The Richmond Reviews

I've been here many times and every time it's a combination of great food, intimate atmosphere and very reasonable prices. Chef comes to every table to ensure everything is fine and asking for feedback. Food is always consistently good. They also do a great job with groups (which is not easy). Last time we had a group of 5 but before that I had several business functions (group of 20 once and group of 15 another). The space is combination of 2 small-medium size rooms so it is still not a large space all together.

Restaurant was selected by a guest based on her prvious experience We were very pleased. Orders were taken by the chef/owner. Varied menu. We had 3 different entrees: steak, pork and fish. All were nicely cooked. Appetizers were excellent especially the corn pudding Nice selection of desserts. Very attentive service. Would like to go back and try other items.

Son and fiancee brought us to this little place in Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco. Was an old store front with tables separated by large curtain. We had a table in the front window, which was fun. John, the owner and chef took our order. He was great. Funny. Made a special meal for my vegan spouse, and we hadn't even called ahead. Meals were terrific for all. Ambiance terrific. It's a little out of the way and tough to park in this mostly residential neighborhood. Uber over and enjoy a great meal.

Our friend, a foodie from down the Peninsula booked this place and what a delight. Chef John was everything, from taking orders, recommending and serving the wine, to cooking. Great story telling regarding his hectic daily routine. Serving no nonsense and yummy dish after dish. We only have time for the three-course meal as our booking was late in the evening, but the five-course definitely sounds good and very reasonably priced (you will probably need to secure an earlier booking to finish it all). A small seven-table establishment, however the chef owner made it clear that he will space out bookings for the side by side tables so that to maximise privacy, what a great thought.

Richmond is relatively small restaurant which is divided by drapes to provide a private setting for each diner. Host and chef John provided great detail about each dish which is characterized by elaborate sauces similar those would find in a fine French restaurant. Our dinner consisted of three appetizers, tomatoes, a crabcake ,and scallop appetizer with a salmon main course. We chose a separate wine for each. We were very happy with both the service and food and the very reasonable cost.

The Richmond is one of those neighborhood gems that make San Francisco such a great food town. Wonderful food and wine paring by the very caring husband (chef) and wife (hostess) owners. The food is wonderful and the wine list is one of the best––and reasonably priced in the city. Highly recommended. Oh! And parking? Take a cab.

The Richmond is our family and friends' favorite neighborhood restaurant. Get the 3-course prix fix for $38 per person. We always do that. Here are the dishes we have tried and always enjoyed: Appetizers: -Vegetable and goat cheese terrine -Beet salad with cardamom infusion -Braised short rib with seared scallop, on top of polenta -Crab cake with spinach, bacon and one thousand island dressing Entrees: -New York steak (my 2 best friends and hubby always get this one) -Salmon and shrimp fritters -Duck with mashed potatoes and vegetables -Pork Deserts: panna cotta or icecream with chocolate cake I had a birthday dinner for my husband here in February. Everyone had the following dishes: Vegetable and goat cheese terrine on top of corn sauce Braised short rib and seared scallop atop polenta Bread and spread Bubbling wine, white and red wines A choice of New York steak or salmon and shrimp fritter Pink lady cake from Schubert (I ordered & paid for in advance. John the owner and chef did the pick-up and serving.) Coffee and tea for everyone. All guests were happy and satisfied, raving about the food. John and Thu Ha, the husband-and-wife owners are nice and attentive to each diner. Do make a reservation on opentable.com and give it a try. They only do dinners and are often booked up in advance.

Friends recommended this spot in the Inner Richmond district of San Francisco, not too far from Golden Gate park. An excellent neighborhood restaurant - organic California cuisine. The food is very good and very reasonably priced. The wine list is very good. I was impressed with the service. Highly recommended. Worth the visit to the Inner Richmond.

What a gem of a neighborhood spot! We love it. Very intimate and great food. You will not be disappointed.

