Chez Maman West Reviews

A lovely French restaurant - we ate lunch here and weren't disappointed in any way. Excellent friendly, attentive service. We enjoyed a glass of champagne while choosing our starters - we had baked camembert and charcuterie. For mains we had modules frites, salmon, steak with a bottle of chablis and a bottle of malbec. Absolutely delicious. Espresso, as you would expect in a French restaurant, was a perfect end to a very long enjoyable lunch. Would we eat here again - YES

Not everything was perfect, but we all had great meals, very good food selected from a great menu emphasizing some French classics. We went for the moules frites which come in various versions, which reminded us of our beloved, now closed, Plouf downtown. Same quality. We sat outside in a nice parklet away from the noise inside. OK service, good wine menu. Great evening.

Delicious food, and service is great! I will definitely return. It is a busy place, trendy and lively. The food is worth the wait, and the neighborhood is interesting to walk about, or stop in for cocktails before dinner.

We had a meal here whilst saying in the city as it was close to our hotel and was recommended to us. The menu has lots of options and is very well priced and the service is also very quick and the staff courteous. This place can get very busy and you can be required to wait which for me tells you everything you need to know about the establishment. The food itself is very well presented and tastes as good as it looks, i had the flat iron steak and it was perfectly cooked to my liking. Highly recommend this place if you like good food at a reasonable price.

We were hanging out in Hayes Valley and decided to try Maman for lunch. The three of us all ordered something different and everything was DELISH! Highly recommend!

Go a little early. They don't take reservations, but the wait is never that long (if you have to wait go next door to absinth for a drink and pretzels, and they will call you). Moose the bartender can select a delicious wine. Then have the French soup, the if you are not starving get the end ice salad (everyone we take there loves it), if you are hungry the steak frites are delicious. Also great crepes.

This Hayes Valley bistro is quite small but that only adds to its quaint charm. Absolutely adore this place. The food and service are spot on and they never miss a beat. They do not accept reservations; you sign up on a clipboard hanging by the front door. If there is a wait, WAIT... it will be worth it. If you leave your cell number you can wander around the shops and wait for them to call you when your table is ready. The servers are extremely personable and the proprietors when there, interact with their patrons to make sure everything is what is expected. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. Great crepes - my favorite is the Wild Mushroom crepe served with micro greens on top. LOVE the Endive, Pear & Roquefort salad - perfectly dressed with a light vinaigrette. This salad can easily be shared by two. A must have here are the Escargots in butter, garlic and parsley (and yes, they do come in a shell). Be sure your baguette basket is full so you can dip the bread into the sinfully good sauce. Somewhat along those lines and also not to be missed are the Steamed Mussles - there are several different styles of preparation but the favorite is the Meurniere with butter, garlic and white wine (and of course parsley). It's a good sized caldron filled with the delectable little mollusks. You must order the "french" fries to go with this dish. If French fare is not preferred by someone in your party, they do a wonderful burger, cooked to order (a sign of quality beef when you can order it medium rare/rare). The burger comes with all the accompaniments as well as a side of the shoestring fries or salad. Lastly, and very important, the prices. French food can be quite pricey, but Chez Maman is committed to high quality without gauging the pocketbook. In a city where prices are sky rocketing, Chez Maman has not raised their prices. You get great food & service making this restaurant a fabulous deal! One of the best in the City.

Always love their moules/frites. They also have good fish, excellent and reasonably-priced wines by the glass, and even if cold and rainy, their outdoor seating is protected and has great heating.

Me and partner had a nice meal. The dessert was very small though. We paid the bill, which we are entitled to pay the exact amount. I had a little of my wine to finish. The male waiter behind the bar who had served us throughout brought our bill back to us and pointed out we had only paid the correct amount and not a tip! This happens quite often in America which I find extremely cheeky. In the UK we do not force tips on customers however the employees work in restaurants are often on minimum wage. If they want extra money, why not make the meals more expensive to start with?! The waiter said "I'll let you off this time..."Yeah,like we are going to return! 😂 I will not give tip unless I have some loose change or cannot be bothered waiting for change. Nobody tips me in my job!

Small place, the staff is wonderful. Had the escargots, of course, veal and lamb, and lamb spicy sausage. French Pinot Noire and a nice Chat du Pape. If we had more time, WE WILL BE BAAAACK !

We stumbled across this place by accident when we took a bus the wrong direction, but it ended up being the best evening in town. The food was delicious, the staff seemed to enjoy working there, something that lifts the atmosphere. The wine, espresso and cheese was good, everything accompanied by nice and appropriate music.

After a day in wine country we enjoyed a great dinner here. Limited selection makes great and fresh food. Their macaroni is delicious.

This cafe serves generous portions of delicious food. It's amazing how many diners they feed in the small space! Food is served pretty quickly after you order, but after that you'll have to snag your waiter if you want drink refills. Tight space, noisy. No reservations accepted. Plan ahead and arrive early to stand in line for a table. They will not seat you until your entire party is present. Our party enjoyed cheeseburger, salmon burger, and salmon entree. Neighboring table had tasty-looking mussels.

