discovered and becomes a hard place to book. For now, go an enjoy the amazing food and service while you can. .

Pros: Gourmet food, small quaint atmosphere, great wine selection, informed wait staff Cons: Smallish menu choice I was at Bouche for a business dinner, and the venue provided to be an excellent place to dine and have a productive conversation. Both my colleague and I had the Brussel sprouts starter, and the steak main dish. The sprouts were excellently prepared and seasoned/flavoured, and the main dish had a flavourful and crispy side of potatoes that were enviable (I wish I could do those at home!). There was a great selection of different wines by the glass, which is an excellent way to enjoy wine if you would like to try a variety of selections, and I found the waiters to be very good at trying to pair our tastes with the right wine. The menu is somewhat limited in selection (there were only 4 or 5 main choices), but that helps the restaurant to keep the quality of the food high. The only other down side is that the staff and sometimes appear to be a bit standoffish, something that is typically French as viewed from a North American perspective; but not at all a problem if you take into account that you are in a genuine French restautant

We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience here celebrating my husband’s birthday. The food was amazing. We enjoyed the casual setting, and the great service. The chef’s appetizer surprise, adventure, was just that, a delicious adventure: Something I might not ever have considered, but was excellent, and it broadened my culinary experience.

I had a great meal here and a couple of glasses of wine late one night recently. It's a small place with a great, relaxed and cozy feel. The food was fantastic.

Great restaurant, lovely vibes. They have bacon bread, if you ever need a reason to go there, bacon bread. Staff are super friendly and informative, great food and excellent wine. And bacon bread!

Friendly welcome. The owners are French. The food is excellent. And the service is impeccable. Only the wait between dishes was a little long.

Bouche is a tiny French restaurant with a small but complete menu. We shared 3 appetizers: braised Brussels Sprouts, Bacon Bread & Ahi. All excellent and beautifully presented. The entrees & deserts were all delicious as well. Would definitely go back

My husband and I both had excellent food. He had a steak and I had salmon. The dessert was amazing. The wine was bewitchingly good! However...think long and hard because of the trade-off between tasty food and space. We made a reservation, so we were seated upstairs. We practically were sitting in the laps of the couple next to us. The heat from the kitchen travels straight upstairs. To deal with this (poorly) fans are being run continuously. A guest who had had a bit too much wine almost fell down the treacherous stairway which leads to the exit or the restrooms. The acoustics are so bad, that I could hear one man's voice as if he were on a microphone, and he was seated across the small dining area. I don't think I will go back!

Best meal we had during our stay in San Francisco. Fabulous food, very friendly staff. Would have no hesitation in recommending this restaurant

Love this place. Great European food and wine. Stop by of you're looking for authentic and delicious foood.

Met some friends for dinner in September and was seated upstairs where it was quite warm and loud. Aside from that, the food was artful and delicious. A Chef friend was working there, but was off that evening - that's how we heard about this place. It's close to Union Square on Bush St. over the tunnel, and it's one of the few restaurants in that area, post pandemic. If you are in the area, give it try - you won't be disappointed.

Adventurous in SF. We didn't gamble not being able to make it in to an always packed upstairs dining room overlooking Bust Street. It was easy to make reservations to be on the safe side. The gamble is an always packed upstairs dining room overlooking Bush Street. Walking past the kitchen visible enough to view where the magic begins is the best starter. This location from the dining room overlooks Bush Street between Nob Hill and Union Square should not be overlooked. Their menu is never disappointing. Their staff is always charming and knowledgeable and passionate about their food and wine.

Very friendly stuff, casual place, good for late dinner, indeed for my group after the Opera. Most important great service, good food, and good French wine selection. I particularly, enjoyed the Lamb appetizer, and the risotto .

Great food and atmosphere, friendly and professional staff, the custard/caramel desert is to die for! a must visit when in SF.

Thanks to the hotel staff and concierge for recommending we stay close to the hotel for our first dinner date out in the city. Bouche was EXCELLENT! We chose to sit in the front window, eating at the window countertop/bar seating. Great people watching on Friday night which happened to be St. Patrick's day too. The grapefruit salad was fresh and delicious! The hanger steak entree was cooked to perfection! The custard like dessert with dulce de leche sauce was ridiculous! Ridiculously delicious! How they served the dessert side-by-side was sweet too. If we lived in San Francisco we found our spot. Fabulous! And our water glasses were always full. A big bonus! Wonderful, wonderful!

On our walk back to our hotel we decided to stop by for a quick late bite. The host asked us by the door "how can I help you?" to which I thought "really?" "How do you think?" I ordered an overpriced $15 "tomato carpaccio" which consisted on 5 slices of tomatoes with some sort of green mayo. My boyfriend ordered the salmon ceviche which later the server tell us they did not have it anymore. This French host/server had the worst attitude and their food is way overpriced for what it was. Not coming back.

Ate there with a colleague while in town on business. We found the place to be charming and the service to be good/welcoming. The food was good but not amazing, though the Brussels sprouts were closer to the amazing end of the scale. The bacon bread was an interesting idea but very rich so we didn’t finish ours. Overall I would probably go back.

We were delighted to find this warm, friendly spot with excellent service and delicious food. My husband raved about the home-made bacon bread. I loved my frisee salad. A friend had the Brussel sprouts and they were great. My risotto was yummy. And our friend's pork chop (large portion) looked great and he said was delicious. We ended this great meal with the flourless chocolate cake. YUM. Lovely experience!

Had another great meal at Bouche. The anchovy and garlic dip and octopus made great starters. Went for the surprise and ended up regretting it so had the pork chop as a main. Finished with the mixed petit fours, which was more like a tasting menu. Unbeatable for the price, although I wish the seating were less cramped.

If you like small, atmospheric bistros, look no further. We stopped in here for dinner and were blown away by the food. We sat in the bar and were served by the charming Matthew. He recommended the pork belly and hangar steak and we were amazed by the tastes. Don't pass the opportunity to have shaved truffles on the steak! So glad we found this charming bistro!

My husband and I visited for dinner on our first evening in San Fran. This restaurant and bar is very quaint and very French. We enjoyed the cosy ambience of the place. We felt welcome immediately and were taken through the small French menu and decided to order the roast chicken. There was also a surprise menu but we were not that adventurous to try that. We loved that the waiter who may also be the owner, is so passionate about the food they serve which is very refreshing as you feel you are part of an experience and not just there to eat. The wine was delicious and we paired a dessert wine with the dessert. My husband managed to leave behind his credit card (possibly an effect of jet lag combined with good food and wine) and it was well looked after until we discovered it missing and returned the next evening to collect it. The staff were very friendly. For a beautiful meal with French flair and friendly attentive service it is worth visiting. You will not be disappointed.

Bouche is a small French venue two blocks from Union Square. Second visit, and not disappointed. Counter service down stairs, a few tables upstairs where we were seated. Jason guided us through a mostly unknown list of French wines by the glass or bottle. (Great value.) Some higher end notable Rhône style wines available as well by the bottle only. The menu changes seasonably, and is comfortably limited. The Brussels sprouts appetizer was the best I’ve had. Our entrees, rustic chicken breast with black truffle over wild rice, and flat iron steak with incredible smashed potato foie gras was amazing. Finished with raspberry and lavender cream eclairs. Recommend without reservation!

My cousin and I ate here for the first time. We were a bit early. But we were welcomed by the staff and even served water before we were seated. French music was already playing in the background. I loved the French accents. The place is quite intimate. And we were seated upstairs. Some of the staff still wore masks which made me comfortable taking mine off. The food was delicious. I had the zucchini soup, sea bass and almond cake. I would definitely come back here again.

Bouche was quite a find! We had reservations (that I highly recommend) and we were immediately seated upstairs by the window. All the food was delicious, such as chickpea fries as an appetizer, swordfish as an entree and creme anglaise and dulce de leche for dessert. Wines were mostly French. Service was friendly and attentive. Small restaurant has it all!

