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Categories: American (New), Lounges [Edit]
Neighborhood: Financial District
185 reviews
Neighborhood: Mission
"This place was off tha hook last night! Little Baobab is a fabulously dark, dingy, cramped, little sweatbox rockin the reggae, reggaeton,…" read more »
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And I wanted to give it a second try too! Oh well, next time I suppose.
I guess it doesn't really matter anymore, but I had a good time at Frisson. I met up with the crew there one night for post work happy hour/happy birthday Anna celebrations, and it was a pretty legit place. I really only consumed champagne and whatever the drummer boy next to me was shuttling over, but what really struck me was the decor.
Retro. Digs.
Is it reopening? No idea. I'd like to see what happens if they do!
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I hope when Frisson re-opens, it has a completely new concept. Possibly even a new restaurant. I went there a few months ago with a medium sized group and the experience was not good. The servers walked around aimlessly and did not pay attention to the details that were important, like making sure we got our food. After spotty service, when the food did actually come it was mostly disappointing. The tiny portions and dull flavors did not wow anyone in my group. Maybe Frisson realized that their current concept was not working for them. If you do go, drink a lot. The only real redeeming quality of the experience was the the offerings from the bar were good.
Not re-opening. Sad.
http://www.7x7sf.com/e...
Itching for a trip to Vegas but can't afford the plane ticket or 4 day hangover? Head on over to Frisson. It reminded me of being at Caesar's with the decorative high ceilings and mood lighting. I had some kind of crazy sake cocktail that knocked me on my butt.
All I'm really looking for in life is to constantly feel like I'm in Vegas.
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Totally pretentious place ... but has the goods to back up the snobbery. Food is soooooooooo good. I'm not sure why it's listed as "American" food b/c it really is kind of fusion gourmet. Regardless, it's a classy joint w/classy food. I highly rec'd any of the seafood -- any of it ... I've had it all in the many times I've been there.
Were it not for the uptight suits parading around the restaurant killing the possibility of a fun ambiance ... I'd totally give it a 5 b/c it really is beautifully decorated and trendy. Oh, if you want to have drinks before or after dinner -- they have a downstairs bar that is a lounge.
One more thing ... the bathrooms are unisex ... yes, ladies and gents ... in the can next to you will be a man or woman which no longer makes it as comfortable to put on your blush or fix your hair. You'll find the lounge next door to the restrooms downstairs.
Anyway, enjoy the food ... sooooo yummy!
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I loved this place. My girlfriends and our gentlemen went out here for Valentines day and loved it! Everything that I tried on the menu was exquisite! The appetizers were outstanding and the salad dressing was unique and plate licking good! My boyfriend got the Petrale Sole which was by far the tastiest thing on the menu. I would eat this every night if I could.
I got the blood Orange Margarita and so should you. It was the best drink I have ever had.
Good Wine selection.
A little noisy so not good for an intimate couple date.
EXCELLENT SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was blown away.
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Love the bar with it's very romantic lighting
Love the dining room with it space age 'I think a flying saucer just landed on our table for two.'
I have to say it's a small place but on the weekends it seems to pack in a big crowd of the beautioso !
Def. for Beautioso: Ladies and Gents between 18-28 with perfect pecks and every inch is perfectly pert..
We walked in for dinner without a res and the hosts were extremely efficient .They squeezed us in for dinner between dinner seatings because I promised we woud only be 45-50 minutes because we had tickets to the show across the street.
Food is 3 stars The food was beautifully prepared at this lovely restaurant however sometimes the flavors do not always come together.
I've been a few times for dinner and I like but not love it . If you get what I mean .
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Date and Time: 2004 - it closed. 9PM Dinners
Company: Husband Michael
Crowd: Tony Professionals
Ambience: Fun & Lively
Decor: Cool, Orange & Futuristic Like The Jetsons.
