Sens Restaurant Reviews

Ideal for meeting friends, going to the bar for a drink and uncomplicated, nice dining. There is something for everyone on the menu and the prices are moderate for downtown. You have a wonderful view of the Ferry Building.

Not quite as good as Kokkari, but they try and get close

Went to group luncheon. We sat on the outside covered terrace which was light and airy. Even though the group had a prepared menu, they were nice enough to modify a dish to suit my wife's dietary needs. All requests were met and the food was good and plentiful. The views of the Bay were a big plus. We plan to go back on our own dime.

Had lunch on a busy Friday and had an outstanding shrimp ceasar salad and best lamburger we ever tasted!

This is a good place for Happy Hour after work if you are meeting people who have to journey to the east bay (it is close to Bart, bus and ferries). You can get a nice view of the Ferry building and the Bay Bridge too! If you are seeking a quiet atmosphere, sit inside. If you want a more lively (translation: loud) atmosphere, get a table on the patio (which is tented during the winter). Happy hour runs until 8 pm and they have a pretty large selection of appetizers to choose from.

I loved the decor and the view from the large picture windows. Loved the Moroccan chicken soup. Despite a raised ceiling with some wood surfaces, it was still about 7 on a 1-10 scale of loudness.

The restaurant offers great views of the Ferry building and the bay bridge. You can enter the restaurant from the lobby of the Hyatt Regency.

Great view, great food, great experience. The pastrami sandwich is amazing and has home made fries. Must try.

First off, I had a reservation booked here for over 2 months because they told me over the phone that we could sit at a table and still order off the happy hour menu and when we got there, they wouldn't let us do that so we had to cram 10 girls into a 5 person table and it was crazy because no one was even sitting in the restaurant. The mushroom flatbread was tasty and I really enjoyed my sangria but it's a bit overpriced if you asked me. I know it's San Francisco and everything is expense but go elsewhere for food and drinks! I don't see myself ever going back.

The Sen's location makes for a most enjoyable end of the day stop for relaxation and a libation. The background of the Ferry Building's clock tower and the Belencort Fountain gives a San Francisco immersion feel The location, right in the middle of the Embarcardo, adds to this downtown SF experience. For those not familiar with the business district the walk through the extensive indoor passages offer shopping and sightseeing opportunities They do have happy hour specials most days You will not be surprised to have premium prices for your Hors d' oeuvres and cocktails but why not enjoy the best of the City? I hope you will enjoy it all

<profanity filtered word> figure out if you can host a nye party with this <profanity> crappy line for toilets. I didn’t pay too much to wait in line the whole time. Worst nye ever.

Was there for dinner with friends. Service was on the slow side and the food was ok. Was pricey for the level of service and the food.

This restaurant serves good, tasty food and the ambience and service are good. It is a little bit on the pricy side and there are not a whole lot of entrees on the menu. They do serve a huge variety of wines and other alcohol.

I work close to this restaurant and we've been here several times for work-related events. It features Mediterranean cuisine served in a somewhat rustic setting. Besides the range appetizers we often share as a group, I usually get the lamb burger or paella.

Noticed the restaurant several times from the common areas of Hyatt next door. Glad we finally took the plunge.Menu and wine list were extensive.Great service, loved the hummus, lamb and gnocchi dishes.Really enjoyed the setting of the restaurant as it had a Napa-like feel and was tastefully laid out and decorated.Looks like a great patio for happy-hour overlooking the Ferry Building and street fest that incurs daily.

I booked a private room at Sens for my son's college graduation party a month 1/2 in advance. A contract was signed, menu's discussed and deposit/credit card was given to hold the room. Keep in mind I turned down numerous other restaurants who were happy to accomodate me that evening! TWO weeks before my event I received a call from the event manager stating - WHOOPS SORRY, we won't be able to accomodate you on that night because we need to close the restaurant and kitchen? On a Saturday night??? Why, are they out of compliance with sanitation regulations? Or did they rent the room to someone else, I'll never know. What I do know is now I do not have anywhere to host my sons graduation party and with two weeks prior to the event, in the midst of the other high school and college graduations the pickings will be slim! Jackie the event manager was "so" accommodating by offering to work with me for another night. Do you mean when relatives from all over the country have already gone home, a week or more after his graduation day... How accommodating is that! I have never been so disappointed and would recommend using EXTREME CAUTION when booking a reservation at this restaurant

Great place to meet after work for drinks, great happy hour vibe filled with a lot of young professionals. Great location and right next door is the Hyatt Embarcadero and looks out across the square to the ferry building. While the crowd tended to be young and trendy there were plenty of older folks as well. The happy hour appetizer menu had a great selection of varied foods. I highly recommend the fried olives which are outstanding the only problem we had was they ran out of them. For happy hour they both inside and outside seating and if the weather permits grab an outdoor spot. We stayed on for dinner which was served inside and was excellent as well. I will be back on my next trip in a few weeks.

Came here for holiday lunch with colleagues. Overall, food was very good with nice selection of Mediterranean dishes. We shared a variety of appetizers including the 4 kinds of hummus, the cured meats platter, the lamb Tartare and the grilled octopus. The grilled octopus and tartare were both awesome. I had Paella for my main course - very filling and nice flavor. Outside of the slow service, it was a great experience.

I think I would've enjoyed it more if I had been at Sens with friends. As it was, we had booked a business dinner in a "private area", which turned out to be a table on a platform in the main room. If anything, the noise was amplified there. And boy was it noisy! We had to shout to be heard and as we were supposed to get a pre-dinner lecture on the recently announced ApplePay, it was quite useless. The menus were also very limited with only a handful of starters and a handful of entrées. It was quite tough to find something that I wanted. In the end, I settled on a rib eye steak which was actually cooked to perfection and very tasty. None of the starters we ordered for the table were especially good however and when I asked to change out my potatoes for the risotto, I was told it couldn't be done. The location, inside a sort of mall, also kinda sucks. I'm sorry, but this wasn't a highlight of my trip.