A bit hard to find. On Bush going downhill from Powell it is on the right. Just beyond the old style neon sign advertising a local market. It’s a cool venue! You can eat at the bar downstairs or have a table upstairs. Seats 12 upstairs more or less. Probably 10 at the bar. I had the pork loin and it was excellent. My buddy had the lamb. We ordered two appetizers and the bread with garlic butter. Size of entree was just right. The aps were a little small. The wine we ordered was a good value at 11.00 a glass. We loved the ambiance of this small restaurant. The service was sketchy but I guess it was the fella’s first night on the job. I’ll try it again to add that elusive 5th star. Recommended!

We went to this restaurant for dinner last night and were pleased. Julie, our waitress, took excellent care of us and was so cheerful and informative and pleasant. We enjoyed the adventurous starter which turned out to be blood sausage along with the escargot. We shared the beefsteak for appetizers and finished with a Citroen dessert. We also had a nice French red wine. We sat upstairs in the small and quaint dining room almost feeling like we were in France. A very nice restaurant. I can recommend and also hope to return.

It was very pleasant to find that standards have been maintained in this small inner city restaurant. Simply put, the food is top notch and the service cheerful and well organised. Be bold and try the chief's Adventurous dish, which is a undisclosed dish. The waitress will serve you a matching wine if you wish, but will give no hint as to the food's identity. So our veal sweetbreads was a tasty surprise. Happy to recommend this restaurant and a booking is a must.

Always make an effort to come to dinner at Bouche when I am in the area for business (make the trek over from the east Bay Area). Food, wine, and ambience are top notch. Had the Lamb Belly app paired with an East Loire Sauv Blanc, and then the swordfish paired with a west Loire chenin Blanc. Both were amazing! Best swordfish I’ve ever had. Finished up with a nice white dessert wine (I think from Bordeaux area). Matthew (owner) is super knowledgeable on his nice selections of French wines, knows the best pairings with his food options, and works with you to find the wine that is just right for your specific palette (offers tastes before you commit, etc). Highly recommend! Make a reservation if you want a table (plenty of bar counter space as well). Well done Matthew, as usual! Tre Bon!

We sat at the bar/kitchen counter and chatted with both fellow diners, the manager and kitchen staff all evening. If you are looking for a quiet or private dinner this might not be your best choice... The food was really well done. Everything was tasty and there were a few stand-out flavors. The wine selections were equally excellent and we were well guided by the manager throughout our meal.

We booked this restaurant whilst staying in San Francisco for a few days. The website advertises “small plates” which attracted us as I have a small appetite. The first disappointment was that it was so noisy and the tables are so close together that it’s almost impossible to have a conversation. On top of that the guy doing front of house seemed to only have one volume and that was full blast! The woman working with him was not much better. Menus were presented to us and we realised that they do not offer small plates but a set 3 course dinner at $55 . They do not have a wine list unless you’re happy to download it on your ‘phone. Extortionate prices but we opted for 2 glasses of red @ $15 each. The food was average! OK salad and very thin butternut squash soup followed by tough pork chops and tasteless potatoes and salmon served with gritty greens. We chose to share the 2 puddings - a cake which any school student could accomplish in a cookery class and isle flotante. There were a couple of isles but nothing for them to float on. Where was the crème anglaise? Very, very disappointing dinner. I know that American restaurants demand gratuities regardless but their suggestions were 20%, 22% or 25%. Outrageous! The bill was nearly $200 for one of the most ordinary dinners we’ve ever had. There was absolutely nothing French about the meal at all. Avoid!

Went to dinner at this restaurant on my Brothers 65th Birthday, before going to See Hamilton. The menu was limited but fantastic and delicious. Service was excellent Ian made you feel like your at home. A must try wish we had more time but to head to the theater.

Delicious food and very friendly atmosphere) the menu changes every 3 months so you can try something new. As well you should look at the latest photos if you wanna try something you liked on a picture.

We went toBouche to celebrate our 52nd wedding anniversary. The food was amazing! We especially enjoyed the charcuterie board which included country pate in the most incredible sliced smoked duck breast. The staff went out of their way to accommodate us. I would highly recommend this restaurant which it’s less than a half a mile from the Mark Hopkins downhill going returning to the Mark was an uphill walk, so we got rid of added calories.

fun little spot. service wonderful and food delicious. Limited Prix Fixe menu but enough choices for our group of five. Just a fine dining experience and a decent French wine selection to boot. highly recommended for a casual friendly French meal near Market St./Union Square.

Extra charge for employees health care. Food only average. I had a pizza which was good, but baby size. The seating area was cramp and not clean.

We needed to book well in advance to secure a table here having picked it based on Trip Advisor reviews. Upon arrival the greeting was immediate and warm from our waitress Julie. We were set up in the front window with a view of passing happenings on Bush Street and the kitchen/bar was in view behind us. The place was packed upstairs and down. Julie went through the set menu for Thanks Giving and recommended the wine matching option which we thought was a great idea. We started with house made olive tepinade and crackers. This was followed by pumpkin soup with cream fraiche, a garden salad with Rocquefort cheese crumble and the main event turkey with all the trimmings. It was superb. Dessert was pecan pie and cheese cake crumble. The wines - all French were A1, starting with beautiful sparkling Rose, a Mercury White Burgundy and red to finish. A special mention to Julie who was first class

Superb French cooking to a very high standard. Wonderful find while walking out to eat in the rain. First meal to fully finish because of tastiness. A welcome find for food and good French wine

During a long weekend getaway in San Francisco, my wife and I had dinner here. I found this second visit to Bouche even more charming than the first. Two years ago, I was in a group of 12 European and American business associates having dinner here. We managed to fit around a square table upstairs in a very cozy arrangement. The delicious French cuisine made everyone happy. Then the most excellent wine list started very entertaining conversations among us. This time around, my wife and I observed that all but one table upstairs were couples out on a date night. Several couples appeared to be on their first dates. Very sweet. And, whoever picked the restaurant, they made the right choice. Besides the great food and fine wines, the casual, cozy, and romantic ambience gave us a very fond memory of the dinner. You should definitely look for this restaurant when visiting the Union Square neighborhood.

We generally guide our travel food choices on what is in Trip Advisor’s top 10. We happened across this place by accident. It was the best meal by far in SF, probably one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten whilst traveling! The complexity of flavors, mussels cooked to perfection, dreamy Camembert cheese croquette balls and bone marrow (just trust me TRY IT) will have myself and my husband salivating for months. The food was matched with exceptionally warm and friendly service. The waiters sure knew their stuff! This restaurant easily deserves to be in the top 3 of all of SF. The quality of both food and service far excelled those already sitting in the top perch.

Everything was great - the food, the service, and the price. Starting with the staff, everyone was super friendly, attentive, and helpful, from the host, to our waiter, and the servers. Our waiter was insightful in pairing our wine with our entrees, and was generous in offering us samples to make our decision. The food comes in a pre-fixed menu, though you can add on additional hors d’œuvres. The carrot soup was refreshing and well balanced, the duck breast was tender and delicious, and the mount blanc had the perfect amount of nuttiness and sweetness. The waiter informed us that the portions wouldn’t be huge, but I was satisfied with the amount of food, especially after ordering some bread for the table - we were satisfyingly full without feeling stuffed. Our booking was very last minute so we weren’t able to dine indoors due to limited availability, but the inside looked charming and cozy. We were comfortable sitting outside with the space heaters. It was $55 per person for a three course meal, which I found to be reasonable for the high quality, especially in San Francisco. I will definitely be back!

Had dinner on a Sunday night. Greeting by staff was warm and welcoming. A neighborhood feel in an area of SF where it might not be expected. First course we had the Cauliflower soup and Fennel Salad. Soup had great flavors, rich w/o being too heavy. Salad was a wonderful w layers of flavors For mains we had the Halibut and Porcini Tagliatelle. The Halibut dish was served on a bed of squash that was too sweet and overpowered the fish. Pasta dish had great flavors but was served barely warm and the Tagliatelle was gummy! Wine by the Glass selection was well chosen and offered a great pairing w the dishes. Pot de Creme was delicious. A warm welcoming place that just needs to fine tune their main courses.

