Fringale

Really enjoyed my dinner here. Ambiance is very nice: classy and sophisticated but absolutely no pretension. Staff was friendly and helpful (and real French people!). We were the last ones there and closed the place, but no one ever even hinted that it was getting late. Good wine list. Food was excellent (I have to admit that my sole was kind of dry) but my friends loved their dishes: duck confit, rack of lamb, ravioli. Crème brûlée was exceptional. Highly recommend. Definitely plan to come back and try more of the menu.

Before going to have lunch at Fringale, I checked out the menu and had already decided I’d be ordering the Seafood Basquaise. I did, however, intend to order it without the tuna since I cannot remember a time when I’ve had fully cooked tuna that was not dry or overcooked. Thank goodness I forgot to order without the tuna because I would’ve done myself a terrible disservice had I done so. The Seafood Basquaise was cooked to perfection, including the tuna!!! Flaky, moist and delicious! How can that be so? Every bite was full of flavor and perfectly tender! Take me back! And for dessert we had a lovely crème brûlée that was perfectly creamy and sweet. Seriously… ridiculously delicious. I’m ready to go back now. Thanks. Bye

I was in the neighborhood and it was way past my dinner time, so I decided to pop in and try this place out.
I ordered Sauteed Sole with Risotto. It was okay, a bit bland but okay. I would have loved if it had more flavor, such as leeks or cilantro.

Delicious!
I came here because I saw them on Great Cities Great Chefs. Considering the quality of the food and the level of preparation involved in each item, the price us a bargain. Our most expensive meal was only $ 34, yet I felt this place blew Fleming’s out of the water.
I ordered the Duck Confit and it was simply amazing. My sister in law ordered the ribeye, and it was the most tender and flavorful ribeye I have ever tasted.
I’ll be coming been here before long.

Delish new American slash Italian in soma near att park.
Service is great. Started with a malbec, which was very nice and had great Aroma.
Ordered the charcuterrie appetizer with a large selection of cheese and all were unique and delish. Rabbit and duck pâté plate were very unique too.
My coq au vin (chicken) was very good as well. Perfectly cooked.
And you can order for pickup on Eat24 which is awesome if you don’t want the swankiness of dining out, but just want to get delish food and take it back to your spot in Mission Bay or nearby to watch the game /​drink your own wine /​hangout.

This is one of those restaurants that you see on Unilocal with great reviews, you go in thinking that you will have great dinner, and then you leave knowing that you will never come back there.
Totally disappointed at this place. The second we came in, there was a red flag, most of the customers where senior citizens. Waiter was fine, but in a crazy hurry, since it was Saturday and all tables where booked. Main courses where not good at all. I had sole on a bed of over cooked rice splashed in some kind of a red sauce, and my husband had probably the worst duck confit he ever tried in San Francisco.
No idea how this place had such a great reviews here.
Whatever it is, we are definitely not coming back here.

This place is so good when it comes to French cravings. I was up in San Francisco yesterday and with traffic I was so hungry so I got off the freeway to find the best food nearby and wanted to try this location.
I got the fettuccine pasta with cut up asparagus, mushroom, && Pesto!!!
But I was nervous to try it bc I am allergic to mushrooms but they took them out, which was amazing bc they were able to accommodate my needs && had no issues with doing so.
I also, had to try the prawns appetizer which was so yummy sautéed in butter the right way, which were very delicious, soft, didn’t have the fishy taste to it, all you could taste is the butter && it was so good that I ended up just tossing them into my pasta which made my meal even Better!!! Had a side of French fries before my meal bc I was starving && they were so crunchy && had a lot of flavor !!
I would defiantly say if you love French food this is the place to spend your money && it’s reasonably cheap && the workers here are very attendant, respectful, nice && very courteous
The owner of this location is very sweet, nice && very helpful, you can tell he takes pride in his restaurant && want to help you with food need you may have to make you happy, so Thank you very much for a wonderful mean && I promise you I will be back to try other food on your menu

Came here for dinner with the team in SF. Food was good, but the décor and crowd is definitely older. The service was rough to start with but slowly got a bit better as the dinner progressed. We started with FOIE GRAS TERRINE which was lovely. There was a fruit spread that went very well with the foie gras pâté. For the main course I had the PEI MUSSELS cooked with fried garlic, fresh herbs, shallots and a sherry vinegar. If you don’t eat a lot this is definitely a good size dish to order. After our dinner, we made space for that CREME BRULEE. Very well made, good size, and delicious. ENJOY!
PS: Reservations are recommended. :)