Menu is not extensive (one page appetizers, one page main courses, one page desserts, many pages of wine) but everything we ordered was perfectly prepared. We ordered six dinners and five appetizers, beef, fish, lamb, chicken, and pork all were cooked and presented very well. Those that got desserts said they were excellent as well. Best swordfish I've had for over a year. I'd go again!

I had lunch here after trying the seafood restaurants on the piers. The food is much better, the service livelier and the prices lower. The views from outside are astounding. At least for lunch this was a place for locals and not tourists, which may explain the prices and better quality food. The restaurant is located across from the Ferry building so easy to find. there is easy public transport from the piers so no reason to throw money away there.

First visit, good service, very good food. Suggest Moroccan chicken lemon soup, Caesar salad, and a glass of rose. Hard to beat. Lovely outdoor lunch.

The wine list covers just about everything you might want. Pairings are listed for every entree and dessert. The food is correctly prepared and fresh. This is the place to relax, eat well and let the somellier do his best. Highly recommended when in San Francisco.

The food was mediocre, there were some really good drinks like the Bourbon Cobbler, but the wine list was extremely limited and service was AWFUL! From the dismissing hosts when you first walk in, to the very rude and unhelpful "I don't know if the drinks are good, I don't make them, I just serve them" waitress, I would not recommend or come back here.

We found this place by luck. It was raining and we didn't want to go far. Walked out of the Hyatt Regency and there it was. No reservations, but they sat us immediately. The food was good, nice atmoshphere.

We ate here last night ... our reservation was for 6:30 P.M., but traffic traveling from Vallejo was horrendous, and we did not get there until 7:30 P.M. There was probably 15 in our party ... but because we had telephoned and let them know we would be late, they held our table. The view here is beautiful, overlooking the clock tower in the Embarcadero (immediately next to the Hyatt). I had the baby back ribs which I thought were spectacular. My only complaint is they only have a rib-eye steak, and I prefer filet Mignon. My wife had the scallops, which were equally delicious. I cannot speak of what others had, but everyone was very satisfied with their meal.

This place was a complete surprise to me. It was suggested by a colleague when we were planning a retirement luncheon for a co-worker. It is located in Embarcadero Center which is a huge shopping and business complex in the financial district of San Francisco. The setting is contemporary; it looks like after work hours it's a great place for young professionals to meet as well as a comfortable place for informal business meetings. The lunch-time ambience is modern with a feel of the Mediterranean. The food was amazing. There were several different dishes ordered among our group and everyone raved about what they had ordered. When our food was delivered, I was struck by an odd aroma, perhaps all the Mediterranean dish aromas melding together, but once I started eating the only aroma was coming from my own very delicious meal which was a mix of seafood and chicken over rice, all with a fabulous Mediterranean flair and seasoning. The lunch portions for all of us were very generous. We also ordered some appetizers to share and they, too, were outstanding. The wait staff was extremely polite, helpful and attentive. I would definitely return and would like to try dinner there as well.

the crispy kale was good. i got a lamb burger and it was good, the fries had rosemary on them so they were not so good and 20 bucks for a burger and fries? roy had the salmon and said it was perfectly cooked and tasteless for 32 dollars. we were a group of 6 and the place was so noisy we couldnt talk. i would expect that in a bistro maybe but not an expensive restaurant...never again

4.5* Sens Mediterranean/ Spanish small plates Embarcadero 4, Promenade Level Super helpful hostess Happy Hour; little on the noisy side Tasty deviled egg Loved the hummus and tzatziki Lamb sliders and harissa chicken were good Good beer, wine, and spirit drinks; they have a killer mezcal “Vida” Friendly food server Great place for after work

The restaurant has beautiful Tuscan notes in weathered wood beams and arched brick ceilings with a great view of the Bay Bridge. Parking is also easy in the Embarcadero Center parking below, and the restaurant does validate. However, the service, although friendly, was not polished. Our waitress had to do to go get answers for fairly fundamental questions on the menu and wine list. Although there was a good pause between our appetizer course and the main, all of the mains came our only luke warm, like they had been sitting for awhile. This whole sea bass was the most successful of the dishes we ordered and if it had a been a little warmer could be outstanding. The appetizer course was more successful. The gnocchi with panacea and truffle oil was outstanding as were, to our surprise, the chicken meatballs, which were bright and flavorful. However, the octopus was only just so so. Although nice looking pieces of sea food, both of our double orders were over cooked and a bit chewy.

During the day, the restaurant is barely ok. Food and service is not really up to par. During the night, when it reopens, it seems like a nice place to be, unlit you find out how much you are paying for alcohol, and they tell you to leave the balcony just after you bought a $40 hookah round for four people, so you feel rushed and bossed around by security, and the staff is made up of truly horrible people who have no patience for you what so ever. There was also a jacket incident where a member of the staff got a customer kicked out just because her really short fuse ran out of patience for asking for his jacket back. She flipped out and told one security member to throw him out. (For trying to get his own property back?) This security guy didn't even bother listening to the customer, he just grabbed him and walked him out, just because the girl said so. The customer was not even rude in any way while he tried to plea for his jacket back. So.... the night club is cool, but there should be a complete restaffing of the place, starting with the staff at the door and coat check.

Last minute reservation but loved the food, the recommendations and our waiter was hilarious! Everything we ordered was delicious and well presented. The wine selection was spot on. I can't say enough about this restaurant, the atmosphere, and the service!

Had casual business meeting luncheon with some customers. Staff could not have been more accommodating. Food and service were well above expectations. Location along the bay was excellent.

I have been walking by this place for years and have never been here, and finally went. What a discovery. The food is very good, with an excellent wine list. A wonderful fusion of French and Moroccan - apricots stuffed with tagine, a good charcuterie plate, a goat cheese flan. A great view, and the service is impeccable. It does have a popular happy hour that goes until 8pm, so it can get a bit noisy.

Great selection of food at reasonable prices. Beautifully styled restaurant with attentive staff. Wonderful exterior dining area with views out over the bay. Must return venue!!!!!!

it was twilight, 78 degrees and I couldn't have picked a nicer spot. Outdoor seating, lovely view of the Bay, excellent service and warm atmosphere.