We chose this cute location for dinner because of the reviews. One of our group is vegetarian and had a fresh salad and a tasty risotto. The others chose starters with raw tuna like sashimi and different salads. Then we ate seared salmon and steaks with fresh sides as main course. It was French haute cuisine, really awesome. Worth mentioning are also the two cordial French guys.

We made a reservation months in advance and they gave us a great table. This gives them kudos as so many establishments don’t seem to care. We quietly told the waiter we had a plane to catch and he was amazing. He moved our meal along without being rushed and we finished exactly on time. Great service. We had the chef special, it is a suriprise and ended up being sardines. Not my favorite so be sure you are open for anything. My husband loved them so it still was a great choice. The lamb chops were perfectly cooked. I had the squash and it was delightful. We let the waiter choose the wines and he did a great job. If I lived in the area I would frequnet Bouche. The cozy atmospheremakes you relax and really savor the food. Good job. We need more places like this.

I reluctantly write about this fantastic find because it"s popularity may lead to difficulty getting s reservation! However, this small piece of Paris is too good not to share! The food is exquisite! There is a small menu but they tweak the ingredients that you will want to come back again and again. The flank steak is divine and the ahi crisp is a must try! You can have a drink downstairs or dine in the cozy upper room softly lit with French newspaper trim adorning the walls. Enjoy and you'll soon be back!

I found this restaurant while walking aimlessly around my hotel. This was quite the find. I’m a big fan of French food and this hit the spot. The owner greeted everyone that came in & spoke with me (and others) like we were long friends. It is cozy and I sat at the bar, so I’m not sure what the main dining area looks like. The escargot was the most unique presentation I’ve ever had. The pork chop was good but in retrospect I should have stuck to escargot and ordered dessert. If you need a great French place to eat, this is it.

My wife and I just left our teens in the Hotel, and went looking for a quick dinner near Union Square, used the food app and found a French restaurant named Bouche, to our surprise the tiny local place had all the elements that we wanted: great food, quiet and local; will definitely go again when back in town.

This restaurant has a limited menu but everything on it is 5 star. The salmon cooked to perfection. The pork loin the best we ever had. This is a must stop in downtown Cisco. Great friendly staff too.

Visiting from the UK and booked via opentable, inspired by the reviews. It was our friends birthday and wanted a special evening. The food didn’t disappoint. Frogs legs, fish and steak were superb. What let the experience down was the service. Made to feel a little excluded. Maybe was a busy night, but nevertheless after the initial warm welcome, and before seated, the chap who served us pretty much ignored us. No niceties or welcome. I don’t mind if you’re busy, but a smile and hello doesn’t cost. In the end, just felt a little let down.

Bouche is a cool French restaurant/bar only a couple of blocks from Union Square. This is the second time I have been, and I would now say they are the two best French meals I have had. The rich jus reduction, the juicy foie gras topping to a tender steak that melts in your mouth, with a sensational glass of Saint-Émilion red was just what the doctor ordered! The menu is so good I would happily return to eat each & every item on it. Voila! ❤️

While in SF friends took us to Bouche. What a lovely place, the food is so good. I just love the Bacon Bread. This is a cozy French restaurant well worth the time to visit. You will not be disappointed.

Tiny French restaurant with limited tables, reservations are a must. Delightful, friendly, French waiter helped us through both our wine and dinner selections. Small, fluctuating seasonal menu. The four of us shared the beet salad, scallops, and surprise appetizer. We also ended up all having the sea bass. For a small restaurant, we were not rushed, and had a delightful dinner. Would definitely recommend this place!

The little French menu posted outside caught our eye, and we were given two seats at the front window counter, despite not having a reservation at this tiny restaurant. What a delightful place! Appealing decor, warm, attentive service, a small menu, and outstanding food! We had the salmon with black lentils and the squash risotto -- both were delicious. We also tried two desserts, the meyer lemon mille-feuille and the panna cotta with dulce de leche -- fabulous! Woudl definitely return, this time with a reservation for one of the upstairs tables.

I got takeout and brought it to my hotel up the street. Salmon was barely cooked and mushy. One side dish was missing and the other one was cold and slimy. It had a good flavor though, and I was hungry so I ate a few bites of it. Then I walked three blocks back down the street to the restaurant and asked them to please cook my salmon and heat up the one side dish. I didn't want to complain about the missing side dish because it was an eggplant item. I don't really like eggplant very much. So the cooks heated up my food and added some additional tasty slimy stuff to my plastic take-out box. Then I walked back to my hotel and ate my warmed-up food. The people at this restaurant are nice and friendly. And I appreciated that they heated my food. So I'm giving this restaurant three stars. I am gluten-free and was able to find something to eat. Which is no easy task. There is a pizza place nearby called Uncle Vito's. That's where my husband got his dinner. His pizza was really hot and I could smell it. It smelled so good. I was jealous of him!

Tiny spot with french cuisine for lovers. Masrerfully prepared food selections, most friendly staff, reasonable prices. Go there!

Had a wonderful dinner here last night. Both Glen & Hanna took good care of us. Very friendly and helpful. The 3 course meal was excellent. We were happy to get the one table downstairs by the window. Will definitely come back.

This was a great find for an impromptu Thursday evening dinner. The “adventurous” secret menu item was worth the blind faith to order. I also enjoyed the scallop starter and perfect lamb chop entree. Ambiance is quirky and intimate - our table upstairs was just right for good conversation and street view.

Be adventurous and pick the "adventurous" appetizer and be nicely surprised. You won't regret it. Good service and delicious food.

Bouche French Bistro . Even though we couldn’t get a table at late notice, we were more than happy to sit at the bar and watch the fastidious work of the chefs. Truly delicious food and a casual French atmosphere. The steak tartare was as good as any I’ve ever had! All Very reasonably priced too. Will definitely go back there again!

Exceptional food and service. The wine selection is fantastic too!! We were served by Glenn who is so friendly and knowledgeable about both wine and food / pairings. His perfect service totally made our evening. Bouche (on Bush!) is a cute little romantic spot with a charming vibe. The steak tartare appetizer and pork tenderloin were outstanding!!! Definitely coming back!

Small and charming. Delicious food. Great selection of French wines. Friendly service. Highly recommended.

We got lucky and were able to get two seats at the counter on a Friday night. The staff is friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. He helped me decipher the wine list and recommended a great glass of wine. We enjoyed the hanger steak which was cooked to perfection. The smoked potatoes were unique and very flavorful. The squash risotto was also delicious, not to rich and well seasoned. We shared the eclair dessert. The pasty was light and the creme was fluffy. This restaurant is very reasonably priced as well for top quality food and atmosphere. A must dine.

A redeeming culinary delight in San Francisco amongst the dross on offer elsewhere. Portions that work for humans not elephants and a balance of flavours that contradict the tiny kitchen. What the chef produces is a revelation. Well done. Lovely.

Came here for dinner during the windy storm of SFO. Setting was cozy and warm with an appealing upstair tables. Came with strong recommendations from friends, but left with disappointment. For one, the wine selection was fairly so so. Most wines are pretty flat. The steak we ordered was fairly rough and taste was nothing close to the recommendation. One bright spot light was the service: the waiter was very friendly and accommodating. Overall, not my top choice.

Love it! Great authentic food, atmosphere, truly French. But bring the panna cotta with dulce de leche back!

Better french cuisine than we had in Paris. Very engaging and helpful staff. They answered all our questions. Excellent experience!

Food was good but not outstanding for the price. Outdoor dining experience could be improved with heater. The main course was very good. Appetizers and desserts were standard.

Intimate truly French restaurant-cafe. Maybe upstairs seating for 24. Bar seating on first floor . Table seating 2nd floor. Call in advance For vegans or veggies best to CALL IN ADVANCE , as we did. Enjoyed a perfectly designed and prepared vegan dinner. Our guest enjoyed a beautifully prepared and presented tuna. Seasonal heirloom tomatoes at peak of ripening.. very tasty....