I went here with my boyfriend to celebrate his birthday. The ambiance of the restaurant was very romantic and the service and food were both wonderful. Our waiter was very charming and accommodating. To start, we both shared a salad and an Assiette de charcuterie. There were two different types of Pâté on the platter, as well as two different types of sausages. I love everything that was on that charcuterie board. For the entrees, I got the night special which was lamb shank with a red wine sauce and my boyfriend ordered the roasted rack of lamb. The Gruyère potato gratin that came with his rack of lamb was simply amazing, as were the brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes that came with my lamb shank. We had a long dinner and never felt rushed at all during our time there.
As a side note, parking is pretty much all street parking. We decided to park by a bar two blocks down because the other areas around the restaurant did not look particularly safe to park a car late at night. Parking in this area is metered until 9 PM also, but the meters take credit card.

Came here for restaurant week and had a pretty good meal. Of all the great food in this city, I’d consider this one just average. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good meal, it just didn’t go the extra mile for me as I’ve grown accustomed to here in San Francisco. We started with the butter lettuce salad with blue cheese and spinach ravioli. For entrees, we chose the bacon wrapped pork and leg of lamb. We finished with the chocolate ganache and hazelnut mousse cake.
Unfortunately, the service really wasn’t good or friendly. Our waiter never smiled and it took 16 minutes to get water on the table. Ultimately, we just ended up going to the bar (we were parched!). However, the guy bussing tables, refilling* water, and handing out bread was actually quite cheery and nice. Perhaps he should be promoted!
It’s a decent choice in San Francisco, but I’ve had better. Especially in this price range, I’ll try somewhere else next time.

A. Food — meh
*4 stars — Beef carpaccio — fresh and delicious
*2 stars — Sauteed Corvina seabass — fish cooked nicely but the other flavors were too heavy handed. No balance.
B. Service — 3 stars — pleasant but not really friendly nor welcoming. No one smiled and everyone seemed very rushed.
C. Ambiance — 4 stars — Cozy. Sound level was good, not noisy. Able to have nice conversation with dining companions without having to shout.
Overall Guide
5 Stars — have already made next RSVP
4 Stars — definitely returning
3 stars — would return but not first choice
2 stars — would only return if friends insisted
1 star — nope

I tried Fringale with a group of friends for SF Restaurant Week. I had the calamari, lamb shank, and crème brulee option. The food was fantastic. The calamari was perfectly battered, the lamb shank just fell off the bone and the crème brulee was creamy and light. My friends thoroughly enjoyed their dinners as well. The big hit for the night was the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin. There was a moment where I was afraid that my friends would lick their plates.
The only downside was getting to the restaurant. Currently most of 4^th Street is torn up for construction so it’s a definite challenge to get to the restaurant but worth it once you make it.

I got the mussels and was very pleased! They were cooked very well (not too chewy) and the sauce was light and flavorful (especially for garlic seasoning!). The waiter was a lot of fun and gave good recommendations. I would HIGHLY recommend the Apple tarte Tatin for dessert. I don’t usually like apple tarts because they’re pretty rich and heavy but this one was all the apple and warm crust flavor without the buttery overload.

Still an excellent choice in SoMA. The Salad Nicoise comes with actual tuna steak slices seared to perfection, one of the best I’ve had at any French restaurant.
For dessert, opt for the warm chocolate gourmand. The vanilla ice cream that accompanies it is simply divine.

Service wasn’t good at all. Server kept pushing our little plates rudely out of the way so he could set our main dishes in front of us, and by setting, I mean tossing.
Some of us got the prefixe menu for SF Restaurant week, but they had also falsely advertised online that they had sea bass, and when we got there, they switched it to sole. We made a reservation based on that menu and wanted that seabass, and after several reluctant attempts from the waiter, we were finally able to switch it from sole to seabass under the prefixe. Sadly, the seabass was only mehhh. The only dish I enjoyed was the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin. The duck was overcooked and dry.
Maybe the quality of the food diminished because of restaurant week, but that and the service was enough to prevent me from coming back.