Taking a star off because the eggs benedict were very cold- extremely disappointing. Cheese was all congealed. Otherwise the food was good. Were there for brunch and had the Nicoise salad and Lemon Ricotta pancakes. Nice amount of outdoor seating- the inside itself is quite small. Get there early- they open at 10:30 for brunch and fill up quickly. They had a whiteboard so you could add yourself to the list which was convenient. Service was excellent and very friendly and attentive. Would have been four stars if not for the cold eggs.

IF their was a 6th Star, I would click on that. Recently dined here for 3rd time in less than 2 months. As always, the food and service did not disappoint. In fact, it was even better than the last 2 visits. My guest and I were seated inside and were immediately greeted by an amazing server. Sadly, I did not catch his name, as he alone deserved a shout out for exceptional service. My guest and I dined on the following: Starters: Natch we HAD to have a basket of bread and butter to go w/our starters. I had the soup of the day which was an Asparagus, leek soup with Truffle Oil. It arrived piping hot and glistening with Truffle Oil. First bite I was speechless. My guest and I gobbled that up. My guest had the Warm Goat Cheese salad and requested Romaine lettuce instead of Arugula and they graciously complied. This too was outstanding and dressed just right w/the vinaigrette dressing and not over dressed. Mains: Half roasted organic chicken with mashed taters. I think this is one of their signature dishes. Again, it arrived piping hot. The chicken was cooked so perfectly it fell off the bone. Portion was more than adequate. In fact, I had to take half of it home. The glaze or gravy on the chicken and taters was noteworthy for it's richness and flavor. Fettuccini Ooey, gooey goodness and again, so rich in flavor. My friend dived right in. Not dripping in cheese but the perfect balance. Desserts looked and sounded amazing, but dang it, again, I had to room. Maybe next time. If you are in the area, get there when it opens, it fills up quickly and seating is on a first come first serve basis. The whole experience was outstanding and noteworthy. The kitchen really had it going on that evening. Guests next to us were oohing and awing over our meal and then we saw what they had and returned the compliments. I can't get enough of this little neighborhood gem. My new "go to place" for exquisite food, outstanding service and the prices for the quality will not break your bank. Thank you Mark :-)

I am a repeat offender at Cheat Mayan and you will be too once you try it. The couple sitting next to me was from Las Vegas and like me they come here every time they are in town. If you love a French Bistro this is the place.

Dinner for two including wine for $55. Is this San Francisco? Is this French dining? A little noisy, but for the price, who cares.

Stopped in for lunch and had the savory crepes. Excellently authentic with fresh ingredients. Really attentive and friendly staff. It's nice to have this fare so accessible as an alternative to the more mundane everyday restaurants. Cute little corner location you can just quietly take in the city from behind the glass window, or take it all in and sit outside.

On a late afternoon, we enjoyed good escargots, frisée salad (amazing if only a touch less salty) and a burger cooked to perfections with two sangrias. Service could have been faster but was very nice and authentically French.

We visited Chez Maman for lunch and dinner. Rather small place,however food and service were exceptional. They don't accept reservations and you may have to wait, but it's worth it. Good selections of wines. Stuff is super friendly. The menu is not super extensive but everything we tried was superb. Chez Maman can easily compete with best Paris restaurants. Highly recommended.

We went here before we checked into our hotel and it was very yummy! Try the paninis! Sangria wasn’t bad either!

This is a small restaurant that does not take reservations. It is always crowded and can be a little noisy. But the food is always great. Try the pork chop with Brussel sprouts. It's the best. They also have delicious French fries. Also hamburgers and crepes. Really good prices for Hayes Valley.

We came across this restaurant while walking in the Hayes area and it certainly met the high ratings that it enjoys. While the restaurant is primarily known for its French cuisine we decided to try the impossible burger and enjoyed the meal. Highly recommended bistro

In the overpriced scene of the Hayes eateries, Chez Maman stands out as a more than reasonably priced choice, as you can see from the lines forming in front of it (they do not take reservations). But the low prices are the only attraction. The food is ho-hum, the place is incredibly packed and noisy. For pre-event or post-event dinner, or just for a quick bite, there are better choices down the street.

I looked up where to get mussels in San Fran and this place was top on the list. It didnt disappoint. The mussels were great! Prices were reasonable and it's by The Painted Ladies. So I grabbed lunch then took a hike up the hills and it was fun.

The menu at Chez Maman West has a good selection of dishes at reasonable prices. The portion size is good. It was a very warm evening, so we ate outside - there did not seem to be air conditioning in the dining room. It was very pleasant, although there was some traffic noise. The service was attentive and friendly. The wine and beer selection was good, although they did not have any draft beer that night. The Charcuterie platter was very good, and the Salmon was excellent. The dessert we had was an apple-cinnamon tart, which was excellent.

Perfect for pre-event dinner.Good value for good food. Very cheesy French onion soup- filled me up,perfect paired with cider

Went here a few weeks ago and was slightly inebriated but all I can remember is the truffle mac & cheese was heavenly and the goats cheese salad was great! Cute little place on the corner!

We had a good meal here that was reasonably priced for the area. Our only complaint was that there wasn't much room in this small restaurant. The service was prompt and friendly and we certainly recommend it to French food lovers.