Service: Friendly & Efficient
Imbibe: All Cocktails
Devour: Foie Gras & Duck Breast
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Went in for drinks before a show at the Eureka Theatre (right across the street) so my review is somewhat limited to the bar. Cocktails were well mixed and service was quick. Nice ambiance and I like the layout of the bar and can see how it would be a great pre-show or after work spot if you have a group. Didn't have time to order food, but noticed that the dinner menu seemed pretty basic and uninspired. Not that it didn't look good, but the menu didn't really fit what seemed to be the concept the restaurant was going for. I would have expected more creative and eclectic dishes.
We were there on a Friday night and it was dead, but it was also raining heavily and when we went it was late for the happy hour crowd and still early for the post-dinner crowd. I would definitely go back if I was in the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip.
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this place brings back bad memories. plus the food was just underwhelming and it felt a little like being in the jetsons (like a fancy lunchroom there) or maybe in some bar room deck of the starship enterprise or something. I did the dine-about-town thing here, and it wasn't bad, just overall leaves a bad taste in me. bleh, a place to which i have no incentive to return, yet somehow think two stars would just reflect poor bias, and guess i have a bias against bias so will leave it at three, like three strikes, urrrr....
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I came here for cocktails a few years ago, and had always wanted to come back and try the food. I finally got around to it.
I still find the design intriguing. It's somewhere between the Jetsons and my high school library. In particular, I like the large circular dining room, which seems modern, but the orange color scheme gave it a more retro feel. I found it to definitely add to a distinct dining experience.
The menu offered a good deal of variety without being incredibly long or overwhelming. The stuffed squid "flirtation" was excellent, but was a little on the cold side by the time it got to our table.
The stand out, by far, was the black truffle stuffed guinea hen. I don't know what a guinea hen is, but if that's the kind of bird that people in Guinea eat, then I understand why I've never met anyone from that country, because I would never leave either.
A large wine list (great cocktails as well), and friendly staff really made this a great overall experience.
On a special side note, GREAT SERVICE. We were accidentally served a very slightly chipped wine glass. It was pretty small and we weren't sure whether or not to bring it to our server's attention. We finally decided that our stomach lining was important and asked for a new glass. Our server apologized profusely and replaced the whole glass of wine similar to the one we were drinking.
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We had our company Christmas dinner here and really enjoyed it. However , after reading the comments below, i have to give a 1 star for attitude. There will always be people who have a bad experience, get over it, don't harass them.
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"What would you change about SF?
Hargrave: I don't know--it's pretty good here. There are flaws, but it's a pretty wonderful place. I guess if we had to change something, we could get rid of Yelpers. Those people need to get a fucking life." That's a direct quote (see here: http://www.7x7sf.com/p...) from the two owners when they were interviewed by 7x7.
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Slow service, small-but-tasty portions in large plates, nice decor and food presentation, brutal parking even on schoolnights
$66 pp later (after some wine) left feeling like needed a slice
UPDATE, the same day I wrote this review, the server , J W, http://www.yelp.com/us...
yelp messaged me a few times, then BLOCKS ME but WAIT IT GETS BETTER
He actually *tried* to erase his yelp profile/reviews, but the tell tale UFC votes 32 Useful, 9 Funny, and 27 Cool, still remain, guess outtin ya really hurt? Friss loses another star for u arguing (was 3)
GETS EVEN BETTER, had some pics admin removed cuz they "are not relevant to the business", seems like he's really tryin to go after me, pics had been up 4 a while...
Attached below, he questioned/bickered about what I wrote, so adjusted a bit as not to state any facts that I was not 100% sure. He was a bit bitter in the msgs but took it surprisingly well when we were in the restaurant
One in our group of 6 mentioned slow service on receipt and the waiter came over and questioned it (even tho I thought he got more than an 18% tip, auto added to groups of 6? or more, according to our server, someone adjusted the tip down,my SO and I paid cash so dont have exact knowledge )
He felt for a restaurant this nice, they should be all over you.