We had a great prix fixe dinner here. Wonderful tomato soup to start, followed by a perfectly cooked pork chop. The pasta dish was just a tad too al dente and would have benefited from a bit more sauce. Wonderful flavors all around.

A true culinary experience. We had the poached eggs which come with a red wine sauce on rustic bread with onions. It was truly fantastic. Orange juice fresh-squeezed espresso perfectly pressed. Highly recommended

On our last night in SF, we visited Bouche as it had always been full. We enjoyed excellent service and fine cuisine with delicate and complex flavours. Portions were not too large. This restaurant is on the expensive side but very high quality. Staff are excellent and anticipate their customer's needs. French speaking clientele were frequent - always a good sign.

We visited this small, intimate restaurant in December. Oh, what a lovely surprise! We were greeted with a warm welcome and shown to our table upstairs in a small "loft". We loved it! Our waitress who was very "French" was very knowledgeable about the wine list and suggested two very fine wines. They complimented our dinner nicely. They whole dinner, dessert, and wine was impeccable! Only wish we lived closer to visit this place more often. (We are from Michigan.) Just gives us another reason to go back! This would be the first restaurant we would enjoy when we return. You won't be disappointed! Bon appetite!

If you are not paying attention, you will breeze right on by this hidden gem. Very small storefront with only the name of the restaurant on the front. Inside you will find a very small, very cozy place for a romantic night out with your sweetie.Just be prepared to meet and make friends with folks at the next table. The short menu allowed for service to be extremely fast. The food was delicious and portions were good sized. Everything was cooked just right.You gotta go there and you won't be disappointed.

We had one of the best meals ever while visiting SF at Bouche. It's small, unassuming, but conveniently located off Union Square. The wine list is brief, but complete enough. My wife raved about the lamb with pate appetizer. My salmon with truffles was well prepared and the temperature of all dishes was perfect. You must ask for bread if you desire it and there are specials that are added to existing dishes. Get there early to get the best tables. Many locals eat here. Dress is casual as you like. Upstairs dining takes you past the kitchen. Dinner with appetizers, entrees, one higher end wine, coffee and gratuity was around $300. That is reasonable for the quality of the food, in SF. I will make this my favorite restaurant in SF, passing the Campton Place.

To say this place is “friendly” is a disservice. I was in town for business and felt like I was adopted by Julie and the staff. A truly special intimate French bistro. The food, the wine, the atmosphere - all amazing. Very small, very quaint and very approachable. Highest recommendation from someone who is fairly critical of most restaurants.

When I first visited in 2012 I was seated downstairs at the counter. This time my partner and I had a table upstairs. If anything, the food has improved. The Ahi Tuna appetiser was a stand out and my partner is still dreaming about the confit lamb belly. The hanger steak was fabulous meltingly tender as was the chicken breast. The wine list is quite French with a good number available by the glass. The service was impeccable and thoughtful. Top marks to the chef for sharing the recipe for the confit lamb belly.

A charming, small restaurant, Bouche serves very well-prepared, delicious food. One of us had the sweetbreads and the other two enjoyed a citrus salad for the appetizer. For the main entrees, one of us had yellowtail fish, another pork loin, and the third person had gnocchi. The food was exceptional. The prices were reasonable. The restaurant had a very good wine list to match the food served.

Three of us went to Bouche and enjoyed it, but didn't find it worth the price. The restaurant was lovely, the servers attentive, but the food wasn't to our taste. The three of us started with the brussels sprouts and lambs belly because of the positive reviews posted. The brussels sprouts we very good but the lambs belly was good but very salty. It's probably the way it's supposed to taste, but for us, it wasn't a hit. For main dishes we had the risotto, chicken and salmon. The risotto was very good but it had a large portion of cranberries mixed in which were very sour and off-putting. It would have been better if there were fewer but there must have been 1/3 cup in the dish. My daughter ate a few but then started pushing them to the side of her plate. I had the chicken dish. It was disappointingly dry. The salmon was good. The only critique is that the portion of salmon was pretty small. For dessert, we shared the espresso lavender eclairs. I never detected any lavender flavor but noticed the coffee flavor. They were just ok. All in all, we were a little disappointed that the food wasn't to our liking.

I love everything about this place - the food is exceptional! Always perfectly prepared, beautifully presented and deliciously flavorful, you can tell the ingredients are fresh and top notch! The wines are very good and the waitstaff is knowledgeable and attentive. It is not inexpensive but the quality deserves the price and you won’t regret an evening spent at Bouche!

On our August trip to San Francisco (we are there about 15 times per year – or more), we had our first Dinner at Bouche on Bush Street, just above the Stockton Street Tunnel. We walked from our Union Square hotel, connecting to Stockton, then up the stairs to Bush Street, above. With but a little effort, we located Bouche. As we had just returned from Melbourne and Adelaide, we were practiced with finding restaurants that are sort of crowded together, and the beautiful “Bouche” in gold leaf, on the front window, helped too. We were warmly greeted, and led up the steps, to a small, “loft” dining room, and a window seat, overlooking Bush and “upper” Stockton St, with Bush St, the Bush & Stockton Laundry and the Worldmark Hotel in the view. There was a seating area on the ground floor, at the entrance, but I do not know if that is for the bar area? The upstairs room is narrow, with exposed trusses, and rustically attractive. I loved that the reservation was early, and with the windows at my back, I could easily see the menu and wine list. The lighting, for the more interior tables, looked to be more than adequate. Though there were hard surfaces, even with the window open to Bush Street, the noise level was very manageable, and my wife and I were able to speak in conversational tones, across the small table – yes, the table was small, and I worried about the wine glasses to come. Our server did have to remove a few things, from time to time, to accommodate the plates. [Side note: we had a table, which could have been the identical twin, in a restaurant on Bush St, just on the other side of the Dragon Gate at Chinatown – so I deemed this the “Small Table Trip.”] We started with a glass of the Baron De Seillac Brut, and Baron De Seillac Brut Rosé, to contemplate both the wine list, and the menu. Both are short, but the wine list has some very, very interesting choices, many B-T-G, plus some intriguing bottles. The menu, while short, did present us with some decisions, so a few glasses of Champagne, seemed in order. We decided to “go to France” for the main wine, as we had just done a bit over two weeks in Australia, with few French wines on our table, but a couple of Champagnes, and ordered the Domaine Caillot Grand Cru Bâtard-Montrachet ‘09, which was a lovely wine! For Dinner, we chose: Panisses, Chick Peas Fries Crispy Brussel Sprouts w/ dried apricots, spiced walnuts and lemon yougurt – excellent dish, and the Brussel Sprouts were perfectly cooked, which has not been our recent experience elsewhere, and all too often. Coriander-crusted Ahi Tuna w/ avocado purée, watermelon, radishes, cilantro and mint – another really good choice, and wonderful Ahi presentation. Summer Risotto w/ market tomatoes, California corn, garlic, comté cheese and sea beans – very good Risotto. Spice-rubbed Pork Loin w/ black-eyed peas, glazed carrots, Dijon & raspberry jam in an espresso jus – lovely, and creative Pork dish. I added a glass each of: Domaine Frédéric Lornet Côtes Du Jura ‘14 Château De Cazeneuve Calcaires Pic Saint Loup ‘14 Each dish was very good, to excellent, and each was enjoyed. Other than the small, and tightly packed tables, the only “glitch,” was taking my eye off of the Bâtard-Montrachet. Our server, trying to help with the “table real estate,” poured about 3/4 of the bottle, into each glass. My bad. The dishes were plated beautifully, and each setting was lovely too. The stemware was adequate, even for the B-T-G selections. While not all that long, I have to say that Bouche has one of the more interesting wine lists, that I have encountered in many years – other than a very few of the Champagnes, not a single “usual suspect” on the entire list, and also, wines that are not commonly encountered – nicely done! Lovely evening, with good food, service (our server had to negotiate fairly narrow stairs, up from the kitchen) and wine. Our pacing was very good, with no pauses, or rushed moments.