It was my first meal when I arrived in San Francisco and I've gotta say it was a wonderful welcoming to this marvelous city. We went there for lunch and they offered us the great taste of french cuisine with a good variety of plates and a nice wine selection. The waiters are very kind and they really make you feel comfortable. We had a great time! I've heard they have a good brunch as well, so I'll definitely go back there for this before I leave the city. It's a bit priced, but totally worth! :)

I visited here again, today. I took my father here to enjoy some French food and all around tasty meal. We started with the roasted garlic and camembert. (my second time having this.). It did not disappoint. It was so warm and full of flavor. I had the croque madame and he had a burger. We're enjoyed the quality of our food. The service was good. The ambiance was fine. It was unusually hot in the city today and the inside of the restaurant was hot too, but I'm not holding that against them.

I live in SF now and this is my favorite restaurant in the city. They do everything well. It's a no frills casual french restaurant. The escargot, burgers, pate, mussels, steak, and goat cheese salad are superb. The staff is like family now - they are so sweet and accomodating. We try and come here at least once a week when in town. It is worth the wait - grab a drink at the bar or walk down the street once you out your name on the list. LOVE LOVE LOVE this place.

We'll be back and this will be our go to place for Davies, Herbst lectures, SF Jazz, and more. This place is remarkably familiar, because it did feel like Montmartre, a bit... a busy little street corner where a delightful Parisienne Cafe Bistro exists, to bide your time between Opera, or Jazz, or Classical, and more. Or just to linger with friends to the point of watching staff eat their shift meal and pour heavy on the final beverages. In an adorable neighborhood, their cafe made me feel right at home with a traditional *huge* bistro menu (with plenty of fare for scared American palettes or kids). Their wine selection by the glass was wide ranging and competent, and the menu is huge, and everything our table got was executed perfectly, frankly. And this was 20 minutes prior to a closed kitchen (we were apprehensive but they assured us it wasn't rude to sit at that time, another call back to my French experiences, vs us Americans who've essentially shut the kitchen down 20 minutes prior to closing, saran wrap on quarter pans at the garde manger station... I see you!). A fish sandwich, and impossible burger, and my steak tartare were just perfect. And we did speak about the world, politics, society, culture, post pandemic attitudes, and my gosh, this restaurant may have injected French culture into me and my best two friends. Life isn't easy, so it's the little things, but this was a big night of West African Jazz, and reconnecting with old friends and Chez Maman made me feel like I was back in Paris last September. Merci, mes amis!

Super-popular place on the weekend. We had to wait for a table, but it was worth the wait as the food was quite good, service very friendly and professional, and prices reasonable for this very expensive neighborhood. Nice menu.

great French cafe menu...lots of variety and delicious. Service good and friendly. No reservations so arrive early. We got there at 5:00 and were seated immediately and had plenty of time to enjoy a full meal before the ballet.

Small, charming and intimate is how I would describe this first hand impression of Chez Maman, and that it is. Having a "No Reservatipn" policy it is no wonder that the approximate ten tables fill up quickly when the restaurant opens its doors at 6:00PM From then on it is a waiting list posted at the door and quickly formed one of would be diners patiently waiting outside. Very good, quick and efficient service without feeling rushed and a surprisingly large menu of offerings of French inspired cooking. The endive and pear salad was a very generous portion with beautiful presentation and it was outstandingly delicious. The stripped bass with garlic spinach and mango cucumber salsa was equally good and the fish was fresh and not overly cooked.The spicy lamb sausage with harissa appetizer was tasty. However, the smoked salmon crepe was heavy with too much crepe that overpowered the fish. The Hachis parmeniter (a ground beef pot pie) awful...was very rich with butter and cheese and skimpy with beef being overloaded with mashed potato. The fettuccini carbonara was tasty but not exciting. The sorbets and gelatins were very good and the Cinnamon pain perry (a bread pudding with fresh berries) was delicious. Overall a wonder dining experience with friends and very good food once one knows what to NOT order. Very reasonable prices given the generous portions and an ample selection of wines and beer. I can understand why it is worth the wait to get a table at Chez Maman.

We’d noticed this small French-style bistro and the lines outside it when scoping out a possible pre-concert dinner venue for the following day. No, they didn’t take bookings, but yes, we ought to be OK for 5 pm. Generally, we were very OK, though I think I enjoyed my, admittedly very lightly cooked, Striped Bass filet (served with Garlic Spinach and Mango Cucumber sauce, if you were wondering) rather more than one of our companions did his. No arguments, however, about the Half Roasted Organic Chicken (+ Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Lemon Confit, Lemon Jus) that my wife relished, or the Crèpe Complète (Ham, Gruyère Cheese, Egg) that fed the last of our party of four. So, not quite 100% total satisfaction, but bearing in mind the tempting array of other items on the menu, and the look of the plates being borne past us, five stars seems justified.

My wife and I had a wonderful dinner date at this -new to us neighborhood bistro. Cozy, friendly environment, attentive service (even while under the pressure of a malfunctioning billing system). Best of all, the food, which came in abundant, tasty offerings. We recommend especially the moules frites (mussels and fries with alioli), in any one of the moule preparations on the menu. Indoor and outdoor (streetside) sitting available.