We had to wait a long time, someone else in our party said 45 mins, i personally didn't clock the time, but we all felt it was waay too long before they even took our order or brought wine or water
Few, if at all check-backs, we ran out of wine, no one came over to ask if we wanted more, it behooves the staff to do so=spend more
Portions are very small, think Euro cut suit on John Goodman, perhaps that's chic, good thing they brought a lot of tasty bread, which we all noshed on before and after the meal (still needed to fill ourselves up you know)
Verdict: Probably wont go back
Walked to down the street to Kokkari for after dinner drink, now that place is nice, prolly ridonkulously pricey too
Re parking: - yes, it's partially this restaurant's fault (amongs others), they have 2 valet spots in front, thus taking 2 available parking spots off the street. This is a fact with many restaurants in that area
Spent almost 30mins looking for parking at 8pm on a Wed night in FiDi
Many 1 way streets w valet zones, in front of businesses
I wonder if these signs, attached to parking meters, are real?
You see them in front of some foofy high end restaurants (also in Mission at Limon, who has that kind of money in the mission btw)
Wonder what would happened if you parked in one of them, would they damage your car?
Seems like some animals are more equals than other animals to get all Orwellian. (I am sure other's feel the same way too)
Who paid off Mr Newsom to get them?
Remember the parking guys scene is Ferris Bueller's Day Off?
http://youtube.com/wat...
Personally I dont want some yahoo driving my ride, stealing all the change, and perhaps the radar or otherwise pilfering thru or jumping the car
PS, JW's msgs
I have a really hard time believing that I let you sit there for 45 minutes before taking your order or getting you wine. You had the sommelier helping your table as well so I wonder how we weren't "all over you".
Actually, if you go by the receipt your friend left the note on, I received less then 18% because he crossed out the automatic gratuity amount. Seems some of your facts are incorrect. Somehow I knew there would be a yelp review today -
The parking issue downtown isn't a new one if you live in the City. The signs on the meters actually tell you times when you can and can't park in each spot. You should read them.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for being gracious and informative. Makes me think - "why can't people just have a good time."
Gideon K I updated my review, which was based on my experience, check my other reviews if you get a chance, I think I'm pretty fair
J W.
Thanks for being fair. I understand your that a guest's perspective on time is different and we all hate waiting for drinks. Thanks for updating. Although I did ask each time how everything was tasting and I also refilled coffee twice and was at the table refilling waters many times so I am wondering if you wanted more wine then why didn't anyone make note of it. Your table pre ordered the second bottle too, so ??.
Obviously there was a communication breakdown.
Gideon K. im not a server, dont knwo all the nuances
if you empty glasses tho, perhaps its worth explicitly asking if would like another drink
J W.
I am not bitter, I know I am a good server. I feel the same way that I did last night. I just want to make sure that these Yelp reviews state things appropriately. Yelp is used too often to make fleeting exaggerations about ones experience leaving a very skewed perception of a situation.
J W.
And I thought my messages we
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I went here for a company dinner - glad I didn't pay for since it was so unsatisfying.
The one thing this restaurant has is its absolutely beautiful decor; probably one of the best I've seen - very chic, loungy & sophisticated. It's very impressive & I often looked up from my meal to take in the loveliness of the place.
Sadly, that was the best part. The appetizers were alright; nothing memorable. Three or four of us ordered the lobster for our entrees, and we were sorely disappointed - our dishes came out almost completely cooled, wasn't particulary flavorful, & was slightly rubbery in texture - but it was the miniscule portion that really did it. It was more like a very large prawn in the middle of the plate with a few accroutrements - not even substantial sides to compensate for the tiny lobster tail.
After having waited some 40 mins for it we were all famished and finished the paltry serving within minutes. I'm a girl and don't even eat that much, and was still left hungry (and this was after having had appetizers and bread). It was pretty much one of the least satisfying meals I've ever had, esp at these prices. I had a bowl of cereal after I got home.
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Went the other night for D.A.T. with a few friends, so I did see a limited assortment of food. That being said...
The Leek/artichoke soup is fanTAStic. I didn't order it, but it was so tasty I kept being tempted to steal more and more from a friend. The cod with the tomato sauce was quite yummy. I had the braised short ribs with potatoes and...well -- it was galbi tang. (korean boiled shortribs) Yummy, but unimpressed, seeing as how my mother makes it at home.