Found this restaurant via recommendations on the TripAdvisor and really enjoyed it! The waiter was very kind and the service was good. The food was unique and the dessert was AMAZINGLY GOOD! If you go there, definitely go for the chef’s surprise dish. It’s a changing first course and we got the chicken liver bun, which was great.

We had to hunt a bit to find this restaurant, seemingly shoe-horned into an old row house. Not a lot of room, and what there is, is crowded. But the food's really good! One of us had lamb shank, perfectly prepared and served. The other had cornish game hen, a little on the dry side but very tasty. Service was good, as was the wine. For the price and the neighborhood, definitely worth the hunt.

We booked a table for 8pm. On arrival we were told it was still occupied and we were asked to wait for 10 minutes. After 20 minutes there was still no sign of us getting our table so we left. There were others in similar circumstances who had been persuaded to order a bottle of wine while waiting. They were not happy at having been told their table was still not available after 20 minutes, but having ordered wine were in no position to leave. If restaurants go in for table turning they should ensure customers complete their meals and vacate their table at the end of their time slot.

Noisy with little imagination. Upstairs of reduced size, a table of noisy Americans: hell of a sound until they leave.... Food: lettuce salad without relief to forget, excellent soup, pork very well , basic veggie dish, bland dresser In short for $60 a French restaurant can do better

This is a cosy little bistro so something a bit different. Very few tables so close together but we thought it added to the ambience. Service was fine but they were obviously busy. The wine that was suggested was top class. French Sancerre which paired brilliantly with our main course of pork, which was also delicious. Sadly the dessert (choc brownie) was a total let down. Worst brownie I think I’ve ever had but overall this place is great

We booked 9pm with open table but had to wait till 09;30 to get our table. The menue is very small but the dishes are tasty and very nicely presented. However they are too small compared to the price.The ambiance and space is special. We liked it! Wines are good but expensive.

We got in late and this was around the corner from our hotel. We went in for a late evening dinner. The restaruant is very small with a handful of tables upstaris and a bar downstairs. Because we were late in the evening we had no issues with this. My wife and I both had the Swordfish, which was absolutely amazing; nice crispy edge and yet still so juicy. The staff was very nice, and even though it was late in the evening were attentave and engaging. We would recommend 100 times over!

Was recommended this by chance and loved it. Intimate with attentive staff. French cuisine by friendly French people. It's suitable for lone-dining at the counter, which was handy. My meal (zucchini & squash) was delicious, as was the wine. A real care for quality on all things; even the beautiful dishes are hand-made for the restaurant.

The physical presence of the place is something right out of the Ile St. Louis in Paris. Narrow, open to the upstairs, bar seating below with an open kitchen. Upstairs is limited seating with a nice wood ceiling and open window to the street noises of the City though upstairs was smoky and very hot from the kitchen. That part was as advertised, right down to the french ascents of the staff. That is where association with Paris ends. We had Grilled Pork Belly and a Yellow Tail Crudo with Watermellon. The display was nice and the Pork Belly was crispy but lacked any discernible flavor. The Yellow tail was way over salted. For the main dish, my friend had the Halibut and it was good, excellent sauce. I had the Gnocchi, the vegan dish which I expected to have a subtle sweetness to it because of the Marsala but it was so flat, you weren't even sure you were eating anything. The staff was very attentive and that is always a big plus but not if the food is disappointing. So, I guess I would sum it up as a nice place, I suggest the bar downstairs, but the food is salty and flat.

Both upstairs and down Bouche is cramped as it can be. Even the kitchen is small, so small it's a wonder they do as well as they do. From start to finish our dinner was one of the best we have had in a restaurant in several years, and by SF standards the price was reasonable. That said, it was disconcerting to sit at a bar running along a wall and look into a mirror as we ate. Service was exemplary, even if the music was a touch loud.

When you like food. Really like food you look for a place that enjoys making and serving food. That's Bouche. Great food. Great atmosphere. Fantastic staff. Bravo! Thank you.

My favorite French restaurant in SF has consistently created a welcoming, warm and understated sophistication for years. The menu is truly sensitive to the seasons, and the wine selection is always a marvel. I love the small tables upstairs for intimate dinners with loved ones and friends. And the service, perfect! In true French fashion, the servers always subtly slow me down to savor the experience while being unobtrusively attentive to the table's needs.

We were welcomed into Bouche on a chilly, rainy night. The place was packed, celebrating their anniversary. There was a buzz in the air and we were offered some bubbles since our table wasn't ready. Overall, traditional bistro food, done well. I heard that the bacon bread was fabulous. It was crazy fun matched with well done food. Go and soak up the charm of the people and atmosphere. You'll thank me.

We enjoyed dinner last night at BOUCHE, a new restaurant for us. We sat outside at a tippy little table with the propane heater keeping us comfortable. The service was cheerful and prompt and the dinner was beyond good. The staff clearly wanted customers to be happy. The menu changes every two weeks or so. Our starter was a fresh pea gazpacho that was excellent. It takes real skill to make something complicated seem simple and perfect. We both had the ahi entree which was delicious too, perfectly cooked, seared on the outside and rare on the inside. The bread was the real thing, fresh and crunchy with thick, rich butter, not grocery store butter. Dessert was an almond panna cotta and a puff pastry filled with strawberries and cream. The cooking skills, fresh ingredients and attentive service made for a delightful anniversary dinner. We will return. Our bouches were definitely amused.

We lucked into this French bistro style restaurant during Santa Con a few years ago. Very authentic and very pleasant. The place is "cozy" and bustling. The staff were very efficient, enjoyable recommendations. Food (mushroom soup, asparagus, duck) were all great and a finish of stone-fruit poached in a mint syrup with a glass of Sauterne hit the spot.

Woke up at 10pm and she said I am hungry. SF on a late Sat night with a foodie? Bouche to the rescue! A bottle of Bordeaux? Pork belly with pickled fennel slaw? Foie gras at midnight? Sea Bass with ratatouille? Creme fraiche custard, sea salt with dulce de leche? Artisan pottery plates? Flickering candles in a 6 table upstairs dining room? I feel lucky tonight! Don't forget the tattoo parlor across the street!

This is a very small restaurant. We enjoyed being upstairs, where I think they could seat fewer than 20 diners (downstairs is even more limited). So, a reservation was a good idea. We had good service and good dinners. I loved the sauce with my pork tenderloin. Nice wine selection by the glass. Service isn't rushed (which we enjoyed), so if you think you'll want 3 courses, allow maybe 90 minutes or a bit more.

A bite of France close to my hotel Westin St Francis at Union square. Cosy , small restaurant with frendly staff. Good food , good wines. A very nice place open till late. Thank you guys.

It is not so easy to find a reasonably priced restaurant with good food in San Francisco. The Bouche is highly recommended. I had the Beef Tartare which was very good. The selection of wines is ok and prices are reasonable considering the levels in California. The place is small but cozy, the service very friendly.

Had a surprise visit from SoCal friends who wanted to some french food. We were lucky to get reservations at Bouche but had a minor problem - we were given seats at the bar bur our friends had a 5 year old daughter. When we told them about our dilemma, they were able to work their magic and got us a table. Thank God they did - would have missed the food! It's amazing what delicious food they prepare in such a tiny space! We tried the 'Adventurous' - that night it was a pork belly appetizer and I had their Lamb Shank which just fell off the bone and didn't taste gamy at all. Finding parking around Union Square is a pain but luckily, Bouche is just a few steps away from the Sutter-Stockton Garage so it's really convenient. Will definitely be back again.

The food was spectacular and thoughtfully put together with great attention to detail from the staff + the chef (who was there + hands on) a real treat for a Sunday night. It's an intimate and lively place and clearly not for everyone or every mood but don't be discouraged by the reviews complaining about heat, size or noise.....the food + wine is worth it. For the best experience sit downstairs at the bar and enjoy the view of the kitchen and dishes being prepared while the staff hustles to cater to the guests. For a small place with a small staff the service was impeccable and the manager went above and beyond. The selection of French wines were fantastic and well curated, trust the staffs recommendations if you're unfamiliar or just want to try something new. We had an amazing night and enjoyed some wonderful food from the bacon bread (baked in-house, it's a must), to pork belly, hanger steak and even managed dessert which is not to be missed and was expertly paired with dessert wine. The manager (who is French, from Marseille) really took care of the guests and elevated our experience. He was warm and welcoming from the minute we walked in the door and representative of the experience you can expect there.

