Reviews for Birch & Rye in San Francisco, CA
What a concept! I love the idea of new modern take on "Russian food". I was so excited to hear that a new restaurant has opened... in San Francisco serving up modern upscale Russian food. I grew up eating Russian food for almost every meal, so dining at Birchand rye was very special. It combined my love for fine dining and my comfort food of choice. Some dishes were hits (likekhachapuri) some very a miss (Oliver Salad, why try to recreate what is perfect ;). I'd come back here for sure once the menuchanges to try their take on other favorites. Read more
Had relatively high hopes given all the marketing I saw. The place is OK but definitely falls short given the price. The choice... is very limited. Dishes we tried are nice and interesting interpretations of Russian flavors but nothing particularlyimpressive. The appetizers are also remarkably small and seem significantly overpriced. Beer choice is limited and some of thechoices do not quite fit the level of the restaurant. The one cocktail I tried wasn't great. Finally, a relatively unusualissue: the place positions itself as upscale yet plays some of the cheesiest Russian pop you can find (of the type you'dprobably hear in a roadside eatery in Russia). The staff (most of which isn't Russian speaking) wasn't able to help with it. Sooverall not recommended, especially if you understand Russian. Read more
I took my daughter to this Russian restaurant. I am Russian and I didn?t know what to expect from modern Russian food but it... was very delicious and I loved the chefs tasting menu and different infusions. Black currant and sea buckthorn was my favorite. It?s not easy to find good rye bread and smetana and this place has both! Will definitely go again. Read more
I absolutely loved my dinner at Birch and Rye. Everything from the creativity of the dishes to the delicious combination of... flavours were unforgettable. I tried the vegan menu and expecting a lesser flavourful course of dishes I was blown away by themouthwatering flavours. I also tried the wine pairing with my meal which was chosen with a lot of thought. I loved the modernRussian music, the tasteful decor, professionalism of the staff, the warmth and knowledge of the executive chef and also thesupport this venue offers for Ukraine. A very special evening. Highly recommend it. Read more
We were really excited for this place given what we heard. We prepaid for the caviar tasting experience and there were... definitely hearty portions of caviar. The bread starters were absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, we had some experiences thatreally undermined the restaurant. The utensils were always incorrectly assembled and were reorganized many times before everydish. We brought a wine and paid corkage, but no one ever poured it for us, that was up to us. They kept answering our questionsabout the drink menu and then never actually took our drink order. The worst part was one server made fun of us in front of usfor asking about how to eat the desert. Lastly, they charge a 24% gratuity and then tax on top of the gratuity. None of thesethings alone would be a deal breaker, but together they make the experience less than ideal. Read more
We walked in by chance and luckily they had a cancellation and were able to give us a table (recommend making reservations in... advance). The service was amazing, explaining carefully all the different homemade infused vodkas, which ones would pair betterwith food. They have a chef's menu, but we decided to choose a la cart and make our own adventure. The quality of the food wastop notch, as was the presentation and the explanations. Very interesting cuisine, Russian modern dishes, caviar, duck livermouse, beef cheeks, beets leaves and rye bread. Perfect place for a celebration or an anniversary. Read more
Friendly staff, nice ambience, good food. Princess Anastasia is a delicious cocktail; very balanced and not too sweet. Caviar... service is great but little pricey as expected. Khachapuri is super tasty if you like having a filling appetizer. Large plateoptions are limited. I recommend ordering multiple small plates instead. Stroganoff is the vegetarian option where the meat issubstituted with mushrooms. Unfortunately, the dessert selection is limited. Overall, very nice and elegant place. Read more
Exquisite. Wonderfully conceived and crafted 5 course tasting menu. From the moment the food enters the area of your table you... begin to take in the aroma. Careful presentation makes each tasting even more appealing. The flavors were well balanced andelightful. Each of the tastings were mindfully planned to complement the previous tasting. Service from the staff was spot onwithout intruding. Dessert was lovely, unique and not too sweet. There was plenty of food for a normal appetite. I won'thesitate to recommend to someone who appreciates fine dining and vegan options. Thank you to our gracious hostess. Read more