I took my friend here for his birthday and we both enjoyed the meal. Service was friendly + attentive and the dining atmosphere is great for celebratory occasions. Overall 3.5 stars but I am rounding up.
Bread: Just okay. I read in previous reviews that the bread would be cold and taste like it came from a supermarket, so I didn’t have high expectations.
Sautéed Shrimp Appetizer: Delicious! The shrimp was well cooked and the sauce was flavorful.
Calamari Appetizer: I’m not a fan of calamari but my friend really liked this dish. I tried some and it was tasty. There was a spicy kick.
Sautéed Sole w/​Corn & Peas: I picked this dish between 2 different entrée choices for the prix fixe menu. It was a solid choice! The fish was tender and well cooked. The corn, peas, and red sauce also added tons of bright flavors. I usually am worried that fish dishes are overcooked and over salted, but this dish didn’t have either of those problems. I would order it again.
Duck Confit: My friend ordered this dish and we both agreed it was a bit overrated on Unilocal.The meat was ok — not super tender but not dry either. I don’t think there was much meat either. I would not recommend it.
Chocolate Flourless Cake w/​Ice Cream: This was good and a nice way to end the meal. The chocolate was heavy and complimented the lighter ice cream on top well.
I think for how much we ordered above + two glasses of wine, the price was fair. I didn’t walk away feeling overcharged, which is a pretty big plus, especially in San Francisco. I would be down to return. :)

Stopped off for dinner whilst visiting SF for the day on vacation from the UK, in fact the venue is literally 5mins from the Cal Train Station so found it by chance on the way home…
Firstly we had a lovely warm greeting by the owner and the team, really nice start, inside the décor is wonderful and intimate… the food itself was excellent in all ways, faultless, the waiter had extensive knowledge of the menu dishes and beverages, it isn’t cheap but you do pay for quality…
The only negative was that they automatically added 15% tip to the bill, at all other venues in the US this was discretionary… however we had a lovely time and would visit again if in the area.

I was looking for a mid priced French Bistro and everything is listed under Best is $$$$. The prices here are much more reasonable and food is good, not great, but definitely good.
My friend and I started with a Sancerre (Excellent) and an Alsacian Riesling (just okay), then bought a bottle of Cahors (Southern France Malbec) very nice and $ 45.00. Nice richness — needs 30 minutes to open.
We split the fromage appetizer — it was presented with 6 cheeses, honey, apple slices, grapes and a basket of bread (2 kinds). All of the cheeses had great flavor — a nice way to start the meal.
Then we both ended up ordering the Duck Breast — it was tender, beautifully presented lying on top a bed of lentils — overall good, it needed some seasoning, especially salt — a bit bland. We ended the meal with that — it’s a nice place, I’ve eaten here more than a dozen times. This is more like a true Bistro than other places with the name Bistro.

Vive La France. Celebrating Bastille Day in San Francisco as vacation vs. work, work wins this year, French country house has to wait. Took the family out. It’s not fancy dinner but I’ve heard plenty of good things about it. It’s right next to my favorite winter spot in SoMa: Cockscomb, so it’s easy to find. Especially with the never ending construction, it’s perfect for a meal when everyone else wants to avoid that street.
Bastille menu was a very decent deal. At $ 46 a head. I thought it was £46 per head as I just returned from UK and it was not. Whew! Pomme Frites were fabulous. I could eat that all night. Onion tart? I dissed it only to find out vert quickly this is filled with greens and protein, the tart was quite deliciously flaky. Charcuterie hit the spot.
I paused. All those eating out in the Avenues had deprived me from my true passion for French food. It’s always been my calling. Fringale reminded me how much I’ve missed my adopted home’s food. I savored the charcuterie. It’s all mine.
Veal short ribs were on the fattier side this evening, and I did love it. Moules were filled with garlic and I did enjoy it more than some other places. It was more flavorful than some other places and it’s perfect just the way it was. Salmon was a surprise hit.
French does Apple tart well. Just like Germans does Apple Strudel well. Don’t forget the apple tart.
Bread basket was filed with baguette which was always a nice welcome considering some places now ask you to pay for bread.
Food was cooked very well. One could tell that given the longevity of this restaurant, preparing for really high quality food is not an issue here. All arrived relatively quickly, despite the filled restaurant. Service was very good, and polished, as you’d expect for a place like this.
One thing that is for sure: I have been suffering fro separation anxiety with good French food, for reasons as simple as I want to eat healthier and consume less caloric food. But on Bastille day, and for the love of French cuisine, one must indulge oneself once in a great while.
Last year I celebrated Bastille Day with a very dear friend of mine at the newly opened Monsieur Benjamin. The year before, I was in France with the family. I suppose I like to keep my tradition intact. If there is anything resembles the love affair of a lifetime, it’s my love for French food. Fringale reminded me just how much so tonight. For that, I’m thankful.