Small but mighty...wonderful flavors and preparations, uniquely presented. Wonderfully efficient and friendly staff, it's obvious the they enjoy being here. Very cozy loft dining or downstairs exhibition dining. Will definitely place this restaurant on the regular rotation in San Francisco.

We decided to eat here as close to our accommodation and the food was excellent. The staff were delightful and the space was cosy and we ate at the counter which was very cool as we got to watch the chefs in action. Really delightfully delicious meal. The best one we had in SF. We chose to BYO wine but they had a nice selection. I would recommend you book in advance as very difficult if you choose to walk up especially if you want to be at the counter.

Bouche Restaurant is situated on Bush Street, near to the Orchard Hotel. There is a very romantic ambiance here with low lighting, however it is very small with tables being close together so do not expect it to be intimate as you can hear everybody else’s conversations. When we arrived, we were led upstairs to a nice window seat. Our French waiter suggested that we ordered the adventurous and to trust the chef with this secret starter, which we thought sounded fun and agreed to do with water, followed by a bottle of chateauneuf du pape to go with the veal sirloin and then Le chocolat dessert to share. We met a lovely couple here called Kathy and Kit from San Diego. After our meal it was revealed that the adventurous dish was deer tonsils😱 The following morning my husband and I were both being sick and continued to have poorly tummies for a few days afterwards and there was no other place we had eaten!

Martin made the entire experience. He was incredibly genuine, welcoming, fun, knowledgeable and friendly. The food was fantastic and the restaurant was charming. Definitely get “the adventurous” dish if you’re up for a fun and tasty culinary experience!

Julie, chef and staff went out of their way to accommodate my party of 21 for a Reunion. Julie was extremely friendly and professional in handling the details and she was flexible and made us feel like family. Our event was upstairs, it was intimate and romantic and the decor was tasteful and arty. We were welcomed with an amuse bouche of toast and tapenade and hot fresh bread which was the precursor to a great three course meal. My entire party was blown away by the flavors of the meal. I personally had the roasted pepper soup, the duck breast entree and a warm comforting berry cobbler type concoction. The roasted pepper soup was silky, satisfying and a good portion. The Duck breast was perfectly cooked, with a farro salad , fig gastrique and stone fruit on the plate. I did miss a crispy element like the crispy duck skin, and it didn’t look very pretty but the flavors made up for it. I did try the King salmon with fennel Confit, saffron cream which was outstanding. I do love it when i cannot figure out what’s in a dish but it tastes so amazing on the palate. Some of my party had pots de creme, which was luxurious, rich and quality milk chocolate - but the too big dollop of cream needed to not be there. The wine list is very good. The staff happy and helpful and put up with the noisy boisterous group! Compared to some picture i had seen the plating did appear lacking some finesse, but i put it down to a large crowd. My party left satisfied, well taken care of and completely happy with the special meal. There are many places to choose from in SFO, but we feel we made an excellent choice in Bouche.

The decor is very cute but edgy and is a great place for a date or catch up with friends. You can also choose to have a surprise dish which was a nice twist. The waiter was very attentive and genuine and gave great recommendation especially with the wine. The final bill for 2 was around $150 which I thought was great value.

Outstanding experience. We had the lamb and the sea bass. Both dishes were done with perfection. Make reservations as the place is very small.

It’s a quaint restaurant with limited seating. We sat in the window for dinner one evening, then at a table another evening. Both times everything was delicious and enjoyable!

We found this place by accident, just in San Francisco for the night we relied on Trip Advisor and rang. There was only bar seating left, however we understood why when we got there, the restaurant is tiny! But, magical things come out of the minuscule kitchen. There is a great buzz about the place and the staff were great. The menu is imaginative, not too much choice, but sufficient, meat, seafood and vegetarian options. We had the scallop carpaccio, then I had sea bass, my partner the lamb shank, which was the best he had tasted, and at the end some fromage. The menu is imaginative, and the food is really tasty, in my view this should be at the top of the list!

Small, intimate, fresh food,French influence, knowledgeable great service! This is a neighborhood gem yet still downtown San Francisco. On my frequent visits I have never been disappointed by the excellent food, wine selection or the service. I love to sit at the counter especially if I'm dining alone as it feels you are right in the kitchen. A true favorite. Bon Appetite.

The phone here is the star - wonderful creative dishes that are simple yet stunning in there flavor and depth. Sometimes the service is tad slow, but the great food covers any minor fault you could find with the service - and would never take away from a try five star rating

I loved this experience here. The food was great and the atmosphere wonderful. 7 tables, all upstairs...they do have a small bar downstairs where you can eat if stairs are a challenge. My Salmon was superbly prepared. It is a lovely spot right by China Town.

We were referred to Bouche by another restaurant. Thank you ‘Sons and Daughters’ for the tip! The food and wine was amazing and typical French service. Nice to find some good European food after weeks of hamburgers and steaks.

Recommended by Sons&Daughters restaurant, we walked down Bush St and walked into Bouche without a reservation. We got seated at the bar which surrounds the tiny kitchen. What an experience, watching 2 chefs produce fantastic food as we enjoyed our dinner. French cuisine but the usual generous US style portions. Great service and banter. Wine’s are all French but let the guys advise you.

We arrived at Bouche on a slow Thursday night. We were seated upstairs, where we were the only guests at the time. For some reason, it was incredibly loud upstairs even though all the action was happening downstairs. I couldn't figure out why. It took somewhat of a while to get the dishes, but they didn't disappoint. First off, pork belly confit. The veg was fresh and very flavorful. Especially the mushrooms from Oregon. Everything ate well and ended up being very well seasoned. Next up, the vegetarian dish. Now, I'm not actually vegetarian, but I was feeling like trying something new, so this is what I got. Again, just like the previous dish, the veg was incredibly fresh. Great color, great texture. The service was good. The young man that helped our table was attentive and friendly. I just wish the dishes came out a little quicker, but hey, while on vacation things should not be rushed.

Back in San Francisco after four years and headed back to the restaurant near our hotel on Bush St. Really enjoy their appetizer options. Choose three and wine for a light dinner. All wines on the menu are French and are available by glass or bottle. Excellent staff

Great French food with a limited menu. Owner was great. Their place is small and on two floors...They have about 10 tables. The food is wonderful quality and I highly recommend their Salmon Ceviche...Wonderful! Will definitely go back on my next SF trip.

I’m going to make this simple and I hope very few people read this because I want to keep this place a secret knowing it is not. Bouche is the best! The best staff, bread, hanger steak, atmosphere, French food. Glad I saved Bouche for last. We are at another French restaurant the night before and it did not measure up to Bouche.

Enjoyed a very good dinner at the first floor bar service. Full table service is available upstairs but we were not wiling to wait. The result was good service and good food with a view on the Bush St. passers by. The bottom line was good food and good wine and typical French service. The bar service was not elegant but the overall experience was great.

All 5 of us enjoyed this small French restaurant. The sea bass was excellent, as were the steaks. Dessert was neat too.

Everything here is top notch. It's small and easy to miss (we almost did), but don't let that fool you. They have table seating upstairs and bar seating on the main level, where they also have an exposed kitchen. The decor and ambiance are authentic and outstanding, and the service was fantastic. Of course the food, which is out of this world. My girlfriend and I shared the seared Tuna appetizer before having the steak and chicken for dinner respectively, pairing them with a French wine recommended by the waiter. Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly, the presentation was beautiful, and the side dishes with the entrees complimented the dish perfectly. I would 10/10 recommend this restaurant to anybody looking for a date spot or a place to have a cozy, slightly upscale meal.

