Bistro Ember

Name: Bistro Ember
Address: 1298 Church St, San Francisco, CA, United States, 94114-3918
Telephone: (415) 655-9265
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.7

4.7

89 Reviews

$30 and under

Fusion / Eclectic

Top tags:

At Ember, we offer local-Californian inspired cuisine with authentic & vibrant Mediterranean influences. We believe in only working with superior, fresh, organic & local ingredients that Bay Area farmers markets have to offer. We work with the seasonal harvest in an effort to showcase each distinguishable and perfectly in-season ingredient.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 5, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 14 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Fusion / Eclectic, Eastern European, Mediterranean
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(415) 655-9265
Website
https://bistroember.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Business Casual
Executive Chef
Deniz Sezer

Location
1298 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114-3918
Neighbourhood
Noe Valley
Parking Details
Street Parking

Popular dishes

What 89 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

89 Reviews

LY
LYBJ
New York Area
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The best new restaurant in SF! Cool, inventive, cozy, delicious, made with heart and love. Such a welcoming spot with absolutely delicious food.
Is this helpful?
LK
LaurieK
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderfully prepared fresh Turkish food with friendly service in cozy atmosphere!
Is this helpful?
DI
DIANEK
San Francisco
1 review
vip
3.0
1 review
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience5
Food was extremely bland… great venue but needs some work on the menu
Is this helpful?
IT
InTownFromDenver
Denver
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Lovely spot in my favorite neighborhood. The staff is warm and welcoming and your table is your table for the night! (Which I appreciate- more European approach - no one is rushing you out to turn the table!). The food is unique and yummy and the Turkish/Mediterranean flare points at some unique flavors. The portions are very small so be prepared for that. The filet was tiny but perfectly prepared and the blue cheese mashed was a pleasant surprise. The lamb was a more hearty dish and seems to be their signature. It was fantastic! Great spot for a nice date or a celebration dinner. At the price, maybe not a weekly event. But highly recommend!
Is this helpful?
S
Susan
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We enjoyed everything about Bistro Ember, from the delicious food to the excellent service and ambiance. The staff was very attentive and explained each dish they served. Lovely!
Is this helpful?
JG
JohnG
New York Area
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing! Best food in SF. Amir and Dennis are the best. The Lamb Mutancanna and Manti are simply devine. The burnt chicken pudding may sound strange, try it. You will not be disappointed
Is this helpful?
RB
RichardB
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Thrilled to see this Turkish inspired restaurant in this neighborhood. Food is great - lamb, eggplant,little gem,beets, couscous all prepared with flavor and flair.
Is this helpful?
MT
MikeT
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
From the cozy atmosphere to the attentive service Embers does not disappoint. Food taste and quality is outstanding. These folks know how to combine flavors to enhance a dish. We celebrated my wife’s birthday and the staff really took care of us. Service and food is many stars above most bistros. Make a reservation today!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Absolutely wonderful food and excellent service. Best I’ve had in a while. These guys introduced us to their culture and food in such a great manner.
Is this helpful?
RW
RobinW
San Francisco
176 reviews
vip
3.0
176 reviews
Dined on November 5, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
I wanted to like it better. We both chose the shatsuka (sp?). Bland and the up charge of $3 for one egg was ridiculous. Would not return.
Is this helpful?
JC
JohnCC
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Had 11 different dishes - every one was delicious. Service was exemplary.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wow! What an amazing neighborhood gem. Fresh, delicious and beautifully prepared meals. Warm and attentive service. A standout!
Is this helpful?
w
wendyc
San Francisco
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food, lovely setting and gracious courteous service - we'll come back again soon!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Unique menu items, flawless executed. The prefect ambiance for a bistro. Our party of four shared two appetizer and three entrees, all served family style. We err all satisfied with the portion sizes. The staff was attentive. All of us had a lovely evening.
Is this helpful?
O
Overserved
San Francisco
198 reviews
vip
5.0
198 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is the best new restaurant to open in Noe Valley. They have done a fabulous job of re modeling the interior from the former Inle restaurant. Every dish we had was delicious, well spiced and beautifully presented. The Turkish tartar included both beef and vegetarian on the plate and they were both equally good. the tuna in the white bean salad was lightly seared and had a delicious marinade flavor that was very different. the couscous was very flavorful. the chickpea bread with the flavored butter was slightly sweet and great with their flavored butter. the octopus dish was perfectly cooked and flavorful. the burnt chicken pudding was a surprising hit for us. Service was attentive , gracious and responsive. Yes it is a bit expensive as are many restaurants these days but this place is worth it. We will be back and try a main course or two next time.
Is this helpful?
JK
JudithK
Portland
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Wonderful and unusual Turkish food. The prices were quite high, but the quality of the food and the service were excellent. We went early, but after the restaurant filled up it was quite noisy.
Is this helpful?
LN
LaurenceN
San Francisco
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have been to this wonderful restaurant 4 times now and every time have had an amazing meal! There has not been any dish that was so-so. Not only is the food wonderful but the dishes are prepared with Michelin-star-like beauty -- like pieces of art. I hesitate to recommend it so highly as I don't want to have trouble getting a reservation, but it is well work going and my current favorite restaurant.
Is this helpful?
M
Maya
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on October 23, 2023
overall3food2service4ambience4
The ambiance was great, service was also good, however the food was mediocre and pricy.
Bistro EmberResponded on November 10, 2023
First of all as an Ember team, thank you for choosing us. As a new restaurant we definitely have something to improve and your feedback is very important for us. Your recommendations are valuable for us. We are gonna consider your frustration and we will definitely improve our food and service quality accordingly. We would love to see you again in our restaurant. Have a great day.
Is this helpful?
BB
BevB
San Francisco
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful food and service but overpriced. We ordered 7 cold and hot appetizers for 4 people instead of entrees. Definitely need to try the bread, tomato-watermelon salad, butternut squash and scallop appetizers.
Is this helpful?
MM
MoMoT
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was excellent!! The food, the ambiance, the service! 10 out of 10. We will go back and highly recommend this place to friends!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Sacramento
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The first time I went, my experience was amazing. So good that my fiancé and I came back just a few days later with a friend. Service was fantastic and the staff was very friendly!