Location with view if ferry building and bay bridge next to the Hyatt, not to shabby. The menu has 2 pages of food, about 10 of drinks/wines etc...what does that tell you? Service was swift, thought they were trying to drown us with constant water filling. Food was ok, some complicated tastes, not large portions and the short ribs were excessively fatty. The bar is busy. Plenty of restaurants in SF so will be going elsewhere going forward but think they really promote drink here not food. Sorry.

This restaurant is close to where I work and I didn't know about it until recently. I brought my team here today for our holiday lunch and we all liked the food, ambience/location, and service. They apologized for the uneven service and gave us dessert on the house. We were surprised because we did not see anything wrong with service! I'll be back to explore the rest of the menu.

I came here with a friend and absolutely loved it. The atmosphere is hip and lively. The food was fantastic. I had the swordfish and my friend had the scallops. The seafood was so fresh! We split the heavenly cheesecake. Drinks were great as well. The service was spot on! Go here !!

Atmosphere is nice and cozy, service was excellent. Food is good but not flabbergasting (Mediterranean spreaders were not flavorful) and a little pricey

If you are downtown SF near the Embarcadero area, then their is no better place than Sens for a great happy hour. The outside patio area is especially great for views of the water. I suggest coming earlier as it gets crowded and a bit noisy.

I sat solo at the bar and was kept company with extremely friendly bar staff, a nice atmosphere and excellent local beer and food. I highly recommend the crispy olives. So delicious!! It's a little difficult to find...you have to walk/escalator up to the restaurant from the open mall area.

Good service, pick a table outside, the view is awesome. The food is really good and is good to stay long and drink wine.

We came with large company for pre ordered dinner. Service is very poor. They were unable even to bring bread and drinks simultaneously for everyone and on time. Orders were finally mixed, they forgot half of it. Food was not tasty either. Never come again

I found the lighting in this restaurant too low and the noise too loud. It was hard to have a conversation. The food was good, however the prices were hard to justify.

Very beautiful decor and excellent views. We had food and drinks at this restaurant for my birthday and I can say that the staff and the chef did not disappoint. I had the chicken entree and it was very delicious and filling. I enjoyed the atmosphere and our waitress was extremely friendly and very funny. The ambiance of the restaurant is very nice and it is very fancy. The pricing is expensive, my dish was $27, but it was well worth it. I would definitely go again if I am ever in the area again.

Our work group went to this restaurant for dinner. Our table had a great view of the Ferry Building and the Bay Bridge. The appetizers that our group ordered were very good! I especially liked the Charcuterie and the Grilled Spanish Octopus. I didn't much like the goat cheese though. There was something about the taste that didn't appeal to me. For my entree, I ordered the aged lamb, which came with the T-bone, leg, and braised shoulder. I would have to say that the T-bone was my favorite. It also came with rice and buttermilk, which were good accompaniments. For dessert, I split the Cannoli with a colleague. The Cannoli was really good and just the right amount of sweetness. The biggest downside to this restaurant in my opinion was the noise level. It was very difficult hearing what anyone in my group said, even those that were seated right across me, unless they were right beside me. This isn't a restaurant I would go to for a romantic occasion, but it is definitely good for groups. I would come back to this restaurant because of the views and the food.

Lamb sliders very good. The goat cheese phillo pastries also excellent. Happy hour from 5-8pm every day.

Enjoyed a delicious lunch there for a business meeting. I had tuna which was perfect. Everyone enjoyed the food and service was attentive. Nice location and will happily recommend and visit again.

Great place to hangout. We were there for a dinner celebration and did a reservation ahead of time. The food and the service was great although it was a bit loud because the restaurant was full but its not a big deal. Ut had a great view of the bay bridge and everything was superb!

Very slow service. We don't know what happened between appetizers & the main entree. The hummus was dry. It was just OK.

Loved everything-from the service to presentation & amazing food. The daily special - corn soup with basil oil- was amazing, as was the apricot appetizer & gnocchi. My chicken was delicious, & the scallops were cooked to perfection.

We visited Sens Restaurant at the recommendation of a friend and it turned out to be an excellent suggestion. Sens is in one of the series of concrete buildings along the Embarcadero. Don't be the least bit put off by the concrete building exterior - once you step inside the ambience is wonderful. As you walk in look up and see the neat rock dome. There is a popular bar, and the restaurant itself. Try to get a window seat, as we did, for terrific views of the Embarcadero itself. Our service was genuinely friendly, knowledgeable, and appropriately attentive. Nice job. The food was excellent. The offerings were inspired from all over the Mediterranean, with hints of Spanish Tapas and Greece. As others have commented, we received a complimentary salmon amuse to start that was a pleasant surprise. We had octopus as an appetizer and the sauce made it worthwhile. The halibut was light and flavorful. We were full by that time and passed on dessert. Sens is a very nice place for a warm evening with friends.

Came here for a business dinner, total of 5 people. We got a table by the window with view of the Embarcadero and the Bay Bridge. Got a complementary appetizer with salmon and cheese. Delicious. Service was great with good tips on the specials and recommendations for food and drinks. EVERYTHING we ordered was amazingly well cooked and delicious. Appetizers shared: grilled octopus, mix of spreads, chicken stuffed apricots. The lamb chops I ordered were amazing. We got a 2007 Campion Pinot Noir reasonably priced at $56. Great choice. (Check Vivino for reviews 4.3 rating). Deserts were great too. Go there with no hesitation. They also feature happy hour specials.

Great for a high quality, quiet lunch, or a boisterous dinner experience. Plenty of variety in their adult beverage menu.

We felt slightly intimidated by the reviews which painted a high class/ elitist picture, but were pleasantly surprised by the standards of service and the choice on the menu. Would recommend anyone to give it a try.

Nice location overlooking the Bay - but if you don't get a seat near the window you don't enjoy much of the view. The fattoush salad with chicken was outstanding. Different than other fattoush salads I gave eaten, but fabulous none the less Try it!