Extremely disappointed at this restaurant. Usually good service but when we came by this time, they were not very helpful and absolutely won't sit us until everyone gets there. Policy was a small sign near the door that none of us can see. We were a party of six but only five showed on time. We would have ordered for the sixth person but their policy would not allow us to get a sit and they were absolutely unrelenting. We called before and they won't accept reservations either. Ari was nice to us and one of the lady was nice too (i think she's French) but Juan was giving us major attitude until we asked for his name. After an half hour, we were given a table. As much as I like this restaurant previously I would not come back or recommend any business to them. I still had a great birthday but this restaurant totally took some of my joy. For that it's 1 star and not recommended.

Found this home away from home little gem while vacationing in San Francisco. The crepes are traditionally French made with buckwheat flour and tasted as wonderful as they do in France. Today the mussels were lovely, as well as the chocolate mousse and of course the Rose made this meal feel as if I was back in the south of France. I have to admit that the entire menu was calling me but due to the lack of time in town I had to choose but wish I had more time to try it all. The restaurant is in a nice location of San Francisco and is genuinely French but unpretentious which makes you feel comfortable to eat with friends or by yourself. Aside from the lovely food, the service and the friendly atmosphere is what gives this restaurant a home feel. The manager Armelle and the so attentive Willie makes me want to keep coming back for a home away from home meal. Armelle is a dynamique manager who makes you feel like you are the most special customer, and the staff seems genuinely happy to work there which is evident in the service and pleasant interaction with all the customers. Although I live on the east coast, I look forward to visit Chez Maman again on my next trip and will highly recommend it to my friends and all who are in SF. Merci encore pour des bons repas et a ma prochaine Visite! Issa Nissa!

Had a below average meal here last weekend. SO had the pork chop which was dry and tasteless. I had the smoked salmon crepe which was inedible. We enjoyed our salad but walked away feeling hungry and underwhelmed

This small Hayes Valley bistro is quite popular, but the food while good, was not exceptional. We had mussels prepared two different ways, split a salad, and had a couple glasses of house wine. The bill was $100, which seemed high. Wait staff were attentive. On the warm evening we were there, inside seemed stuffy so we ate at one of the tables on the sidewalk. Street traffic detracted from conversation, but it was that or stuffiness inside

In the heart of Hayes valley, this restaurant is very popular in the area.The staff is friendly and efficient. I had the hachis parmentier (layers of ground beef, mashed potatoes and swiss cheese cooked in the oven), which was definitely good. Many choices of other entrèees, crepes, sandwiches, salads, appetizers and desserts

After looking over other places in Hayes Valley, this looked like the most appetizing (and possibly the most reasonably priced) restaurant. That’s probably why so many people were willing to wait so long for a table. I was not disappointed. The food was amazing.

I used to be a regular at this place, f will never go back now they charge $40 for a corkage fee. That is ridiculous. I can't imagine even the most expensive restaurants in San Francisco charging that much. This place is OK but they have got their heads up there you know what's. Really a shame that they don't understand how bad that is.

I ate here while on a date and had the best French onion soup ever. It was bubbling hot, tons of gooey cheese (but not too much) and well cooked onions. I also had a salmon crepe with a fried egg that was heavenly!! I plan to go back and try their frites once it is safe to eat indoors.

I took a client to lunch at this location because although i have never felt the food was anything extra-ordinary, I have always thought it's a relatively cute place in a charming neighborhood. Next time, i'll think twice. My client started eating her salad and burger until something caught her eye.. Not a fly, not a little bug, not a roach.. not a spider.. not even a green worm from salads.. no.. drum roll please... it was a MAGGOT (roasted). Google images confirmed my nightmare. We were both so disgusted that we could not speak. I waived the waiter over and pointed at it (without throwing a fit or anger or anything.. i just couldn't talk) and his response was the most alarming (!!) He didn't seem surprised AT ALL. He simply said: "OF COURSE this happens sometimes! It's organic salad! This is normal! You have to expect this!" We were both shocked. No apology, no concern. He asked her if she wanted a replacement and of course she said no. He asked me if i was done (though we had just begun) and I said definitely I am done. I could not swallow more. He took the plates away and we sat perplexed in silence. The same waiter came back out and put the bill on the table (a bit enervated at us) and said he waived the bill. The good thing is i did not have to ask to get the bill waived but the truth is that, I could have cared less.. all i wanted to do was run away. Bill or no bill.. this was NOT my concern! BUT what was the most astonishing is that he barely uttered an apology!!!!!! He was more annoyed with anything that we did not understand there was a MAGGOT on our plate. I actually left a tip. I am not quite sure why but i did. I felt bad for the waiter BUT even more surprising is that our waiter (in front of us) justified to the manager (or owner) why he had comped our bill and this manager (but i believe he is the owner) looked me straight in the eye and walked to the next table (he had food in his hands) but did not even say a word to me!!!!!!!!!!!! If i had a business, i would NEVER ever let that go without saying something. I thought about this long and hard since yesterday (when it happened) and whether I should write a review or not... but in the end, i depend on reviews by others on different sites, to give me the truth.. so here is mine! ****Last but not least: I have since, done some homework.. The truth is that MAGGOTS do not eat lettuce. They are usually found "near garbage cans, dead animals, rotten food" (Wikepedia) therefore i don't believe this little critter as cute as he was, came from the salad.. which explains why he was roasted... and THAT ladies and gentlemen.. is the most concerning part.. How clean is that kitchen?! PS: If you are one of those people that wants to exercise your first amendment rights say that these maggots are edible, please refrain from doing so.. because while i believe this may be the case in some countries or in certain odd SF food trucks .. when you do not ORDER these little guys in your plate, it's quite disgusting and shocking.