Excellent small restaurant, friendly staff nice ambiance, reasonable with great wine list. Often go never disappoints

The Richmond has an unassuming storefront, in a quiet neighborhood. We were seated in a window "booth" offering us privacy thanks to a velvet curtain. We were offered tiny mushroom-filled puff pastries as a complimentary "amuse-gueule" and bread with 3 little pots of butter: olive, sea salt, and parsley. We shared appetizers: crab cakes with a potato coulis, potato puff pastry and short ribs with one diver scallop. As entrees, we had; "shake and bake" chicken, a riff on Cordon Bleu with risotto; hanger steak with Swiss chard and potato "grits"; and salmon with a variety of vegetables.

The Richmond is a very good restaurant in San Francisco located in the Inner Richmond area. I had read positive comments from various sources about this restaurant and it certainly turned out to be true. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The wine list is well priced. The food is of a very good standard and competitively priced. The portion sizes are large so there certainly is value for money there. We left the restaurant full and more than glad that we visited the Richmond. I would have no hesitation in recommending this restaurant. It is only a short walk from Golden Gate Park, so after you have finished visiting the museums the Richmond is not a bad place to end up.

In San Francisco to visit family. They suggested The Richmond on Balboa and off we went. Superb dinner and reasonably priced (4 adults, 2 bottles of wine, tax and tip $230). The food was very special and we all will return again. Tim and his wife Thu run a wonderful restaurant which is worthy of seeking out. Bravo and thank you. Scott and Mary

We loved this restaurant. Walked over after touring the fabulous Cezanne et al. exhibit at the nearby DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park. The service was friendly and professional/ the chef came out more than once to be sure everyone was enjoying the food!; the wine recommendation, right on target; and the food....ah, yes.... To start there were heritage tomatoes w/corn and avocado salsa, great combination; and fois gras on pain perdu (french for french toast!); then came meltingly tender short ribs on smoooooth potato puree; generous serving of perfectly cooked rack of lamb; shared dessesrt of coffee ice cream w/espresso granita and almond rocca. I'll say it again: DEE-licious. And all for a reasonable price (for San Francisco). Try it, you'll like it!

For our monthly "Guys Night Out" we selected the Richmond and enjoyed everything about the experience. The chef / owner is friendly, knowledgeable and pleasant. The entrees (duck, salmon, pork) were well prepared and presented and generous in size and very reasonably priced for this level of dining in San Francisco. Deserts were excellent. We had brought our own wine (Gevrey Chambertin, 2005) and had a long chat about it with the chef (and left him some to try!)

Rented an apt. in this district which is convenient to public transportation, Golden Gate Park, etc. and you can get anywhere in the city. It is full of great little shops and a wide array of restaurants - we had Burmese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, etc. and all were good. Just a pleasant neighborhood ambience with lots of friendly people.

Great food and wine in an intimate setting. the owner is rightfully very proud and very involved with making sure his guests have a great experience. I asked about gluten free and it was not an issue. oh and all this is at a great price.

Update Oct 2018 Wife and I came here for the second time this year and we were equally impressed with the food, wine, and service as the first time. This is a small, intimate restaurant which seems to be run by the owner who also seems to be the chef, and one woman, whom he called his niece. There are curtains for each table providing excellent privacy. The Richmond has two sets of tasting menus – a three course dinner with choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert ($40, wine pairing $35), and a fixed five course ($75, wine pairing $45). Everyone at the same table must have either the three or five course menu. We opted for the five course because it had seared foie gras, my favorite. We also had wine pairing. The owner came with complimentary pinot grigio which was crisp and dry and very satisfying and an amuse de bouche potato and leek soup which was delicate and delicious. These were followed by two more appetizers and entrees which were outstandingly delicious with wonderful sauces and blends of flavors. Particularly memorable were the shrimp fritters, seared foie gras, and oxtail/mushroom ravioli. The dessert, coffee semifreddo was inventive and satisfying both as dessert and coffee. Even though the restaurant filled up, the service was quite prompt and friendly if unhurried. Low volume oldies background music was also appreciated. Overall another delightful dining experience. Certainly will be back.