Sens is a beautiful restaurant near the bay, in the Embarcadero. We were seated in the room away from the windows, but could see the view and it was beautiful. We ended up being glad we were in the side room because the main room was incredibly noisy -- we were being drowned out by the people out there. I can't imagine how noisy it would be to actually be seated out there. The food was delicious. I tried the braised ribs, and it was among the best beef I've had outside the midwest. My wife had some chicken dish that I took one bite of and wanted to spit out, but she loved it -- so that counts as a win for the restaurant in my book. I don't need to love everything, just the person who orders it needs to love it, and she did. Unfortunately, the service was terrible. We would go over 20 minutes without contact with a service person. When the entrees are over $30 average, I expect to be waited on hand and foot, not ignored. Our server brought us a bunch of glasses in a stack and a bottle of water, and couldn't even be bothered to unstack the glasses, much less actually pour the water. Our drinks were routinely empty. Because of the noise, we had to shout most of the night. For these prices, I want to be able to talk, and I want to be waited on. The food, while important, is not enough to justify these prices. So who would like this place? People who have infinite money, infinite time and nowhere else to go, and don't really care about being able to talk to the people they are having dinner with, and would rather just look out the window. Who would hate it? Everyone else.

Nice restaurant, service was good. The vegetarian choice was lacking, only two choices. That said the pasta choice was tasty.

Met here for small business event. Happy hour prices for drinks were decent. The place was extremely busy on a Friday late afternoon/evening. Our waitress was doing her best, but we had to wait a long time for our flatbread orders. Had to shout at one another to be heard, but it was happy hour . My husband and I stayed on for dinner. He had the short ribs, and I had polenta. We each had a salad (big in size). Food was good. Also had half bottles of wine, which was perfect for us. The area where we were seated was quieter. Good dinner but not outstanding.

Our waiter, Javier was friendly and attentive. The food was great. I had the Spanish Octopus as a starter and it is one of the best things I have eaten. I had the Scallops for the main course and it was amazing. The view is beautiful. The Executive Chef is an artist with food.

Walked over to the Embarcadero from our nearby hotel without a general plan in mind about where to eat. Went to several places, looked at their menus but when we got to Sens, decided this was the place. I was first struck how cool the inside of the restaurant looks-it’s got stacked rock walls, rustic wood, open kitchen, NICE bar and you can see straight out to the Port of San Francisco. It was 6:30 and were seated with no wait although the restaurant appeared to be completely packed. We ordered a couple of Moscow Mules which were delicious btw. Ordered soon afterward. We had three servers and it was explained they work all the tables cooperatively FYI. Started with their endive salad-excellent. Entree: Campanelli pasta-Matsutake mushrooms, spinach, Calabrian chili, gunciale, Kalamata olives, Parmesan cheese. I love extra spicy hot flavors but warning to those more sensitive, it’s pretty spicy. Lots of kalamata olives, I was in heaven. Friendly, efficient servers, beautiful setting, generous servings, sharp & bright flavors, delicious drinks. Two suggestions for improvement-figure out how to bring the decibels down (some barriers or soundproofing?) could barely have a conversation. Also it’s SOOO dark, I had to use my phone’s flashlight to read the menu.

Nothing special about this place, although views and outdoor patio are nice. But I can enjoy views while enjoying a drink just about anywhere. Food was very buttery and alternated between bland and overly seasoned. It's a nice place if you want to relax near the water, but don't go in with high (or even moderate) expectations for the food.

Great place to grab a cocktail and lounge with a view of the Ferry Building. Drink prices aren't cheap but they sure are strong and taste good!

Cool interior and good facilities with attentive staff and a good drinks list. Difficult to find on 2nd floor but well worth the climb

Had a wonderful dinner looking at the bay. I had the soup and salad while my friend demolished the scallops. Very innovative menu. Servers who swirled around attentively. The dessert however was the best! Steps outside of Hyatt Regency. Would go again.

I've had two "Business Lunches" here so far (they are 3-course Prixe Fixe lunches offered from 12noon-2pm). On both occasions, the soups and entrees were extremely salty. On the second visit, I mentioned it to the server and she replied, "Yes, these dishes tend to be on the rich side." I guess that is one way to put it :) Otherwise, it is a beautiful restaurant with amazing views of the bridge. I still have't given up on the hope that I will one day have a decent meal there.

Top Service Wine and Food. Great Pork Belly! Vegetarian option didn't smack of a token must have. The Ceasar actually contained anchovies. Alejandro was an exceptional waiter.

This is one of those nice restaurants where it does not feel strange to eat by yourself. The wait staff it’s nice and the food is really tasty and well thought out.

Thought the staff tried very hard to please all demands. Room was wonderful, could see the Bay Bridge. The food was good.

Our large group of friends and business colleagues chose Sens for a celebratory dinner, with a pre-set menu served family style. This was a great choice - here are a few of the things I liked: - the food was high quality and served at a good pace - the wait staff were efficient - friendly, attentive, not invasive - the long tables in a private room made it reasonably easy to have conversations of perhaps four to six - the atmosphere was casual and comfortable, not formal or stiff I also lived that it was right next to the Hyatt Regency where most of us were staying, so no need to step out into the rain. I'd be interested in visiting again in a smaller group.

In decline and overpriced i used to like this restaurant but the prices have really become excessive, going up every time I have been there (I live nearby) and some of them really seem profiteering. And it's become more crowded and noisy with a focus on drinking. When asked for bread (none at all had been supplied) they brought one small pita slightly toasted and cut in quarters and we found an extra $2 on our bill. When we ordered a $20 charcuterie (said "house made but seemed typical Italian meats) which came with 4 tiny tasted pieces of bread, another 4 small pieces -- still insufficent -- added another 42 charge. Food was OK and we avoided wines at up to $400 or so for a bottle.

Met and succeeded all expectations. Beautiful view, great food, and fabulous cocktails. Excellent service. No complaints.