Best thing about the place: the fun co-ed bathrooms downstairs. Its like college dorms all over again...in...a very savvy building...er. Anyway, it's funny to walk into a stall and come out to a person of the opposite gender washing their hands in the trough-like sink. (very cool). Overall...unimpressed with the food, but seems like it'd be a fun place to lounge and have a drink.
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Wait... Frisson is closed??
I rented out the bottom room for my 21st birthday and it was definitely one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. We had our own personal bartender and plenty of room for the 40+ people there. Yes it's snobby and pretentious but it was great for a party because we kept to ourselves in our sleek, dimly lit room. The bathrooms are so cool too. I know, silly thing to comment on, but I can honestly say it was the coolest place I've ever peed in.
Most importantly, the food was amazing. Every single one of the people at my party loved their food. Although it took forever for our food to come, it all came out around the same time which was quite a feat considering the size of our party.
Come on, people...any place whose name means "a sudden, passing sensation of excitement; a shudder of emotion; thrill" is going to offer some sort of allure. It has to.
Granted, I never ate here. Can't talk about that. But the kaffir lime martini with honeydew and cucumber puree still has me frissoning all over the place. Add to that a perfect orchid floating on top (which I wore in my hair the next night), and you've got pure cinema. I like the lighting and when we went, even on a Saturday night, it was pretty mellow. We were able to talk for hours.
Not quite used to the unisex bathrooms. Maybe it's just my misfortune for hailing from the Midwest, but I found it a bit strange. Then, after my second honeydew cucumber elixir, I was winking at the guy across from me washing his hands.
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Enchante.
My experience here was on a Friday catching up with a friend of mine for the Frisson's acclaimed happy hour. Despite the torrential downpour, it was a miracle to procure parking around here and ran inside.
The dining room with psychedelic orange accents and round tables was almost empty with but a few patrons. However, the bar/lounge, was packed and almost all spaces were taken, so I was quiet happy to see that one stool had been reserved for me.
The happy hour is what makes this place second attractive, first being the ambience/modern decor. Add in the ambient grooves-dim lighting, and everything is set for a perfect night out on the town with good friends/first date.
I started off with their HH menu (valid from 4:30-6:30 Mon-Friday and priced beautifully at $5 each). Since I was starved, as was my friend, we ordered:
Crispy Pork Croquette
Vietnamese Shrimp Spring Rolls
Empress's black fried rice
The Empress's black fried rice came out exactly as stated. Mint black, shiny pearls of rice, tossed with pieces of Szechuan pork and egg...textured. A savory bowl of starchy goodness.
The Vietnamese rolls were so good that we ended up ordering two plates. And the Pork Croquette was mediocre, since it was not too crispy and reminded me of the potato croquettes sold in Japantown (generic and not too crunchy on the outside since it had been sitting under cellophane for several hours).
We also ordered the signature drink:
Le Long Frisson, a chick drink infused with orange vodka, peach liquer, lime, cranberry, litsea cubeba (taken from their menu) sweet and strong, I could not finish this potent drink. Our bartender was cute, very attentive (clearing away plates immediately and a cup of water, without me even having to ask for it) as well as the top notch service.
The decor of the bar firmly ground the flirtatious 60's modern vibe of the dining room with dark black wood furniture and counters. Add in the sophisticated nature of the establishment, and my experience here was tops. Would I come back here? Absolutely, and next time, to sample the dinner menu.
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I cannot wait for Frisson to close for their remodel! Why, you ask? Because I work in the same building as the restaurant and it stinks to HIGH HELL because of the way they dispose of their garbage. The stairwells always reek of spoiled food because Frisson keeps the trash in the stairwell lobby. When the weather gets warmer, the garbage begins to heat up, and the smell wafts from the stairwells to the floors above.
My office literally stinks!
Went here for a post-dinner birthday gathering. Man this place was crowded. I'm not really going to ding them for that but it was really hard to maneuver around in that place. The bartenders were relatively quick and polite but man $7 for a non-tap beer?
The bathrooms are downstairs and are relatively interesting. The decor of the place is nice. The group of about 40 Asians were so loud, I wonder how much we irritated the diners in the adjacent eating area.