This place really confused me; it is supposed to be french but it serves burgers and mac n cheese? Well there are some french dishes, eg., the snails, but overall the menu is pretty similar to the one you would find in a British pub. The food was tasty, no argue to that, but it was definitely not something I would crave about. The service was a bit clumsy with the waiter throwing the dishes on our table.. The only thing that would make me come back was the atmosphere.

My son and I went here for a Saturday brunch. We both had the French Onion soup (not bad) and the Croque Madame (good) and a Bloody Mary (very weak). If the servers wore aprons and the restaurant played French music, it would have been much better. As it was, we enjoyed it, but will probably never return. The servers were very attentive and had accents which probably saved this from being a 2 or 3 star review.

Loved my salad Nicoise, and the atmosphere in this small local bistro. Eat outside or in, the menu is simple and well done.

The food here was absolutely wonderful. Everything was perfectly prepared and served. Service was friendly and accommodating for this really tiny bistro. We were there around 5pm on New Year's Eve and the place was crowded already. We got seated right in line with the door, so every time it was used we were hit with a blast of cold air. Being cold aside, it was a great experience.

We couldn't book a table and so had to wait about 20 minutes for table, but that was no problem as we sat outside in the sunshine drinking prosecco. We ate salads and a baked camembert to start (about $7 each) followed by moules mariniere, with frites of course,($16 each) and grilled salmon ($17 each). We asked if we could substitute the fried potatoes that came with the salmon for frites and this wasn't a problem, except, when we carefully checked the bill having left the restaurant found we had been charged extra for the frites!!!! The creme brûlée ($7.50)and chocolate fondant ($7) were lovely and I enjoyed the best espresso ($3) I had in San Francisco. A bottle of Sancerre for $40 was a good choice. Our bill came to $252.59 (with 4 glasses of prosecco and 4 glasses of 1664) which we rounded up to $310. Would we eat here again? Yes but will check the bill more carefully before paying.

This small cafe had a great french themed menu at mid range pricing. The Mussels and savory crepes were good

My wife and I went there before the Symphony and had a wonderful meal. They don't take reservations so I would allow at least thirty minutes to be seated. We ate inside. This place is mall but the food is amazing. We had the baked camembert cheese with roasted garlic for an appetizer and it was fabulous. The cheese was amazing. We then had the Flatiron Steak. It is one of the best steaks I have ever had. It was cooked perfectly. It was encrusted with seasoning and there was a peppercorn sauce that was amazing. We were quite full (and short of time) so no dessert. I highly recommend this restaurant. It was so good, my wife took a friend there two days later. Go. you won't be disappointed.

What a wonderful place to have a brunch with French flair. My sister speaks fluent French and had a wonderful time with the waiter that also seemed to understand her! The food was delightful and the atmosphere was very quaint. Small place, but worth the wait, if there is one.

It's a small restaurant, you might have to wait outside for a table. Don't be put off! The food is worthy of an establishment charging twice the price. I had the waiters recommendation a Pork Chop! Wouldn't normally go for this - however it was truly fantastic! So get down there before they wise up and charge more!

I eat hear with friends both living here and visiting. The food is so so good. The mussels are over the top!!!! And the truffle mac and cheese with truffle oil is truly a gift from the gods. Service is low keyed and excellent. And to sit at dusk and watch the city lights come on and see the food and auto traffic pass by is so chic. Perfect if your dining for the opera, ballet or just shopping in chic hays valley.

We took friends and our SFer daughter to dinner at this restaurant. The pork chop was really good and the Mac and cheese too. I recommend it.

Ok, so these are my random notes from my visit at Chez Maman West earlier today: I would never imagine top rating a burger place, but I have to! What's in the burger meat?? Sooo lovely! Dressing tastes fab Beef tartare with quail egg: Ate the tartare and was thinking: someone has to start up, maybe I should start up(!), a raw food bar in Bergen. Fab wine Attentive, not stressful, hasty service. I love it when I get the time to actually enjoy the food. Adorable staff. If to pick on something: cleanliness of the restroom. So in other words; go enjoy Chez Maman West!

Cozy smaller place with friendly staff. Decent wine selection. Had a chicken dish and very much enjoyed it. Reasonable priced. Would definitely eat here again.

Food was excellent . We were lucky enough to get a table on arrival as very busy . Service great and food excellent well worth a visit . We travelled from Scotland and had seen on instagram . Glad we made the visit now

As visitors to this great city , we enjoyed an excellent dinner in a busy ,friendly and typically French restaurant. Moules Mariniere in delicious soup accompanied by genuine French bread was better than many we have enjoyed over 50 years in France . Veal in white wine cream in a bed of fresh vegetables also stunning. Good selection of fish dishes . Service rapid and charming . You must visit !