The outdoor area is very nice, but even inside gives a feeling of being outside with the open walls. The food is good, with a nice amount of kick to some of the items. They start you off with break accompanied by an assortment of olives, a nice touch. We had the Moroccan chicken soup (a special that day), the butter lettuce salad, and the free range chicken. All were quite good in quality and prep, the salad very generously sized so if we had added a protein would have been an satisfying entree by itself. The chicken had a unique (in a good way) sauce. Staff was friendly and attentive.

The title of the review indicates why we visited recently. The cocktails, wines, etc. are standard issue but the seating - outside on the patio, with a great view of the Ferry Building and bay - is incomparable. Food was limited to bar snacks, which are average. Inside seemed like the standard noise fest.

I've had great happy hour times here with reasonably priced bites and great service that was attentive. We went for dinner and it was sorely lacking - Given the price of the entrees ($40+) I expected table service that was professional. We got a gentlemen who was never around, neglected to place our app order, and it felt more like you were at a extremely overpriced diner. Lunch, yes. Happy hour, yes again. Dinner? Unless you have money to waste and don;t mind indifferent service, stay away.

there are a lot of tasteful dishes that can be shared with friends... I suggest this place to travelers who want to try different dishes. You are able to order different foods and to share.

Really impressed with this restaurant. The atmosphere is fantastic, the decor is great and you can see the sparkling bridge lights from inside the restaurant. We sampled several different appetizers, the meatballs and the Mediterranean hummus plate. Some of the hummus dips were a little strange but overall a tasty dish. I had the whole chicken dish with the kale and penne pasta. It was cooked nicely and the chicken was tender. The Quail was a special dish for the evening which was enjoyed by my fellow diner. The service was very attentive until the end of the meal in which it did taper off. I can't say that I would hold that against them much, as it was very busy. Definitely get reservations before you go, I would recommend for business or personal. I would definitely go back!

This restaurant is located in the Embarcadero Center, a few feet from the Hyatt. As a result, the clientele when we visited was large groups of people traveling on business, probably escaping the Hyatt, for a meal on their employer's dime. The noise level, with 4-5 tables of 10 people or more each was very loud, and the single tables are narrow and three feet long, so your dining companion is nowhere close enough to you to hear well. It's the last place you'd go for a relaxing, romantic dinner. There is a major focus here on selling you expensive wine. The food is Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Moroccan and the focus is more on presentation than the fine points of taste and texture. I started with a tomato soup special, which was ok, but not hot, just warm. My partner ordered the lemon chicken soup, which he liked. We followed with a series of small plates, starting with apricots stuffed with chicken tagine, with some pistachios. The dish was ok, but again, just warm and not hot, and the apricot/chicken, while spiced ok, tasted just tired. The second plate was actually good: goat cheese wrapped in crispy phyllo, with fresh fruit and honey. The fruit and cheese were really good together. The last plate was chicken meatballs with harissa on top, surrounded by Israeli couscous. They were ok, but nothing exciting. The whole meal was nothing exciting, and it was only exacerbated by poor service. We had been there an hour before the small plates were served, and our waitress was absent taking care of large tables and repeatedly apologizing when she finally showed up. I wouldn't recommend this place.

I still have hope for this restaurant. The space is beautiful! The service needs some work, and the menu just doesn't QUITE come together for me. It seems like it tries to be something, but just never gets there. Some things I tried were great, but others just missed completely. Maybe more time will help!

I had dinner in this restaurant last January 9, 2018 with some of my colleagues in the office. To be honest, a restaurant with a bar does not really appeal much to me but this restaurant is an exception. Ambience: -The restaurant is located at the 3rd floor of a building near Bart station at Embarcadero St. - From the restaurant's glass windows, you will sea the nice view of Bay Bridge and the San Francisco port at night with all its shining beauty -The restaurant's wooden furniture added to the character of the whole place Food: -I ordered a Coke to drink but I was sent with a Mexican cola with cane sugar as sweetener. I must say it tasted sweeter than the real Coke but I like it - maybe because it was different. -Food in general was okay. I did not like it that much but I also did not hate it. Service: -We were down for dessert so we ordered but did not come. We cancelled it anyway since it was too late in the evening already. Cost: -Decent but not cheap -I don't know if you would consider a $30 meal without drink a cheap option. I did not. Overall - I will probably go back to this resto again for the ambience and nothing else.

This was our old hangout after work for drinks and music years ago. Now we met again at the same restaurant, under new ownership, new name, new menu. Delicious food, excellent service, great view. It is a busy lunch venue for professionals, but we had reservations. Our waiter was wonderful and always came by to ask how we were doing and if we needed more. I had a lamb burger and my friend had gnocchi. Both were interesting and flavorful - with middle eastern spices. We drank fun fruit and mint seltzer waters - that they offer in different flavors. Great place to eat with a view of palm trees and the piers.

Pluses: Gorgeous food (we had appies and they were all amazing: lamb meatballs, sliders, kababs, etc). View. We were on the patio and it had a beautiful view of the Golden Gate bridge while the sun was setting. Decor. It is sumptuous and lush. Minus: I had the feeling that they were trying to rush us off the patio. They must had told us 10 times they close at 9. Then a staff member basically kicked us out when we had already communicated that we knew what time they close and we would leave in time. (We left at 8:55.) Having a background in the service industry, I find this to be unacceptable treatment of clients. Otherwise I would definitely rank this restaurant at a 5 (possibly higher). My request if someone from the management of the restaurant is reading this... Please either: close the patio earlier; request your staff to communicate to clients one time when the patio closes; create something else that allows your clients to have an exceptional service experience (at least mediocre). Thank you

We love the apricots with chicken, the amazing chocolate ganache dessert, the very fresh salads. The view of the wharf and the Bay Bridge add even more ambience to the California-style decor.

Only had drinks and appetizers but both were well worth it. Especially liked the specialty drinks at the bar. We did not stay for dinner so I can't talk about the food, but the appetizers we sampled were excellent.

Loved food. Did not like noise level on Friday night. Perhaps better for lunch. I returned 4 times, I think.

Interesting menu that encompasses the entire Mediterranean region from Spain to the Near East. Also included some classic springtime American ingredients--ramps and morels. It's steps outside the Hyatt Embarcadero. Noise level seemed loud at first but we had a nice quiet room for a business meeting.