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I was there with Gideon K, and wasn't planning to post too but since the server wants to disagree . . . as we say here in SOMA, "it's on".
First, the good:
Great interior design -- very funky and modern
Great food flavors
Nice, extensive bar
and the bad:
the portions WERE tiny
and service WAS slow
I've been there before and had better service . . . but based on this last experience, 3 stars is a generous review.
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You can find Frisson by the wafting cloud of pretension.
That said, I can't totally diss this place. The appetizers are relatively cheap during happy hour and tasty, just remember they are very expensive if not during happy hour and very small. Likewise, the food in general.
They have pretty glasses for fru fru drinks that most of the luscious FiDi crowd likes to imbibe. I will give props to the bar for having a very, very wide variety of spirits and wine as well as having some pretty talented bartenders.
However, if you go only for one reason, go just to see the bathrooms. it's like being in one of those programs on the Travel Channel. Just trust me on this one.
I like this place alot. I only ate there once and I liked it however getting an after work drinky drink is way tasty. The servers are super cute and bubbly. Check it out. You won't be disappointed!
Happiness for $5.00, well almost
http://www.frissonsf.c...
The decor is great, drinks are good, but the appetizers portions are not. The portions have gone down considerably from recent times.
Happy Hour Menu 4:30-6:30 Monday through Friday
Eats 5
Crispy pork croquette
yukon gold potatoes, bacon-frisee salad, sherry vinaigrette
Cheese plate
chef's selection of artisanal cheese, housemade whole wheat bread
Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls
pickled vegetables, mint
Empress's black fried rice
szechuan pork, soy beans, egg & ginger
Oxtail empanadas
passion fruit-chili dipping sauce
Drinks 5
Le long frisson
orange vodka, peach liquer, lime, cranberry, litsea cubeba
Classic margarita
tequila, cointreau, lime
Selected sparkling wine
Selected red wine
Selected white wine
This review is for HAPPY HOUR at Frisson - for I haven't had dinner here since they first opened (and hated the food then!). GREAT place for happy hour - from 5 - 7PM drinks are only $5.00 which include a sweet martini that looks like a cosmo, white and red wine and mojitos. Then they have little plates also for $5.00 - the oxtail empenadas are super yummy as are the cheese plate.
Decor is stylish and very NY Meat Packing Dist. type. The bar lounge area is a good size with cushion chairs and low round tables. Service could be a bit slow - seems they only have ONE cocktail waitress which seems strange considering how busy they get during HH.
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The decor is a little 60s and a little Jetsons all mixed into one on a huge line of crack and a shot of some sort of fruity alcoholic punch. Just try to visualize it okay, because its the best I can do.
The food, oh the food. I think they could do so much better if they just didn't try so damn hard. I am so sick of places that do crazy shit like start with a cold peach gazpacho with a hint of truffle oil garnished with some dried crab legs and raspberries followed by a pork shank and okra tower drizzled with a honey balsamic glaze on a bed of eel mousse.
I DO NOT WANT A SIDE OF FOAM WITH MY MAIN COURSE, IT IS NOT FOOD!!!
However, the unisex bathrooms are the coolest bathrooms in town and the drinks are tasty and the proper definition of creative if you feel like a splurge. The sommolier is also excellent.
They should really just turn this space into a swanky bar, sans food, and be done with it.
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My friends and I ate here for Dine About Town. I'll just share a few comments from the evening:
Table1 (my table, upon receiving our appetizers): WTH. Are they serious? This crab cake is like, one bite. Dangit, are we gonna have to fill up on the bread. ARGH.
Table 2 (table next to ours): What? Why are these crab cakes so small? Is yours the same size? It's so small.
Table1: Where's the waiter? We need more bread.
[a few minutes later]
Table1: We need more bread. Oh God, we're gonna fill-up on bread, aren't we? Crap.
[10 minutes later]
Table1: Okay, the entree is a decent size. But we need more bread.