Is this helpful?
S
Sharon
San Francisco
10 reviews
vip
2.0
10 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2023
overall2food2service2ambience2
Service was slow & inadequate. There were 2 menus for the 3 of us so we asked for another menu twice, but even after saying they'd bring us another one, they didn't. It took about 20-30 minutes for us to receive our entrees after starters. We sat for 30 mins or so after completing our meal without service, even though we were sitting in the line of sight of the front counter. It took great efforts to flag someone down despite them coming & going, serving the table next to us. Although nicely decorated, the space is small & loud. They seated us at a table right next to the front door which means people coming in & waiting will stand right next to you, & you'll experience any drafts from the door which was left open at times. We ordered 8 dishes & didn't like any of them enough to say we'd want to go back. - The chickpea bread is what you would imagine a gluten-free bread to be - dry and crisp. The butter looks so freaking cool, but you don't get much flavor from the spicy honey, olive oil, & rosemary oil. - The mud cheese & the tomatoes in the watermelon salad were really good. - Beet salad is middle of the road & tastes of licorice from the fennel. - Couscous was toothsome, creamy, & savory. - Manti skin was a bit dry & tough. The yogurt & mint sauces paired well with the lamb. - Dining buddy said the scallops were ok. - The lamb was medium tenderness & lacked flavor - dipping it in the yogurt & mint sauces helped. Although it was a generous amount of meat, we wouldn't pay $44 for this dish again. - The sea bass was cooked well w crispy skin & the clams were good, but the accompaniments were absolutely tasteless, & that's coming from a super taster! Did they forget the preserved lemon? Def not worth $42 - They did gift us some rose flavored Turkish delight which was lightly flavored & very chewy. Had we gotten service closer to when we ended our meal, we may have considered desert. But not at 9:20pm & more than half an hour after finishing dinner.
Is this helpful?
c
cecfrench
Greater Boston
45 reviews
vip
5.0
45 reviews
Dined on October 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food ! Everything we had was delicious and the presentation was beautiful . Colorful and tasty . The desserts were fantastic too . The space is cosy without being dark and the ambiance was really nice . So glad we went ! We ll be back for sure !!
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great brunch with a mediterranean twist. Very tasty and the service is amazing.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was first and beautiful date we had. Thank you.
Is this helpful?
AH
AaronH
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Unique offering for brunch and the entire menu was delightful and inviting. The time we were there it wasn't too busy and while overall the service was good, felt as though it could have been more engaging. At the same time we defiantly look forward to returning again soon.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Cincinnati
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food and service! Extra touch for owner and chef to stop by. Great time with my friends
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 14, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
Not likely to return. Manti dumplings were cold and undercooked. Roast lamb was tender and juicy but just missing flavor. Needed to go sweet or spicy but just pick a direction please. Ambience was nice enough though our two top was very close to the next table. Highlight was the little adjustable table lamp. Server was sweet if a little overwhelmed on a Friday night. Might try the brunch but certainly won’t return for the dinner.
Bistro EmberResponded on November 10, 2023
First of all as an Ember team, thank you for choosing us. As a new restaurant we definitely have something to improve and your feedback is very important for us. Your recommendations are valuable for us. We are gonna consider your frustration and we will definitely improve our food and service quality accordingly. We would love to see you again in our restaurant. Have a great day.
Is this helpful?
SS
SophieS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a fantastic brunch experience. Food was excellent, very satisfying and also different enough from your typical brunch menu to be interesting while totally scratching the itch. Service was attentive and location beautiful. Would be more than happy to go back for brunch or to try for a nice dinner.
Is this helpful?
TF
TastyFood
Dallas
27 reviews
vip
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on October 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delightful experience. Wonderful food, service, and overall experience. Would definitely return!
Is this helpful?
m
mjsf
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Lovely dining experience. The chickpea rolls were fantastic and the Salmon was perfect. High five on the super tender Bok Choy on the dish! My friend loved the roast lamb dish as well.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable
San Francisco
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on October 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Although we saw great reviews in the press, we were really motivated to go to EMBER based on the recommendation of a foodie friend. Rarely do we leave a restaurant thinking everything was 100% perfect but we definitely felt 100% satisfied at EMBER. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful with everything from the banquettes to the bathroom in pristine condition and pleasing to the eye. We wanted to order everything on the menu but decided to follow the suggestions of Emir who guided us towards his recommendations. We were not disappointed with anything we ordered. The wine list was complete with a wide variety of options. The sauvignon blanc we ordered was delicious. If we had to pick one word to describe our experience, it would be --- flawless.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on September 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious!!! Great lil neighborhood spot. Every dish we had was unique, presented beautifully and absolutely yummy 👏
Is this helpful?
s
shzy
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
we’re working our way through the menu because everything has been delicious and mouthwatering
Is this helpful?
WT
WillowT
San Francisco
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on September 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our experience at Bistro Ember was wonderful! We had a lovely window table and the service was extraordinary! The food was beautifully plated and delicious. I hope this new neighborhood gem is well supported. It’s a special place for special occasions or the regular dinner out.
Is this helpful?
s
shzy
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
foodie’s heaven. layers of flavor and pleasing to the eye. we are returning!
Is this helpful?
DN
DateNightFor2
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Loved the experience perfect for date night ! The food is elevated Turkish cuisine!
Is this helpful?
S
Seth
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience3
Nice place, good service, good food. Got way too loud once it was busy but otherwise pleasant experience.
Is this helpful?
c
charliec
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience4
The food is great; the people friendly and the decor also very good. The only thing that was lacking was organization. Perhaps more training is needed to get a smoother flow?
Is this helpful?
n
napida
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
All personal in Restaurant came out making sure we were satisfied with the Restaurant. Always checking on how we were doing
Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Contactless payment available