Family party of five for birthday celebration. Three courses, all well prepared. Attentive friendly service. The atmosphere was as good as the food, with curtains suggesting private dining rooms. The combination BFF was a distinctive and enjoyable experience.

The menu was well varied despite offering only about 6 appetizers and 7 entrees. The intriguing melange of flavors made each dish a delight. The ingredients tasted very fresh. The owners and staff were beyond friendly and attentive, helping us choose dishes and wines, and were present at all the right times. They encouraged us to linger and enjoy the meal. The prices were reasonable for food and wine. The scarcity of parking in this neighborhood is the only drawback, which Lyft or Uber would be glad to solve.

The food and service at this restaurant are very good. The staff is small - only 3 on the night we were there, and the chef personally discussed the menu and wine options with us. The room can be divided with velvet curtains, which created our own private space in the front bay window. If you like noisy, open, see and be seen restaurants, this is not for you. But perfect for a special couples evening, or getting together with a group of friends.

Due to its proximity to Golden Gate Park, especially to the De Young and Academy of Sciences, I've eaten at this restaurant many times and have enjoyed it a great deal every time. A small place that makes good use of ceiling to floor curtains to create privacy, the food is outstanding and the chef takes great pride in coming to your table to solicit feedback. Excellent wine list, nice variety of European and American inspired dishes, wonderful desserts. Prices are reasonable especially since it is a white tablecloth-style place. That being said, it is also a casual, neighborhood place that I've worn jeans to.

A truly wonderful experience. Food (especially the soup and the lamb main course) and service are excellent. Amazing value for money. Can't wait to go back!

Love this place! We ordered the 3-course tasting menu consisting of the crab cake with spinach salad, braised oxtail with scallop on polenta, duck leg with mashed potatoes, salmon and shrimp fritter, panna cotta with lemon curd, apple crisp with vanilla ice cream, and a surprise coffee semifreddo to celebrate our anniversary. The crab cake appetizer was large enough for 2 or as an entrée for 1 even. Everything was delicious and prepared to perfection. John poured a taste of a lovely Rose for our appetizer course, and we enjoyed a tasty pinot noir for our main course. We were seated in an area in the back where there are only 2 tables, and the other party wasn't scheduled to arrive until after we were gone, so we had the area to ourselves, which was romantic, cozy, and dark. John was the epitome of service--he defines it! He's honest, helpful, and attentive. The only reason I gave service 4 stars instead of 5 is because the "assistant" server was just OK. She didn't give us menus, extra bread, or ask us whether we wanted coffee or another beverage to have with dessert. Aside from that, this place is top notch! Parking wasn't an issue either, though our reservation was for 6pm. I highly recommend The Richmond and will be going back for our next special occasion! Thank you, John!

Came here with some co-workers and had a great 3 course pre-fixe meal, which I highly recommend. Had some a great scallop w/short rib appetizer, duck leg with mashed potatoes for the entree, and a coffee icecream dessert (don't quite remember the name of it). The three courses will more than fill you up, while the meal is extremely affordable (~$34 for the 3 courses). Parking is a bit rough here, since it's a heavy residential area, but def worth a visit!

This is a great small restaurant in the Richmond section of SF. Friendly staff, attentive service, beautifully prepared and presented food. Both a la carte and priz fix menu, nice wine selection really reasonably priced. Try to reserve one of the two "private" tables - cozy!

I like this restaurant because it is very small and warm. My husband thinks it is expensive for the food you actually get. The owners are very nice. The restaurant is kind of hidden away on Balboa street in SF. I like the fact that they are committed to using local organic vegetables.

It's rare to find an intimate owner/chef run restaurant with great food. Even more rare to find a restaurant that provides quiet unrushed dinning. The Richmond does all that. The owner/chef and his wife are happy to help you enjoy your meal, wine and evening. If you ask they will deliver and are happy to accommodate individual likes/dislikes.

My experience with The Richmond is pretty good. Stumbled across this awesome place by accident with my boyfriend and it was a nice discovery. It is chic and not overly expensive. the plate are well prepared. Good but nothing that will knock your socks off.