The food, I'll admit, was pretty dang good. Salty and savory. Delicious. Even the bite-sized (one bite, no joke) crab cakes were amazing. The dessert was pretty good - NOT orgasmic, NOT amazing but, pretty dang good. Maybe my friends and I are pigs but I'm not used to leaving restaurants with a full stomach because of bread. And it wasn't even good bread - it was, like, your average, cold French loaf. At least make the bread worth it!! Or make up for it with a fantabulous dessert that will leave me weak in the knees.
3.5 stars for the delicious food
1 sad star for the portions
3 stars for the ambiance (1950s retro/spaceship-y with orange/red/gold hues)
= ~ 2.5 stars
Not too impressed by Frisson. Beware of small portions, although this review is for the Dine About Town menu so their portions on their a-la-carte menu might be a bit larger. I went here with a group of friends for a b-day we were celebrating. Nice atmosphere and decor. Definitely catering to the young crowd. Service was fine overall with not a long wait between courses, although we were subtlely encouraged by the GM to meander to the bar after we had paid the bill and lingered a little too long at our table since they had to turn the table over for the next big party.
I had the risotto crab cakes which were about the size you make when you put your thumb and forefinger together to form a circle. Basically threads of crab encompassed by risotto rice. And only one was served. Would have been nice if I had another one. Next course was the braised beef which was the size of those Magic Rub erasers you used to bring to school. It was tender and flavorful, but wish I had a bigger portion. Dessert I can't comment cuz I devoured it so quickly because I was still so hungry. I recall a chocolate aftertaste after it magically disappeared though. Alas, we all had to go to Chinatown for some food afterwards in order to get full. $7 for a heaping bowl of BBQ duck, wontons, and noodles. Now I'm full :)
This review is for the Frisson bar only. We stopped in to have a drink before catching the Upright Citizens Brigade at the Eureka Theatre across the road. We were promptly greeted and snagged the last two stools at the bar. The drinks are not cheap in the least, but they were very tasty! I had the ginger lemon snap (not as girly or sugary as it sounds) with sake, ginger, and lemon juice. And boyfriend had a glass of zinfandel (which I thought was delightful, but he thought was slightly below expectations for a $10 glass of red). For our second drink, I was happy to find out that they carry Hangar One. Bartenders were friendly, if a bit slow to take our second drink orders.
We also ordered dessert and split the panna cotta with pomegranate granita and gingersnap cookie. Incredibly light and delicious! Our only complaint was how loud the entire restaurant was, but it definitely had a lively atmosphere and great decor. We felt very classy! We are looking forward to trying dinner here in the near future!
The interiors are nice but the food, not so much. It was just ok. The Seared hudson valley foie gras is amazing, but I guess it's kinda hard to f*ck up foie gras.
I had high hopes for the ff: (but it was just decent)
Black truffle stuffed breast of guinea hen
Scallops & seared langoustines
Pan seared petrale sole
From the BAR:
TRY: Le long frisson
SKIP: Ginger lemon snap
DESSERT:
"Creamsicle" milkshake with orangecello - good but not amazing, I THINK it's low fat, hmmmm...
I haven't tried the Meyer lemon & sable breton tartlet, but i should have instead of the creamsicle.
Super pricey for what you get. I love the design of the place and keep taking my friends back to see some actual design in an SF restaurant. I heard that they closed? Has anyone hear more?
I know I'm not supposed to rate a restaurant based on their "dine about town" menu, but seriously if every item on the menu is below average something needs to be said about it.
Frisson's menu itself is so-so, and their food is very disappointing.As if that wasn't bad enough, the bartender messed up my drink completely. I'm probably never going back. 1 star for service and 1star for ambience.
Frisson or Goose-bump in English, I was waiting for that moment!!
Honestly I enjoy my time there, the waiters were really nice and took care of us very well, they new it was a special evening and they made it special, the food was pretty good, I enjoy every dish, but nothing memorable. Decor is really amazing and the unisex restroom make me think that it should always be like that, gorgeous!!
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You remember way back when..... when you put down an answer on a test and then, in a fit of insecurity, change it at the last moment. Then, as you are walking out of the room, you wanna smack yourself --- the first answer you put was the right one and you just freaked and changed it......
That was my experience at Frisson.