Had the scallops with risotto for dinner on the visit and my hubby had the ribeye steak and we both enjoyed the meal and the restaurant ambience. Vinny served us and he was a lot of fun and made good recommendations on food. Place has a decent view of the Bay bridge too.

We had a special party menu here, but if the regular menu is as good you can't go wrong. Its some of the best pork tenderloin I've ever had..... The staff serving us was wonderful and very patient with us. A very good experience overall

Twelve of us sat at a long table and had an excellent dinner, from cocktails to hors d'oeuvres to entrees to dessert. Service was good, and the setting is attractive, with a view of the bay and the Ferry Building.

The bar food is better than the dinner menu. I have eaten here on 4-5 different occasions and always ended up at Eclipse Cafe at the Hyatt Regency around the corner.

I booked what were refereed to as "private meeting rooms" at this restaurant for 3 functions each between 30 and 50 people and spent around $7,000 during the space of 1 week. The functions were business meetings with presentations which was made clear to the events manager Jackie from the start but the rooms were simply not fit for purpose. The La Marsa room is open on one side to the kitchen so it was impossible for anyone to hear what was being said and the room is an impossible shape to host a presentation and not everyone could see the screen. The La Biada Lounge is better from a sound point of view but is essentially a conservatory so was unbearably warm and too bright to show a presentation. None of these aspects were mentioned to me during the booking. ***Be warned - the venue is not suitable for business meetings.***

Having had a long walk along the Piers and still bring stuffed after a huge lunch we were looking for something lighter and came across Sens... We were immediately seated in the bar area for tapas and had beautiful views of the Bay Bridge and Ferry Building by night.... Service was prompt and polite and recommendations were offered ... We settled upon a beef skewers with spicy Hungarian sausage, beautiful blue prawns in garlic, juicy lamb sliders with a tomato jam and a white mushroom flatbread. Portion sizes were good, ingredients fresh, seasoning great and plates well presented. Great wine selection at good prices too.... A winner!

*This review is specific to the NYE event.* DO NOT come here for special events, what a mess! The event page presented itself as a classy & fun place to bring in 2023 - boy were we wrong. We waited for drinks for 40 mins because they had 4 total bartenders for hundreds of guests with a hosted bar... 1 bartender was drunk and taking shots instead of serving guests. The lines for the restroom were insanely long, fights broke out, and the terrace was nice but was so overcrowded that people couldn't even exit! It was evident that the hosts were just trying to make a quick buck. Don't waste your time!

Yummy, great atmosphere. Nice Mediterranian food Great Staff! Mon - Fri open. So weekend dining is out.

I like to have a few drinks on happy hours with my colleagues and friends on the terrace. The menu is ok for appetizers, the service can be sketchy - seriously it's a hang out place, if you are not with the right crowd the food is not impressive.

Loved our dinner here. The restaurant was busy without seeming crowded. Service was excellent. The middle eastern menu was interesting and varied and every single dish was delicious. Very convenient location at Embarcadero Center. The only problem was we couldn't try everything on the menu and didn't have room for dessert.

I love scallops and the taste along with the presentation was incredible. The menu is very. I believe ther were less than 10 items. The wine list is huge and there are many good choices. Overall I thought it was good. The staff were friendly and the service was satisfactory.

The place was packed, so the staff was incredibly busy. Had to flag our waiter down a few times for service for our 8+ table but he had a good attitude. The lamb sliders were tasty and so were the crispy olives!

Paella with a view of the Ferry Building? Count me in! I work a block from here and it is definitely one of the nicer places to go to for lunch. If you were here during Superbowl week, you would've gotten a view of the entirety of Superbowl city from the window. In terms of the food, I got the paella which could have had a little less red bell pepper and the fried olives. I plan on coming back for the flatbread at some point!

Excellent food and service. Expensive but not unreasonable. Large salad, glass of wine and sea scallops were $80 USD but the food was excellent and the service very good.

Their lamb burger is justly famous and is moist, flavorful and slightly spicy. The fries looked good but were too salty. My husband loved his chicken lavash wrap even though he doesn't usually like wraps. The view toward the Bay Bridge was great and the service was very good (except for the front desk staff who took a long time to seat us in a fairly empty restaurant and gave us one dinner menu instead of a lunch menu). We would like to return, perhaps for dinner, to try other menu items.

Went here for a surprise baby shower dinner with some friends. The restaurant atmosphere is very nice and situated in a nice area of the Embarcadero. The food was not bad but it felt like you did not get what you paid for.

Nice walk from Financial District hotels, near ferry building and nice views. Food was excellent, accommodated our very large group with amazing service. One negative. I ordered the fish entree, and the side was croquets with pork belly. Typically those of us who stick to fish dishes, are not the ones who would enjoy pork belly !!

It was walking distance to my hotel and I met a friend for dinner. The ambiance is really nice, quite a big restaurant. The margarita was very good. We shared a few plates. The salad was amazing. One of my friends had chicken and the other the meat balls and they also enjoyed it.

We went with another couple on June 2 for dinner. The service was slow to start. Three of us ordered the Sea Bass with couscous, French green lentils, citrus. My wife asked for potatoes instead of the couscous. I ordered it and told the server that I could not have dairy. She said there was a little butter in couscous, and I told her that was fine. The other lady ordered the Sea Bass is it was described. About 20-30 minutes later, the server comes to the table advises that 3 of the 4 dishes were ready, and they planned to serve them. She told us that the Sea Bass for the other lady would arrive 10 minutes later. We objected to this, but the food was served anyways. The server brought a snack to the lady that had to wait which she did not care for. The 4th dish did show up 10 minutes after the rest of our meals. We did not receive Sea Bass. It was a whole Branzino which was not described on the menu (I later saw this on their website). Sea Bass normally is served as a filet, not a whole fish with head and tail, and bones. If we had known dish was Branzino, we never would have ordered it. Mine also came with the potatoes that I did not order. No one ever checked with us after the meals were delivered. After some time, we asked for the manager. Mr. Eskander Bouzidi came to our table and identified himself as one of the owners. He apologized for the poor service. He said he would not charge for the "Sea Bass" that was served late. However, he did nothing else to credit the bill. We had to pay for the fish we did not order which was outrageous. Since we did not get the food we ordered, and we will never return.