We came with a group of friends and had a great meal with 2 bottles of wine and 4 courses with dessert. I was so full and happily stuffed myself with the wonderful French bread. All the food was great including the tender fois gras. We’ve been here in prior years but it’s been a long time since our last visit. The chef has a small team and works hard but came out frequently to chat with his customers. A genuinely friendly guy. He’s cut back on the reservation slots and spaces out the time slots. Really a great place in this quiet neighborhood. Parking can be challenging as you compete with residents for a space.

Choice of a 3 course or 5 course tasting menu gave many wonderful options. We chose the 3 course with wine pairings. Started with a cream soup, compliments of the chef with a lovely white wine. We had scallops, short ribs and a vegetarian option of leeks and Brie en croute. All were well seasoned, tasty and artfully played. Entrees of bone-in pork roast, chicken confit and duck fettucini were all delicious. Desserts of apple pie and chocolate and peanut butter cake were enjoyed by all. Each wine was perfectly balanced with the dishes. The highlight is the personal attention given by the chef/owner. The restaurant is small so he attends to each table, describes each wine and makes you feel as if you are the only patron. A totally superb evening.

Very difficult to get a reservation…they only take 20 people a night. Super small, super intimate. One chef, his place, family owned/run. His wife helps out. His niece served when I was there. I would say 5-star dining…pre fixe menu is outstanding. Appears this guy liked wine/wines and was a chef, wanted to open a wine bar (the place is packed with great wines) and as it happened he opened an outstanding restaurant to showcase the wines. My friends knew of the place and got reservations months in advance. I’m so happy they did. Reasonably priced for what it was. I do not like pork usually…but I’m gluten/wheat free so I did the bone-in pork roast. Wow! It was one of the best cuts of meat done so well I’ve ever had. I can even recall the appetizer, the Spare Rib with Scallop – another wow! There were three of us and everyone was over-the-top happy with the food and the wine parings. Since it is small there are heavy velvet drapes that surround your table, so it is very private, special and cozy. I highly recommend it.

The Richmond is hard to beat for fine neighborhood dining. For the price, it is hard to find better service and quality of the food. We had to change our reservations and I was told that they were full, but it would be taken care of - and it was. And since I'm hard of hearing, I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to hear. We will be back.

We had a very enjoyable dinner here with another couple and were quite surprised at how simply wonderful our dinner was. The service was fabulous and the food delicious. We chose to have the 3 course prefixed dinner with wine pairings. It was sooooo fabulous!! This is a tiny restaurant run by a lovely husband and wife who seem to do everything from serving, cooking and wine pairing and doing it with flair and precision. The interior atmosphere is rather drab but everything else makes up for it!! Prices are reasonable and we felt totally waited upon all night. Time seemed to stop as we had our courses which were pleasantly spaced and gave us plenty of time to chat and truly enjoy our experience. Highly recommend!!

Popped in here with some friends who live locally, and they were singing the praises of this little place - we weren't disappointed! Small restaurant, with private dining rooms for each table - and no pressure to turn tables or move you on quickly. We had the three course / $50 option and the food was fabulous. A pleasant surprise was the amuse bouche and the ability to have little tasters of a wine prior to choosing a full glass. The chef pops in and has a chat with each course and he's great - clearly loves his food and his customers. Such a treat to have really enjoyable food, clearly made with love and attention... Would highly recommend it!

While visiting my daughter in San Francisco, we went to this very cozy restaurant near her apartment. I enjoyed the salmon, and we also had hanger steak--very good. The first course option were rather small in size. She comes here often and she mentioned that the menu rarely changes and there are usually no specials. Jeremy, our server, was excellent. We had a great dessert made with coffee. We had made a reservation, but found this night not to be very busy.

One of our best experiences in dining. John was so welcoming to all of us. He is amazing how he spends time with you at the table explaining everything. Then the wine appears and he makes suggestions, but if you do not like it another one is poured for you. His next amazing feat is cooking your three course meal. I would give it 10 stars. Thank you again John , Carol Doyle

The Richmond is fantastic. It deserves 6 stars. After you have enjoyed Golden Gate Park's culture and you want to go somewhere a bit classier. Where the kids in their jeans and grandpa in his nice jacket all feel comfortable. This is the place. Over the top attentive service. A three course menu leaves you completely full. Fantastic food. There were six of us and we all shared everything. Delicious amuse bouche to start. Appetizers all exquisite, but the crepe made with chickpea flour is over the top.