Short Story:
A fairly awesome place!
Long Story:
I came here on a Thursday night at 7PM with two other friends and we were promptly seated. The place slowly got packed as the evening went on. I had the duck breast and my friend had the pork loin. We also got a nice red wine… too bad I can’t remember what it is now.
The view is alright, it’s near a Wells Fargo so not too much of a sight. The décor and ambiance are pretty nice. There are large and tall windows. The service is also really nice and attentive.
Verdict:
I’ll go back!

One of my girlfriends wanted to do San Francisco Restaurant Week ($ 40). Since I was out of town when she asked, I told her to pick the restaurant. She ended up picking Fringale. I’d been here years ago (like at least 8 years?), and remember enjoying the steak and foie, so I was down to revisit.
Choice of appetizer:
*Butter lettuce salad: blue d’auvergne, herbs, piquillo pepper & boquerones vinaigrette
*Calamari a la plancha: jalapenos, chorizo, piment d’espelette & olives
*Roquefort & spinach ravioli: toasted pine nuts, basil & papillon cheese sauce
Choice of entrée:
*Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin: braised napa cabbage, onion & apple marmalade
*Braised lamb shank: potato purée, brussel sprouts, mushroom fricassee & thyme sauce
*Sauteed petrale sole: risotto, artichokes, kobocha squash & piquillo pepper sauce
Choice of dessert:
*Crème brûlée
*Warm chocolate gourmand
*Mme angele’s gâteau basque
*Charles krug, family reserve, generation, napa valley ’11 ($ 60)
We were able to order the whole SFRW menu between the three of us. The appetizers were all pretty good. I enjoyed the ravioli. The cheese sauce was delicious! The entrees were okay. I think my favorite was the sole and I normally don’t even like sole prepared that way. For the entrees, I was a little uninspired with the choices. In hindsight, I probably should have just ordered off the SFRW menu. But that would have defeated the purpose of going, right? The desserts were good and enjoyed by all.
For SFRW, Fringale offers a decent menu. But I really wish they offered a steak or something a little more enticing on their menu. The rest of the courses were good though. Not sure what happened to the restaurant I enjoyed so much so many years ago, but for SFRW, Fringale was just alright.

SFRW #5
I’m an hour early for my reservation… that’s right… EARLY!!! We sat at the bar and decided we might as well do our dinner right then and there.
We ordered:
— Clamari a la plancha = nicely season with delicious chorizo and a spicy kick of jalapenos.
— Spinach Ravioli = toasted pine nuts with cheese sauce and basil will rub you the right.
— Sauteed petrale sole = had me at the risotto and the kobocha squash purée.
— Braised lamb shank = the deconstruction Brussels sprouts was the least favorite part of this dish.
— Crème brûlée = creamy vanilla custard with lightly caramelized sugar crust.
— Warm chocolate Gourmand = one scoop of vanilla ice cream beside a tasteful flourless chocolate cake drizzle with raspberry sauce was quite delectable.
Fringale would be a place for a warm inviting dinner where one can enjoy a relaxing meal. No frills, just simple good eat.
I hope you give this place a try. Cheers!

My hunny and I had our 3 mos celebratory dinner here at Fringale last Sunday, and it was a pretty lovely experience. :)
Josh had made reservations for 7:45pm, and we found a spot for parking right next door to the restaurant. Despite us being there about 15mins early & the place being pretty petite and filled up, we got seated right away to a table next to a window.
We ordered the following:
Butter Lettuce (okay – we’re both not a fan of bleu cheese & bf didn’t notice that it was part of it on the menu.)
Crab Napoleon (yummy! Refreshing & tasty. I remember seeing the movie Simply Irresistible & they had this dish in it. Such a good movie, everyone especially those who are into romantic movies should watch it!)
Steak (good)
Rack of Lamb (also delish)
Crème Brûlée (perfectly devine! This was hunny’s dessert choice.)
Chocolate cake (pretty good, but I didn’t like the raspberry sauce though.)
So overall it was a nice dinner at a little romantic French restaurant. Service took awhile after the appetizer, but I guess that’s usually how it is with most nicer restaurants.