The Sens menu is not extensive, but everything we ate was delicious, and had just a hint of "what is that flavor" to keep it innovative. The scallops were perfectly cooked, and quite special. The short ribs were falling-off-the-bone tender, and served with parsnips. Parsnips are delicious-who knew? And the chicken! Wow!

Went here with a few co-workers while in San Francisco for business. Management was extremely helpful and accommodating to our large group with a last minute reservation. Absolutely loved the food and the front view of the Ferry Building is absolutely breathtaking especially during sunset. I would definitely recommend this for couples, business people, or solo dinners. Not so sure if it would be an ideal family restaurant.

We were staying at the Hyatt for a friends birthday. (Small party at Sens). We loved it so much we went back a couple nights later. Menu isn't huge, but the choices cater to a variety of tastes. Wine list very good. Beautiful patio with great waterfront views. Staff very attentive. We all loved it!

Visiting San Francisco, a favorite city, once a year for the past 5 or so and being denizens of the Ferry Building we have on occasion looked up at Sens across the way and said-"we should try that one day". One day recently came in the first week of July. We invited a couple of SF friends to join us for lunch and made a reservation for 2 pm. We were there on time and were greeted warmly and escorted to a table on the outdoor patio right by the rooftop wall, thus giving us a nice view of our Ferry Building, shining in the sun, she got her hair swept back and her Wayfarers on ...(sorry got carried away there). A perfect sunny SF day. We ordered drinks-a club soda and a German beer for me, in need of thirst-quenching. We heard from our friends via text that they were in traffic....The waiter reminded us that the kitchen closes for lunch at 2.30....we waited expectantly and at 2.25 they came running in and we were able to place orders. Conversation was possible out there-the opposite is one of my pet peeves with indoor restaurants. It helps to have no roof! Drinks- Club Soda $2, Iced tea $3.50 and my German Weissbier-Hefeweisen on draught $7. We both had falafel as our appetizer while across the table one had yogurt spread on flatbread ($7). The falafel arrived on a wooden board and was scrumptious and didn't stay long before the board was cleared of every satisfying crumb. A rest between courses and a chance to sip our cold drinks and chat. Our server, Joseph was always nearby to clear away and tend to our needs. The ladies each ordered a salad-one a Fattoush ($10) and the other a Market salad ($13). I again defaulted to my steak frites mode with a grilled Angus skirt steak ($25) with some rosemary/ sea salt fries and boy did they hit the spot. The steak, medium, was dispatched in a flurry of deft, focused, knife and fork-work. It also had some leafy greens and some dry Manchego slivers. I'm glad I ordered it. My gentleman friend across from me declared a liking for his lamb burger with Manchego cheese, caramelized onions and those rosemary fries ($13). So four happy diners, liking the food, the service and the ambiance up on the outdoor terrace, shaded by an umbrella. Only one of us had the appetite for dessert and it was a doozy- a pear and walnut Baklava with ice cream $8. I am definitely ordering one of those next visit ( I was given a taste and it was sublime, even though served on another wooden board for whatever reason) Total bill for the food and drinks was $124 for four but then there was $11 in tax and $4 SF Healthy tax applied-so $139 before tip. We already have a reservation for our next visit a week from now when we return to SF for a weekend break. Nice lunch, Sens!

Apart from the view of the pier and sections of the Bay Bridge, the food is really so so. We asked for medium rare for the Rib Eye and it turned out to be slightly burnt outside.

Unique/tasty dishes, nicely presented, very good service, nice view of the waterfront area...overall a very pleasant experience.

Each time I am in SF I try to get at least one meal (lunch or dinner) at Sens. The menu has healthy and tasty choices. The octopus appetizer is one of my favorites, they change it up from time to time. The view is incredible overlooking the Embarcadero and Ferry Building with a great line of sight to the Bay Bridge. You won't be disappointed with Sens!

This is our second time eating at this restaurant. The first time we happened in during a busy time and ate at the bar. We had sandwiches which were unforgettable. Bar tender was friendly. So when we needed a place to have our anniversary dinner we went back. We had a table at the window. Lovely rack of lamb. This is our new go-to place when we're in the Embarcadero area of San Francisco.

Sens was convenient, but we made the reservation with no great excitement. The food had gotten good reviews, but the service was panned, and the atmosphere was billed as Yuppies making noise. On entering, there was a robust meet-and-greet in the bar, but we were shown to a very nice table at the windows overlooking the Ferry Building and the Bay Bridge, and turned over to Javier as our server. He was consistently great: friendly and solicitous without being familiar, offering details on how things were made and how knowledgeable customers received the dishes. He split a shared salad without being asked to. He was great; he would have been a star at ANY restaurant. And then the food... We really like Moroccan and we think of ourselves as knowledgeable diners. We're enthusiastic, not picky, but not blown-away by the everyday. This was far from everyday. Three of our four dishes were five-star worthy: Te Fattoush Salad, the Baked apricots stuffed with Chicken Tagine, and the Octopus. All were beautiful presentations of great food. Our main, the half chicken, was very, very good - crispy skin and nice flavor served with a potato-onion cake and some excellent spinach, but the chicken was a trifle chewy for our taste. With glass of Proseco, the bill was under $80 including tax. With an appropriate tip for great service, we walked out for under $100 for a meal we would willingly have paid much more for. In this location and price range, we couldn't have been happier.

We had lots of different appetizers. They were all very good and great new things to try. It can be crowded and loud and a bit pricey, otherwise it would be 5 stars.

Sens starts by offering a great happy hour deck with great views of bay bridge and ferry buildings. The house Cabernet, an Alexander Valley Vineyards was excellent. We moved to a dinner table and had variety of appetizers: the hummus and clams were excellent. For dinner I had the Osso Bucco which was tender and tasty. The waiter was outstanding, the view wonderful, the variety was vast and the wine was an excellent value.