We were greeted by two charming young French men and escorted upstairs to a very French style resto, the decor was lovely with lighting, etc. However,, the food took forever to come (1/2 hour plus!) and, while the presentation was nice, the flavor was flat/non-existant on my dish (grilled yellowtail) and my partner found the pork dish inedible. In the end it was an overpriced and lack luster performance.

Loved every bite. Authentic French. Both people and menu are great - I felt like I was back in Lyon.

Got into SFO late... checked-in at hotel on Stockton St. What a great find this place is. Very small carefully curated menu. Had the most amazing monkfish. A couple glasses of white wine... you must give this a try!

We decided to stop here on my one night in San Fran and it was totally worth it! Staff is small. Downstairs seats probably 12 people total, and upstairs no more than 20. We had to wait a bit for a table but it was worth it! Truly some of the best food I've ever had. You must make this stop! Have the bacon bread and try the potatoes. Staff was amazing!

Great set menu and service. Food was delicious and great spin on local French brassiere. Desert a little under the rest of the ema, but for a set menu price…. Do it.

Stumbled upon this restaurant when we weren't able to get a table at another busy restaurant. We're lucky enough to get a table at the bar without a reservation. Wait staff we're attentive and friendly and the kitchen staff were skilled and worked seamlessly in the small open concept kitchen. We shared the bacon bread and the brussel sprouts, both of which were absolutely delicious. The bacon bread was fresh and flavorful and every bite of brussel sprouts was loaded with flavor. We each order the steak and opted for the additional seared foie gras to compliment it. The steamed were cooked to perfection and the foie gras really took it to the next level. The thing I enjoyed the most was hearing the wait staff converse in French, which made it almost feel like a small bistro you would find in Paris.

This tiny restaurant is cozy enough to feel like it's in Europe, where the staff speak French, and the food is delicious enough to return another time while in town (which I did). Highly recommend.

Bouche is a small basic French restaurant that serves very good food and wine in a small restaurant right in the hearth of SF, a stone throw from Union Square. There is a limited menu with delicious French dishes, the wines are original and the staff actually speak French. A great place for a relaxed evening about town.

Great food, service and venue, the Brussel sprouts starter , hanger steak and chocolate cake all amazing, staff were great

Celebrated our anniversary at this little gem of a restaurant and loved every detail! The ambiance is subtle and beautiful. The food was memorable...A delightful Fig And Spinach Salad with unique flavors that included Lavender Cheese Curds. My husband enjoyed the Seared Scottish Salmon. I loved the Marinated Hanger Steak. The Chocolate Truffle Duo was our chosen dessert and was delightfully rich. Memories of Bouche will linger until our next time in SF.

From our lovely, French waitress to the bacon bread and mergeuz stuffed calamari -delicious. Highly recommend this place for a great fun environment and wonderful food. Only wish I'd found it sooner on my trip, but I'll be back.

A very special place! We were delighted to get to speak French AND have delicious food! We had veal, perfectly cooked. Prepared in a tiny kitchen by masterful hands. The menu is very different (European) and may not appeal to the hamburger crowd. The “surprise” that night was escargots (not a fan, so glad I didn’t take the chance). Good wines, drink what they recommend! The stairs may be a problem for some... Bouche was a special treat!

This restaurant is very small with little seats. We came late and I could tell when we arrived that the staff were just getting out of the weeds so we forgave them for how long it took to get our water. Everything after was amazing. I had the steak which deserves raving reviews. My boyfriend had the chicken. I'm not a chicken lover but I even thought it was great too.

Lucky enough to be seated at the top of the stairs where I could look straight down into the kitchen and see how these magnificent dishes were being prepared. It was art in motion! The crisp brussels sprouts were a lovely starter to share. We both had the hanger steak, med-rare. Out of this world. Informed guidance on wine. We split two different desserts: a tart and a creme caramel. Both were beautifully executed. A delightful, intimate and tiny restaurant. Book ahead; eat here!

We ate early one evening before a play (they open at 5:30) and were seated quickly, upstairs per our request on OpenTable. So far, so good. The servers were uneven with the older gay guy being the best and our female server somewhat disdainful, as if she didn't like her job (or us). Every course was brought to our table opposite of the person who ordered. Either the food runner was bad at his job or our waitress kept getting the positions wrong, since statistically he should have gotten it right at least once out of three tries. Not the end of the world, but noteable. The food was fine, but the menu is incredibly limited and at times the portions were small. It is a small house (maybe 40 patrons could fit?), so the small menu is understandable, but please be generous with the food. We ordered the mussels and the stinky cheese croquettes to start. The mussels (which one server called moules and others referred to as merely mussels) were exactly 8 on the plate. Hmm. Not nearly good enough when a typical appetizer in the city is at least a 12-16. The croquettes were good (after all, they are fried cheese balls) and were a healthier portion (4 medium sized balls). After seeing the size of the entrees, my husband (who ordered the mussels) ordered another salad. We ordered the lamb sirloin and the branzino. The lamb was not the best cut with quite a few gristly parts, though it was flavorful and well prepared. The branzino was terrific, though could have used a bit of salt. Both were on the lighter side with the lamb coming only with a cranberry compote and the fish with turnip puree. We ordered the chocolate pot de creme and were satisfied with it. Given the number of other quality restaurants in San Francisco, I couldn't recommend this one.

This is close to our time share on Pine. Small intimate close to China town. Genuine French. Small portions, food in season. Cooked to perfection. I had Zucchini served 5 different ways, my hubby had monk fish. Desserts amazing, service perfect. Will be back. Pricey but worth it

Fantastic first two courses, average pudding. Problems with the service. Rather than write a negative review I have written to the restaurant as I think they were just too busy to attend to us. If it’s not too busy - excellent choice. But definitely sit inside - you will get better attention. We would have preferred a 2 course option but loved the menu.

Going out with a few friends we stumbled on this very charming restaurant, staff was super pro and friendly the food was incredible fresh fragrant simply delicious the wine list is out of this world. I will definitely go back and send everyone I know.

In town and found this place by accident (we were looking for a beer bar that’s moved!) but when we looked at the menu and we were hungry we thought we’d give it a go...and how surprised we were too. croquettes starter were lovely and spicy while the steak tartare was good ...it maybe lacked the seasoning I would expect...and they have a dish on the menu called ‘adventurous’ ....you don’t know what your going to get ....but apparently but my son did and “it was lovely”. I had the marinated cheese for desert and that was ‘lovely’ too Great service from everyone.

The staff here were very friendly and helpful in providing recommendations on their extensive wine list. For an appetizer we shared the brussel sprout dish, it was amazing! For the mains I had the chicken dish while my wife had the salmon. Both dishes were made with fresh ingredients and although they were good, I wouldn’t say they were great.

The restaurant is up the hill from Union Square, a block off of Powell St. It is small and the table seating is upstairs. It seats probably less than 25 people. We made a reservation on short notice and we pleased to get a table. As other reviewers have noted, the memu is limited, but varied. We shared a starter and both had the swordfish, which was tasty and moist. The wine list starts in the $30+ range and moves up. There is a decent selections of French wines, not unexpected given the locale. We had a Juracon dessert wine after the meals. Cost for two with tip and wine was just over $170. And it was an easy walk back down the hill to our hotel after dinner.

this is a "hole in the wall" place. upstairs has maybe 8 or 10 tables. clearly not a place for a large party. location is on Bush, literally almost over the Sacramento tunnel on a sort of nondescript stretch of Bush. Notable a few steps to the west, you will see the sign for where a friend of Sam Spade was murdered -- Dashiell Hamett lived on Bush the menu here is small and changes. it seems to be about quality, not variety. nice wine list with decent value. service was friendly. she had the lamb. was perfect. I had monkfish, really nice. we shared the fromage for dessert: a really nice goat cheese, but it may not appeal to all, because it has elements of savory and sweet. I thought it was a fine ending to the meal.

On vacation, we were searching for a different experience and read the reviews for Bouche. We went and had a fabulous experience. The food was fantastic including the “adventurous” blind appetizer. It was a pre-fix meal and the choices were great. We all ordered different items and tasted everything. The high point of the dinner, however, was our waiter. He was fantastic and seemed to really enjoy his job! We would be regulars just for him and have referred our local friends for not only the food but also the experience!