A highlight of our trip! We came here on a recommendation from a friend after the ballet at the Opera House. It is a very short walk. So glad we got the chance to try it because everything was amazing. It’s a small French bistro with both indoor and outdoor seating. The croque madame was excellent. Service was great and prices are reasonable. No reservations so you will have a wait during peak times but we were lucky and walked right in. Note they do not accept AmEx cards.

Hard to believe that people would be lined 20 deep out the door for this treat. We were here mid-afternoon and lots of seating choices. Just a random choice of several in the neighborhood. I tried a Savoyarde Crepe with potatoes, pancetta, cheese and some other flavors. It was generous and tasty. My wife had a Veggie Burger and was very pleased. It was obviously made fresh and not a "Sysco" patty. It had a nice variety of choices and it seems to be big on Mussels, which we took a pass on. I would come back and try a few more items.

Good food and ambiance. I had hamburger with aioli sauce and fries. Delicious. Others had the sole which was grest. Salads are also good.

It has been around for years and I don't know what the attraction is. We had escargots, a salad, mussels and fettuccine with a cream sauce. Nothing, including the salad was any better than poor to average.

The restaurant faces both Gough and Hayes streets. We ate outside on the Hayes St. Side and enjoyed the beautiful sunny day. All four of us enjoyed our meals. I had the chicken burger and a side of fried Brussels sprouts both of which were very good. The service was efficient and friendly.

If you don't mind the wait to get into Chez Mama, this Hayes Valley restaurant serves some of the best moules in town. The menu is varied but not extensive. Burgers, crepes, and a few main courses; nothing overly fancy. It's typical bistro cuisine; affordable, homey and good. Don't come here for fine dining, but if you want good, basic bistro style cooking, at a price that won't break the bank, Chez Mama is definitely the place to go. Their Crepes Suzette is out of this world!

We ate here twice, great food superb desserts and a fun vibe. Its open till quite late and a good option to hang out at

Definitely recommend this Restaurent food is fantastic, wines great service and we were staying locally and got the take out menu and tried it this way also and it was same class - highly recommended

First appearances can be deceiving, since this Bistro is verging on a 'Hole in the Wall style eatery, however, if you can contend with the cramped conditions, you are assured of a great meal. Although you will not be encouraged to linger, the service is pleasant and fast.

Great food . Great service. Highly recommend the mussels along with the cheeseburgers. Salads are supurb. Nice place to eat outside people watch. Everything rocks.

We went there to have dinner on a Friday night. Hostess was very friendly and made sure we got a table as fast as possible. Food was great, I've had the pork chop with brussel sprouts and my g/f the famous Mac and cheese. Delicious food and nice staff.

For the popularity I expected this place to blow me away but the food was average and over priced. The service was very friendly but there was a definite stop off feel to the place, I guess because they get so busy they are in a rush to move people along to get the next paying customers (queuing at the door) in.

For a Monday night, it was busy. My husband and I placed our name on the list with our mobile number and were called in about 20 minutes. We were seated outside. It was cold but there's a heater above which made it the perfect temperature to enjoy people watching while eating. The escargot and steak tartar were excellent appetizers. The mussels with a side order of fries was delicious. The crepe L'Oriental was okay. The combination just wasn't as delicious as the rest of the plates. We ordered the warm chocolate cake for dessert. It's similar to a lava cake. My husband thought it was great; I thought it was okay. Unless you go before 5:00pm; be prepared to wait for awhile before being seated.

Very close to theater, small unique space. Food wonderful especially bread and butter! Their brunch menu makes selection easy. A uniquely sunny day in the city and the ambience was great.

This is my third visit. Very cute warm atmosphere. My first visit was dinner after the opera. A night doesn’t get much better than that. Right now it is a bit difficult to serve me because I am on the Keto diet. The servers were very gracious and understanding of what I needed and made the substitutions I needed On our first visit we sat in Alexandra’s section. What a great experience. Just got back from Paris in June and eating here makes me feel like I never left. On our second visit Adam was our server. Adam did not disappoint either. I would definitely ask to set in their sections. The steak with the caper mustard sauce is my new favorite. Yes even on Keto. The lamb and harissa is another favorite. The crispy Brussels sprouts are very good. I do the green beans with my steak being I can’t eat potatoes. My partner had the duck confit and potatoes. He says it was excellent and the potatoes are to die for. The pork was absolutely delicious. I hope everyone will enjoy this little gem as much as we do. I work in the industry and after my 3 trip in two weeks, I will look forward to my fourth.

Most French restaurants in the US will serve excellent food but it's not really what French people eat on a regular basis at home. It's also usually pretty expensive. Chez Maman offers just that, "real" every day life French food (source: grew up in France) at a very decent price. That is not to say the food is sub-par; it's actually one of my favorite spots to eat at in SF. Thankfully I live just a few blocks away and I go there often; I just wanted to share a local's opinion for visitors relying on Tripadvisor for recommendations. Try the steamed mussels, steak tartare, baked camembert, seabass or hachis parmentier (you wont' find that in many restaurants in the US!) If you go at dinner time though, be ready to wait a bit, especially if you have a group bigger than 2 people; the place is rather small and they are busy!