FAQs

Bistro Ember is rated 4.7 stars by 89 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 5, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 14 times today

1298 Church St, San Francisco, CA 94114-3918

Additional information

Neighbourhood
Noe Valley
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Fusion / Eclectic, Eastern European, Mediterranean
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress Code
Business Casual
Parking Details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Deniz Sezer

Website
https://bistroember.com/
Phone number
(415) 655-9265

Bistro Ember

Make a reservation

Additional information

Popular dishes

Burnt Chicken Pudding

Filet Mignon

Eggplant

Menu

Cold Appetizers

Ember OysterUS$22.00

Tomato & Watermelon US$22.00

Little Gem SaladUS$18.00

Turkish TartareUS$24.00

Fish & RakiUS$22.00

Hot Appetizers

Yoghurt Soup & ScallopUS$18.00

Squash BlossomUS$16.00

Ember OctopusUS$26.00

CouscousUS$24.00

Home Made Fresh MantiUS$20.00

Entrees

Lamb MutancanaUS$42.00

Striped BassUS$40.00

King SalmonUS$42.00

Filet MignonUS$46.00

EggplantUS$32.00

Desserts

Ember Pineapple SorbetUS$12.00

Turkish coffee CakeUS$14.00

RevaniUS$14.00

Burnt Chicken PuddingUS$16.00

What 89 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising

FAQs

How is Bistro Ember restaurant rated?

Is Bistro Ember currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information