Novel, small French restaurant near Union Square with a creative menu served in the upstairs dining room.....reservation essential.

Pros French staff is friendly and wine by the glass is good. Efforts are made to offer original dishes. Cons Very limited menu. Cramped quarters with the few tables close together. Slow service as kitchen appears overwhelmed. Food is no better than average Separate fee for bread is uncalled for. Reservation advised

Great spot! We have been trying to eat here for a while and for one reason or another havent had the pleasure. . . .wow we were impressed. Great food and service (kudos to our server Hanna was awesome!). We highly recommend this place. Only negative is we sat upstairs near the balusters overlooking kitchen and I tend to be on warm side and was burning up (I even asked one of the waiters to open a window and let the cold/cool SF air in. This isnt a criticism of the restaurant just reality of heat rising from kitchen and just wanted people to know. This of course didnt distract from our wonderful experience. We highly recommend and we had such a great dinner we came back for Sunday brunch which was great as well!

My wife and I have spent eight nights in San Francisco. We had one superb meal at the Taj Campton Place. Which was expensive, if well worth it. The others ranged from the tolerable to the inedible. Please see the other reviews if you're at all interested. And then we discovered this place. Or, rather, my wife did. It's small, intimate and welcoming. The ambience is relaxed and friendly. The staff are at the top of their game in terms of service but do what they have to do in the most laid back way possible. Most important of all, the food is superb. We both had the tuna starter. Then my wife had the steak and I had the chicken. Every course was beautifully presented, perfectly cooked and seasoned and a joy to eat. The cost, including an excellent bottle of French wine and before tip, was 156 dollars. Extraordinary value for money. My advice? If you spend just one night in San Francisco and want a superb meal at a reasonable price, then this the place to go. But book. It is very small and, unsurprisingly, very busy.

We had a lot of fun! The restaurant is tiny with seating for less than 30 with half of the customers upstairs. We were downstairs seated facing a mirrored wall that provided an illusion of space and intimacy among the hustle and bustle of wait staff and chef. It was a rainy night, and it felt more like we were jammed into a small ships galley. The service was prompt, helpful and accommodating, actually delightful might be a better adjective. The food itself was delicious and the presentation very French, harkening back to dishes out of “French Culinary Art.” The menu is prix fixée, or some combination there of with some side menu variations. The chef is great and essentially a very experienced. He runs the place. I don’t know how often they change the menu, but I would expect that menu appeal might vary depending upon it. Well, worth the experience.

We ate here sat 29 October. I had halibut and my other half had steak and we had some nice chick pea fries to share. The portions were small (by European standards, never mind American). We had a bottle of white wine, which I fully admit could have been our poor choice, but it was terrible. Neither of us had a second glass. The waiter was a little odd, he talked about odd subjects, was a little in our face and we didn't think the meal overall was worth the price

Overpriced French tapas place. Tapas were well seasoned, flavorful dishes but the poor value was simply disrespectful. Croquettes $8 plate included ... one (1) croquette per plate; so for a family of four, four (4) croquettes would have equal $32 and that was the starter. Sardines, in SF we would have expected fresh, but two (2) canned Sardines. Will not describe the mussels. Again, well seasoned but tapas were a rip-off for a very casual cafe/rest.

We found Bouche quite by accident and are extremely happy we did. My wife and I each enjoyed two starters, two glasses of wine, desserts and great coffee. Each starter could be on the entre menu (with a slightly larger portion). My wife's dessert, a crème of some type, was one of the best she has had in a long time. I enjoyed sheep milk cheese from France with a honey jam and fresh bread. We left completely satisfied but not with an overly full feeling. Lest I forget, the service was excellent too.

I really like this place. The staff is perhaps the friendliest in the city and always takes the time to tell you about the dishes and why they are special and what you might like to try. It actually reminds me of the little cafes I would visit in Paris in Le Marais or Montemarte.

The place is small, cute, atmospheric...some might say, too small. Dishes were rather slow to come out. Nothing to drink but wine or water, essentially (not iced tea, for example). Selection of dishes is very small, so you should review ahead to be sure you want something on menu. The extra charge for any bread is uncalled for, as it is very unusual in US. I found the dishes not very traditional - instead something was always done to the dish. Scallops...oh those are raw carpaccio of scallop, for example. It’s probably just me!...but I was looking for a bit more tradition. Wait staff were warm enough but not really engaging. The vibe is really casual, which is fine. Chairs not super comfortable. Took some time to pay the bill. Overall, if you like what’s on the menu, it could be a bit, because the pure quality of what we had was beyond reproach.

Small intimate place with the most amazing food!! The ahi tuna and pork chop were delicious and so flavorful! We ordered a chocolate dessert and it was also scrumptious! Definitely highly recommend to visit!

This place was recommended to us after we got out of a concert at around ten and several places we tried first were closed. They stay open late -- until 1 a.m., I think. I liked the snug little upstairs which felt relaxed and intimate. My husband can't eat gluten, so the menu was a bit limited for him. But the (charming & friendly) waiter suggested the chick pea fries, which were delicious and surprising, and he also had a good spinach salad with it. I had the carrot and ginger gnocchi, a vegetarian dish (with egg), very good. This is a good place for after a concert when you still want a good meal and not just a snack.

Very small place. Few tables upstairs. I was literally facing the wall. Very small space between the tables. Very loud noise. Tiny kitchen on the ground floor that sends the smoke up. Few options to choose from. After the main course the waitress disappeared. When I say it's dark, I mean it!

I can't really fault the dishes that we ate here. My big problem with this place is the very small, tight dining area on the second floor. I also think that the ambiance and comfort level are deficient. The items on the menu are very limited; kind of culinary confinement, if you will. The wine list was OK, but limited considering that the place calls itself a bistrot and wine bar. To be fair, the food that we had was prepared well with a creative use of vegetables, greens, and herbs. The service was better than we thought it would be, as the utensils were refreshed at each course. Decent pricing for the amount and quality of the food.

This has a nice French Bistro ambience. Small venue, low lighting, french accents. However, food was remarkably disappointing. Chicken was dry and bland (would have added salt + pepper, but not on table). Mushroom sauce tasted like - mushrooms only. The server mentioned garlic, but I tasted none. The wine list looks impressive - 2012 wine for $35. OK, nothing to write home about. Overall, pretty expensive ($130+) for couple, for fairly disappointing flavors. (ps: service was at least very fast)

Disappointing and very mixed opinion. Good meat but a side other than a few vegetables would have been appreciated, type fries or gratin dauphinois. My son was treated to a duck confit served with on large pasta, presentation whatever surprising and medium flavor. The worst was the octopus: 3 uncooked tentacles on a bed of pepper, no other accompaniment. Dish returned in the kitchen but always inedible on return and chewy. It's impossible to swallow. The octopus recipe would benefit from a review, as cooking must be long for it to be tender and not just toasted. Only desserts were very good. I nevertheless left the restaurant still hungry. Sometimes insufficient quantity for the main course, expensive for what it is and very irregular quality. Changes would have to be made to say French cuisine.

My husband loves to pick out restaurants when we travel and last weekend he discovered this little gem! It was delicious! Food was so good, and service was attentive and welcoming. We would love to come back!

Lovely little restaurant in Nob Hill. My sister and I weren't very hungry so we shared an appetizer, Armenian cucumber salad, which was delicately delicious, and gnocchi for our main. Portions were French, ie small, but that suited us very well. Wine selection was small but well- curated and service attentive and charming. Altogether a lovely experience and I would go again.

We went here for a late dinner after a show and it is just great. Welcoming atmosphere, wonderful, quirky space and terrific food and service. I'm in SF a lot and can't believe I never found this place before. Love the fact that they serve late -- most kitchens in SF seem to close at nine. Crazy. Will definitely be back.

It was an ok place to eat during the panny but now that there are so many truly better restaurants open or reopened in San Francisco I would rather go to another restaurant and feel my business and patronage is appreciated. That is just not the case here.