Wife and I made a reservation here for 5:30 PM on a Saturday but phoned to change it to 6 PM. I received a call back from the owner asking if we could come earlier than 6 PM as he would be very busy cooking and serving single handedly six tables at 6 PM. Curious, we did make it by 5:30 PM when it was just opening. We were the first customers and indeed, there were only six tables which were partially partitioned with curtains providing extra intimacy. We were greeted by a lady who seems to be the owner’s wife and were seated promptly. The Richmond has two sets of tasting menus – a three course dinner with choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert ($40, wine pairing $35), and a fixed five course ($75, wine pairing $45). Everyone at the same table must have either the three or five course menu. We opted for the five course because it had seared foie gras, my favorite. We also had wine pairing. The owner came with complimentary pinot grigio which was crisp and dry and very satisfying and an amuse de bouche potato and leek soup which was delicate and delicious. These were followed by two more appetizers and entrees which were outstandingly delicious with wonderful sauces and blends of flavors. Particularly memorable were the shrimp fritters, seared foie gras, and oxtail/mushroom ravioli. The dessert, coffee semifreddo was inventive and satisfying both as dessert and coffee. Wife thought the owner/chef must have been trained in France but learned that he was “self-taught” and had never been in France. Perhaps France should invite him to teach! What makes the restaurant even more outstanding is that even when all the six tables were filled as they did toward the end of our meal, there was very little noise and the gentle background music (mostly oldies- e.g. Nat King Cole) was conducive to a satisfying dinner, as was the friendly and solicitous server couple. It should also be noted that for the quality and esthetic presentation of each course, the price is more than reasonable, and the wine pairing is certainly a bargain! This will be one of our favorite restaurants for a quiet, satisfying dinner. Attachments area

Dinner was good- up to dessert. The butternut squash soup was excellent. The rib eye steal with potato hash was just "ok" - would have preferred for the price if they had trimmed the meat. But then there was dessert. My husband asked about the panna cotta - was it truly eggless, and explained that he has a severe egg allergy. The waiter assured us that it was eggless. After several bites he began having symptoms and again questioned the server. Oops- no the panna cotta did not have eggs- but the lemon curd on top did!!! And no, they didn't even comp the dessert. My husband was sick all evening- not what we wanted for the evening

My husband and friend decided on celebrating my 50 th birthday here. I don't think it's possible to adequately describe the intimate enchanting evening we experienced. They chose The Richmond based on the reviews of the menu, cozy atmosphere, reasonable cost and the comments expressed by other diners about the owner, John. He could charge double and it would still be worth the price. John is absolutely lovely. He easliy won us over with his introduction, constant attention, wine pairings, sublime creations, impeccable service and basketball knowledge (Kieth Smart). He is very generous with his pours, enthusiastic and knowledgable about his wine and dedicated to making sure you thoroughly enjoy your experience. We started with short ribs over risotto and crab cakes paired with a delicous Pinot Noir and lovely white. Might be the best Pinot Noir I've ever sipped. Our main courses included the duck, pork and steak. Each were prepared to perfection with lovely sauces and tasty potatoes and paired with a bold Cab and a Beaujolis. Desserts were amazing and accompanied with a gorgeous port. This is a true gem and not to be missed !

Very interesting menu! The food was very well prepared and service was excellent!

The Richmond is original and the chef has a uniq sense for composing a meal. The wine list is impressiv and yet affordable. This is true a wonderfull resturant and it offer a seldome found authentic experience . Go there !!!

