Chapeau!, San Francisco, California, French Restaurant Details

Food:

Amazing food and even better service.
It was nice to find that many of their waiters were French.

Food:

Known for emerging from the kitchen to “greet his guests”, chef Philippe Gardelle demonstrates “equal parts charm and culinary skill” at this “welcoming” Inner Richmond French bistro; its old-school menu is “classically good” and the early-bird special is a “real deal”, leaving the “crowded” conditions as the sole drawback.

Learn more about Chapeau!.

What to order

Creamy roasted chestnut soup
Cassoulet
Basil Napoleon (pictured)

Insider tip: The early-bird, three-course menu – Sunday through Thursday (5-6 PM) – is a steal at $36.95.

Food:

Came here for our first anniversary celebration. We'll probably have to wait another year to come back because we're poor college students.

Food: My boyfriend praised the complimentary fish with potato salad on a spoon, he said he didn't want to swallow it because it tasted so damn good. I don't eat shellfish, so I decided to stay away from seafood in general. I'm like an opposite pescetarian. The waiter asked me why I didn't eat it and I told him, he was very nice and got me a slice of baguette with tomato sauce on it, which was wonderful. On to appetizers, I had the onion soup. It was alright, I guess since I love my mother's onion soup, it's hard to match it. I found it was a bit dull, it had no bang to the initial mouthful. Then my entree was the Cassoulet de Toulouse, it was nice, very filling. The lamb was cooked perfectly. It was still moist and kept it's flavor. But I enjoyed my boyfriend's filet mignon much more, he had it with the Sauce à la Périgourdine, and it was just indescribably good. Then for dessert I had the Banana Panna Cotta/ Strawberry Salad/ Shortbread. I think that the shortbread could of been either smaller or thinner. This reminded me of strawberry shortcake. It was wonderful none the less. I could taste the strawberry more than the banana panna cotta. Just reviewing it now, reminded me it was banana rather than strawberry panna cotta.

Atmosphere: My boyfriend and I came in semiformal. Sadly there was no dress code, yes, I wished there were a loose dress code. It boosts the atmosphere. Since this seems like a very nice place. There were people coming in, in sweats and t shirts. It was very cramped in the restaurant. You would imagine a place would have quiet conversations where everyone seems to be whispering. But not this place, everyone is so close it turns into a loud hum, just below a Chinese restaurant.

Service: The waiter was very nice and very personable. He had quite a thick French accent so when he was telling us the specials it was sort of hard to hear. No problems though, he was nice enough to tell us what we miss with out being irked about it. He also offered to take my coat to the coat room and at the end he held it out for me to put it back on. I'm not use to this service so I felt very awkward. He was really good with recommendations. The chef also came out and greeted everyone, shook everyone's hand and initiated conversations. He reminded me of the chef in a queen latifah movie...Last Holiday. At the end of the meal my boyfriend and I stepped out the door and the chef came out just to say goodbye to us. He shook my hand, kissed each of my cheek then shook my boyfriends hand and said hope to see you soon! For sure it's a place I would like to go back to, just when I have a bit more money.

Food:

Rude hostess... I called to ask for a table away from the kitchen as I'm newly pregnant and strong smells bother me, and also I would be celebrating my 2 year anniv with them as well as celebrating that we just found out we were going to have a baby. She said they'd try to save a booth for me, which I understand they are small and busy. However as I was asking her another question, so said ok bye, and promptly hung up on me.

We watched the couple next to us be brought a desert on the house for their anniv with a candle and everything...so when they asked if we wanted a desert we figured ok they are asking us and will also bring us a happy anniv desert...but nope nothing extra and they actually charged us for the desert! Also they over charged us for our meal and I had to have the bill adjusted. Our night was ruined by cold food and delay in getting the 2 entrées. I was finished by the time my partners food came. What was soppused to be a HAPPY and romantic evening left us feeling like we were second rate citizens. Such a shame!! I will never EVER go back and have told all of my friends and family to avoid this place.

Thanks for ruining the rest of our evening and making me cry!

Food:

The food was fantastic. The service was a little too inattentive - took forever to get our check. The tables are packed a bit too closely together. The vibe is very traditional white table cloth.

Food:

Known for emerging from the kitchen to greet his guests, chef Philippe Gardelle demonstrates equal parts charm and culinary skill at this welcoming Inner Richmond French bistro; its old-school menu is classically good and the early-bird special is a real deal, leaving the crowded conditions as the sole drawback.