Informed by a friend that it was going to be the spot to gather for drinks and dinner to celebrate his girlfriend's birthday. Originally, it was going to be La Folie -- but some folks balked at the cost....
So.... Frisson. And my first text back to him was: What? Are you joking? Really? I've not heard good things....
But then, a few moments passed, and I thought: Who am I to diss a place that someone chose for their birthday dinner? So I texted him again saying: Yeah, sure, Frisson.....
I should have stuck with my first instinct.
After eating there, I think my original opinion was justified: the place is just horrible. The decor is tacky orange-trying-to-be-the-Jetsons..... We had a really strange-shaped table for five that had people really far apart, which made it difficult for pouring of wine, water, and placing of plates.
The waitress was at our table, with pad out and pen poised, every five minutes..... While we were catching up with one another. While we were in the middle of interesting stories. Yes, attentive service is good and comendible, but tact and unobtrusiveness is appreciated as well. Maybe I'm just spoiled.....
My food was pretty bad. Beet salad with some sort of crunchy things that I could not identify..... And a stuffed little chicken, dry and tasteless, lying on a bed of salty, overcooked veg.
Thank god for my friends, who are incredibly interesting and entertaining, because the great conversation was the only thing that made this night not a debacle!
If you care at all about the food you eat, stay away from Frisson. Just go to Kokkari two doors down --- you will have a much better experience.
I haven't been here since 2004, when it opened (and have not been back for since because of a lackluster experience with the food and service). But with DAT, I thought to give it another try (and Bacar was booked).
Six of us visited last night for the last night of DAT. Five out of six of us got the DAT menu and everything folks say here, is right. Small portions, too fast on the pacing of the meal - though my dining companions said that the short rib (singular) was tasty (unlike others here). I ordered the sirloin + rosemary potatoes as a main, and it was VERY good. The chocolate mousse was fine but nothing out of the ordinary. The other dessert was devoured so quickly, I couldn't even get a taste - it was also minuscule in size...so 3 bites later it was gone.
I dont mind small serving sizes, but I am on diet in perpetuity - for those who would like more than 3 bites per plate, DAT at Frisson is not for you. That said, the steak I ate, was a full size and delicious.
We received a complimentary bottle of bubbly to start, which was a nice gesture and somehow ended up with a delicious seafood sample platter. Overall, great food, big or small, service was iffy, (hot and cold), and it was too bright, I wanted darker, more intimate (with such a large room).
After getting turned down for an 8pm Friday walk in at Kokkari we walked next door to Frisson and were surprised they were able to seat us right away. Perhaps this should have been a warning sign as I've had better food and much better service at a self serve buffet in Reno.
First, a little positive. The bar was pretty crowded with some mildly attractive (yet older, read: cougarish) women and a DJ spinning some background music. So as you walked in it seemed like it would be a pretty fun place to grab a drink and hang out for a bit.
Now the reality: Once we walked past the bar area and into the dinning area the open lounge style and domed roof just echoed the sound from the bar so you couldn't heard a thing. It was fine dining in a frat house. I think this was brought home when a customer made his way through the dinning area and let out a loud "WHOOO!" with his hands raised in the air as he continued to walk through.
As for the food we split a salad, the ahi and a shrimp dish to start. All pretty bland. For my entree I ordered the salmon yet 45 minutes later out came a steak. They quickly fixed their error by bringing out a piece of undercooked salmon that made the ahi look well done. They took it back to the kitchen where the chef agreed it was undercooked. I was over it by then. They took the salmon off the bill and offered apologies but it was a drawn out ordeal.
I'm not a fan of mediocre food for expensive prices, the menu was not very inventive from the start, and the appetizers and my date's dish were average at best. Combine that with the MTV beachhouse atmosphere and I wouldn't recommend this place outside of post-work drinks.
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Eehh, nothing desirable of the food here. Went here for the DAT, but ended up ordering off the regular menu as the DAT menu was not that impressive. I wish things were memorable here, but it wasn't. Even walking into the place, I don't know what I was thinking as I saw the seating area as I approached the host. But something in me made me think it was the bar. I guess it was all the lounge seating that they had.