I haven't been here before, but was invited by friends who live in the neighborhood. I had a really terrific hanger steak - perfectly cooked - and started with the roasted beet salad, which was wonderful. I didn't have dessert, but my companions did, and their reports were excellent. San Francisco doesn't lack for great food - but we are entirely deficient in restaurants that are quiet and cozy. I've begun to walk out of restaurants that are too noisy for conversation. The environment here is perfect for talking. I was very, very happy to eat great food AND be able to think out loud at the same time. Bravo! I'll come back.

The Richmond is located more on the outskirts, so make sure if you are not driving that you have access to Uber-no taxis in sight. This small elegant restaurant offers a fixed price dinner only with optional wine pairing. There were several items to choose from; starter, entree and dessert. Additionally wonder warm crusty bread was served and a small cup of delicious cream leek soup. I ordered the salad with pecans, steak and apple crisp a la mode for dessert and it was all delicious. They offer a very reasonable wine list with several selections under 35 bucks. The atmosphere is quiet and perfect for conversation. The bill for four came to about 190 bucks with a bottle of wine. Service was excellent and the owner is charming and friendly. All parties were happy with their meal.

Agreed with all the positive reviews in TA which reflect the consistency of the restaurant. We had a cozy evening at the Richmond with good food, great value, and warm service by owner/chef John and his staff. A neighborhood gem is not an over statement and we will return. The restaurant is tucked in the safe, middle class residential area of the Richmond district in San Francisco. We were able to find on the street parking. The restaurant is small - six tables, with clean decorations. Tables are separated by plush curtains as the owner wants to allocate separate space for each table. Greetings by the serving staff was warm and owner John spent time at each table to make us feel welcome. How he managed to prepare food at the same time is a credit to his long experience (in the same neighborhood). Food is modern American. Generous portion. Competently executed. We enjoyed all our appetitzers (short rib with scallop, crab cake) and mains (pork chop, NY steak). Menu is either 3 courses or 5 courses tasting. No ala carte. We took the three course menu (US$40) with wine pairing (US$35) and thought it was good value. Recommended.

What I like about this place is the fact you feel like you are in an expensive, but small restaurant. It's cozy and very quiet, the staff very courteous, the food delicious. Nothing too fancy, which explains the prices that are quite reasonable but whoever you take out to The Richmond with will feel very special.

The Chef, Johh, greeted us at the door and showed us to our table. The way The Richmond operate is quite unique: Chef John was not only the Chef but he also is your server. He took some time to chat with us, pour our wine and explained each dish. The ambiance: small and cozy, very few table, such a great idea to use a big long red curtain to separate our dining area right by the door. It gave privacy but also didn't feel box in. The staff: this is for other staff and not the Chef, one of the staff brought out our appetizer and just walked away. Although the presentation was quite beautiful, we didn't know what exactly in it. Chef John came out and we told him, he apologized and explained the ingredients and how the way it was cooked. He then personally brought out each dish after that for us. The staff was also talking loudly in Vietnamese that we could hear their conversations (we are Vietnamese) in the kitchen. But they quieted down when more people came into the restaurant. This was the only thing we didn't enjoy that night. The food: outstanding and in unique flavor. We chose the Three Course Tasting Menu -Shrimp Fritters in Shrimp Bisque served with carrot-cabbage salad & shrimp chip -Red Wine Braised Short Rib & Maine Diver Scallop with creamy polenta - Braised Duck & Fettuccine in mushroom port wine sauce & baby spinach -Seared New York Steak with potato hash & Swiss chard -Apple Tart: cinnamon vanilla ice cream -Coffee Semifreddo: coffee ice cream, coffee granite & almond brittle

We came here on a visit to San Francisco as it was close to our hotel and had good reviews. It more than lived up to our expectations as the whole experience was excellent. John (owner and chef) made us feel so at home throughout the meal and the food really was excellent. Our steak was taking longer than expected to make, so john bought out a complementary salad as an apology (it hadn't really been that long either!). During the meal, I asked John where we should go and eat and he gave a few suggestions. When we were leaving, he had printed out a page for each of his selections and annotated with what he recommended eating! Along with the great and friendly service, the food was some of the best we had during our 3 week USA trip and we really couldn't fault it. This restaurant is well worth a visit!