We were standing outside looking at the menu and a diner was leaving. She came up to us and told us to do it, it was her favourite restaurant in San Francisco. So we did and the food was great. We shared an endive salad, then had chicken and bream which were superb. Only criticism was that they bought our main course out before we had finished our starter which made us feel rushed.

I had the most delightful lunch here on a recent Friday afternoon. I felt as if I had somehow traveled to France with the charming urban neighborhood setting with tables out on the street as well as inside. The owner, Jocelyn Bulow, was there himself and the man exudes charm and graciousness. There were three of us and we started off with the Escargot de Borgogne and the Baked Camembert which were both on par with any Parisian restaurant. So delciious! For the entrees, I had the Chez Maman burger with Roquefort, bacon and avocado and my friends had the salmon burger and the mushroom crepe. And of course we had the french fries which were classically thin and crisp and decadently delicious with their homemade aioli. The burger was perfectly cooked with the freshest bun. I was in heaven. But wait, then there was dessert! The three of us shared the Tart Tatin and the Cinnamon Pain Perdu which put us all in a state of complete bliss. And to complete the meal, we had a lovely Syrah that was a beautiful match for all three of our meals. I would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting SF. My only caveat is that the parking, as is the case in most of SF, is horrendous so take a cab or use the parking garage nearby.

Situated near the opera house and symphony hall, Chez Maman West features delicious French short-order cuisine. It reminded us of many dinners we have had while traveling in France. We liked their appetizer Baked Camembert with roasted garlic and toast points and our main courses Moules frites (mussels with French fries) and Veal in a creamy wine and herb sauce. For dessert we loved the Fondant au chocolat and Pain perdu. Their choice of wines proved excellent: we had an Alsatian pinot blanc and a Napa Valley sauvignon blanc. They don’t take reservations; just add your name to the list at the door. Several tables are on the sidewalk, others inside a small dining room with the sound of animated conversations.

Good food. Good value. Pleasant wait staff. Quick service. Cute decor. Casual comfort. Some parisian cafe tables outside. Great neighbourhood.

All kinds of original (French- Europeans) dishes. We mainly tasted the burgers, which was perhaps a not the best choice. Friendly and a bit fancy in a fancy area. Certainly some very good dishes, but as to value you can find better. If the SF weather allows it, it is off course very nice that you can sit outside.

Very small place and impossible parking....but this is San Francisco. My wife saw a review of this place on a local TV show so we thought we'd give it a try. We arrived around 12 noon and got the last table, within 10 minutes the waiting line was out the door 20 deep. I had for an appetizer Assiette de Merguez spicy lamb sausage with harrissa $7 I'm not usually into spicy foods and this was hot but when mixed with a bite of salad was unreal! Entree was Flat Iron Steak with french fries & a green peppercorn sauce $21 ordered it rare and it was cooked perfect along with the french fries it was killer! all this with a bottle of chardonnay was the perfect lunch. I guess one of the biggest complements I can give this place is the night before we ate at the world famous "Restaurant Gary Danko" (their reviews speak for themselves) and I liked the food here better....seriously.

I've been there with my friend to have a lunch on Sunday. We had to wait a little bit, but not to much, to go in because the place was full. I had a plate of mussels with fries and it was pretty avarage, nothing special at all. My friend ordered a crepe with meat and she said it was good.

We went there for lunch, early enough to avoid the long line. The food was as good as you would expect from a real French restaurant. The onion soup was just like you would find it in Lyon (the city of food in France)

My top three dishes here? 1. Croque Madame. 2. Burger 3. Mussels w/ Frite. Indoor & outdoor seating. Service is friendly and smooth and the food is consistently good.

Had a light meal here recently after an opera. Was greeted courteously and the greeter did NOT say, "Just one?" Yeah! Sat at the counter and fell into a wonderful conversation with other diners. Very crowded. may have to wait awhile for a table or seat and may feel you should leave quickly to accommodate waiting diners (staff did not pressure me). Food was great. Prices reasonable but verging on getting high. All in all, a wonderful experience.

Really tasty, reasonably priced food the only negative is it's incredibly full most lunch and dinner times. This is of course because other French restaurants in the area offer the same quality of food at a much higher price. Will definitely be returning when I'm next in SF.

Just a block from opera, this is the place to go before going to the performance. They don’t take reservations and the premises are nice that big. Full menu of variety of foods and the French selections are interesting.

A great addition to the Hayes Valley neighborhood, Chez Maman West combines the best of French bistro cuisine with some well executed Mexican specialties. With only about 10 tables and a tiny counter, Chez Maman West can get crowded. There is nowhere to wait, but the staff will put your name on a list and call you wine your table is ready. The fresh bread is to die for, but don't fill up on it, as the rest of the dishes are so good you will want to save room. The moules et frites were delicious, as was the rich and gooey French onion soup. The burger with bacon, egg, and cheese was incredible, easily one of the best in The City. The traditional French selections are, oddly enough, complemented by Mexican items from the Papito menu. The ceviche was terrific, as was the carne asada quesadilla. Light and tasty, the chicken quesadillas were delicious, and the burritos challenge some of the best in The Mission. The staff is helpful, friendly, and upbeat: all the servers seem to enjoy their jobs and genuinely want you to have a good experience. Probably the best in the Chez Papa-Chez Maman-Papito "chain," Chez Maman West is a must-do.