A friend and I met up with my daughter for a quick glass of wine at 5:00 pm. Although it was happy hour, we did not partake of the fabulous appetizers, but they looked amazing and were priced reasonably. We enjoyed glasses of wine! The place is full of vitality and very trendy! A fun atmosphere, but a bit noisy for me inside — I’m 67. But outside was delightful. Hats off to our waitress, Patricia. I like freshly opened wine and explained this to Patricia. Bless her! She found what I wanted and even brought an unopened bottle to my table, opened it for me, and poured me a glass. I so appreciate a waiter or waitress that goes beyond the call of service. Thank you, Patricia! And yes, I’ll be back to dine at Sens,

We hosted about 14 people in the La Marsa room, which is located at the back, so there’s no view of the Ferry Building or the Bay Bridge, but the trade-off was well worth it for much easier conversation with the significantly lower noise level compared to the main dining area. The space could easily accommodate more people as described on their site and it’s nice. Service: excellent, professional and super pleasant! Our head waiter Seena is great as are all of the other wait staff. Note: they’re very responsive to vegetarian and allergy requests. Food: delicious and plentiful! We had flatbreads and Mediterranean spreads which are excellent starters. The Mixed Baby Lettuces salad was a 100% hit and is a huge serving. The apples, cranberries and almonds combined with the sherry vinaigrette dressing is outstanding! Because they serve family style, I personally tried the Grilled Angus Shoulder Filet in red wine sauce, the Pan Roasted Salmon and the Grilled Chicken Salsa Verde. They’re all scrumptious. Final veggie comment: you have to try the Roasted Delta Asparagus with Romesco sauce! I ate a ton. The Chocolate Almond cake is good & the Meyer Lemon Pudding put a pucker and smile on a few faces. I highly recommend Sens.

We had an early dinner on a Thursday night. Active bar trade with some noise. But our food was very good and service was attentive. Stuffed eggplant, halibut, and butter lettuce salad were quite good. Near Ferry Bldg on the Embarcadero is idea stop for public transportation

Excellent food, however so noisy (even without ambient music) I struggled to hear our table conversation.

We had a good diner. We had appetizers humus with pita bread, salad, and a chicken served on top of lentils. The Tiramisu dessert was excellent. Although I did not drink wine my family enjoyed the selection.

My husband and I ate dinner at this wonderful restaurant March 10, 2008 and discovered their different menu items with lamb, vegetables, mediterranean spices and yogurt. They have nice combinations of meats and vegetables with fennel, coriander, tzatziki,tahini and herbs. The dinner was so good, we went back for lunch and the flat bread was awesome as were the ribs and nettle and manouri manti. If you're lloking for nice atmosphere and a reasonably price dinner with an unusual take on Mediterranean food, this is the place!

Great food, wine, service and ambiance. We ordered scallops, swordfish, short ribs, mushroom soup and gnocchi. Paired with a bottle of Super Tuscan and we could not ask for more. Thank you for a delightful evening!

Excellent, varied menu. Lunch is a better bet price wise and the fried olives, which are much, much better than they sound, are only available then, but the stuffed apricots at dinner were another of those unexpected flavors that make you say "oh!" Dinner tends to be pricier and noisier but every dish was a delight. The French/Mediterranean marriage of flavors is a happy one. It's too noisy to have much conversation across the table, but I will certainly go back,

We had a small group here for a school reunion. Maybe 25. Drinks were good, with attentive staff. The food was tasty - lamb burger sliders, grilled veggies, Dungeness crab cakes, flat bread. All with an individual Mediterranean taste. The views over the square of the Port of San Francisco and out over the water was exquisite as the sun set, the sky was stunning. Would love to go again for a full meal

When i lived in SF, i was here 2/3 times per week. Great for business lunches for people from out of town as the views are stunning and the service is quick. Sitting at the bar though and enjoying Matthew's company is another aspect to it, again, quick service and great drinks. And the patio area outside is just perfect for the warmer days SF has to offer. Overall, great spot.

The food was delicious but the service was very poor. During the busy lunch hour out server seemed overwhelmed with the small amount of tables he was covering. The kitchen was very slow. The food was excellent if you are not pressed for time.

In one of the most competitive restaurant cities in America, Sens rests comfortably in the upper second tier: not quite trendy, not pushing the foodie envelope, but jeez, what they do make is so darn tasty that you might just want to check your food snobbery at the door. The restaurant riffs off of mediterranean, asian, and american contemporary styles, to excellent effect. The wine list is excellent, and we particularly enjoyed the large list of half bottles. The service was excellent. Yes, it's rather expensive, but if you are lost in the Embarcadero Center concrete maze, find this place, and have an appetite, it is worth a visit.

Decent Mediterranean food, but I think Troya in the Inner Richmond is better. Sens has a great patio and nice views of the Ferry Building, so it's great to go there with friends.

We recently held an office party at this restaurant. Walking in, you are hit with the gorgeous views of the lights from the Bay Bridge and Ferry Building. The staff was very attentive and accommodating. The food served was excellent. As I was not ordering off of a menu, I cannot attest to that, but the food I tasted was very good.

Sens has a nice feel to the decor and atmosphere, and the food is decent although not particularly special. Ok if you're in the area, but wouldn't make a special trip.

We were three friends meeting up for lunch. The food was hit and miss. K loved her lamb burger. My chicken sandwich started with meh chicken, picked veg on top not very pickled. Fries not appealing too me either and I love fries. D ate his Caesar salad but his chicken came on the bone and again the quality was ? We all loved the humus appetizer. My biggest dissatisfaction was the service. It took forever to get water and drinks. Waitress never checked back in. The view was great by window table. Overall I wouldn’t return.

A very nice place in the Embarcadero on the 3rd floor facing out over the Ferry Terminal and the Bay. Great food and reasonably priced for the location and quality. Service was excellent despite a heavy business lunch crowd. The food was also top notch.i let my server pick and was delighted.