We had lunch with our daughter, who lives just around the corner from this tiny restaurant managed by a Frenchman. The food is excellent and good value. The place has a good vibe. Be prepared to wait for a table.

Chez Maman is determinedly French. The moment you walk in the door you would believe you're in a hole in the wall joint in Paris or any big city in France. The menu is an interesting amalgam of dishes, some very French, others more like American. We get there fairly often for a brunch before an opera matinee on Sundays. It's very pleasant to have a huge cafe au lait in the French style, but accompanied by egg dishes that you'd be hard pressed to find in Paris. Still, the food is pretty good, but hardly of the elegant variety to be found just across the street at Absinthe (where you'll end up with a check for twice as much). I don't think Chez Maman takes reservations, but that might be changing. The last time we were in the neighborhood there was a line out the door about noon on a Sunday. It might be worth the wait if that happens, though. The food is pretty good, and it's downright cheap by San Francisco standards.

I had eaten at Chez Maman in Potrero hill during last year's visit to San Francisco. When I learned that there was a bistro located near our hotel close to the Civic Center, I knew I would have to check it out. Chez Maman in the Hayes Valley neighborhood did not disappoint! In fact, we, (my son and I), ended up having lunch here two days during our most recent stay. It is located on a corner in the Hayes neighborhood, and has both indoor & outdoor seating. Both of our visits took place for a late lunch, around 2pm. We did not have to wait for a table, but within 15-20 minutes, the place was packed, and a line had formed. The menu has so many appetizing choices, it was hard to narrow it down: appetizers, paninis, salads, burgers, omelettes, crèpes & entrées. The portions are HUGE! I orders the mussels (moules marinières), which came with a serving of seasoned fries. The pot of mussels must have had at least 3 dozen in a savory garlic butter white wine sauce. The "serving" of fries was enough for the two of us to share...and still had leftovers. My son ordered the grilled salmon entrée with seasoned potatoes, and he raved about his dish. He said the potatoes were the best he has ever had, and the salmon was very flavorful. The platters were accompanied by slices of French bread, which the servers refilled, and I used several pieces to soak up the sauce with my mussels. We were both quite full, but we decided to try the sorbet for dessert: the apricot chardonay was so tasty! On our second visit, (our last full day in San Francisco), we again enjoyed a late lunch. I had a croque monsieur, (grilled ham & cheese----but with the French version, the cheese is broiled on top of the bread). I had a salad as my side dish....and it was so huge, that it could have been the main dish! My son enjoyed the salmon so much the first visit, that he ordered the salmon burger with the seasoned fries as his side. Once again, the yummy french bread accompanied our platters. There was so much delicious food----I couldn't finish the salad, and my son ended up eating the salmon, and leaving half his sandwich roll. We had absolutely no room left for dessert at the second visit. The servers were very attentive and friendly. They remembered us from our earlier visit, and thanked us for returning. I chatted with them in both French & English. Our food was served quickly, although we never felt "rushed" to finish & leave the table. The prices were very reasonable for the amount and the quality of the food. Chez Maman will definitely be on my "go to list" for future visits to San Francisco. My son agreed that it was the best meal he had on this trip.

The appetizer was definitely better than the main courses ordered. The mussels from the next tables, however, looked pretty good. Overall the experience was not negative but not so positive as to include this restaurant among those to return to.

We stumbled across this just wandering through the area and so glad we stopped. Great staff, great menu, great food, great ambience. We sat outside, and the evening was cool but there were heaters and we were just fine. We had gourmet burgers, which we SO good, and the portions were very generous. Prices are good. Absolutely excellent.

My daughter and I sneaked into this little corner bistro...sat at the bar and soaked up cozy/hip atmosphere, excellent service, delicious food and quality drink. A terrific spot for a couple to drop in unannounced. Cheers!

Went here for the first time yesterday and was pleasantly surprised. My lamb merguez sandwich was truly delicious, and the ham, gruyere, and egg crepe was also quite good. One thing I appreciated was that both the crepe and sandwich came with substantial portions of decent salad - no romaine here.

When in Sf eat in Paris? (like the Romans do) Chez maman west is a gem in the Hayes Valley restaurant queue. We ordered crepes that were so delicious and packed with incredible ingredients we barely spoke the whole lunch time! The sancere I choose was a perfect match for the L'Oriental crepe. Wait staff were conversant in French and English. They handled our table as if we were at Deux Magot in Paris, quick and efficient.This will always be our go to midi dejeuner spot in SF.

We were there for brunch on Sunday morning. Food is fine, portion is about right and price is reasonable comparing with others in Hayes Valley. Service was good. My husband is vegetarian. The waiter was flexible to substitute ham with mushrooms. Restaurant has no air conditioners, which is fine with typical weather in the city. However, the day we were there was one of the hot days. I thought restaurant should at least install some ceiling fans.

If you're under 40 and know nothing about French cuisine you'll probably like this place. The management is very good, but the food mediocre and the ambiance campus like. If you're looking for elegance and quality, go elsewhere.

it looks good, it taste very good but the surprise came later at home....sick all night long with the beef tartare that was looking so good, i think it was just a prob with the meat. Prices are also expensives