Angler

Food and service was underwhelming. Food: small portions, nice visual presentation but gustation fell short. Be prepared to order at least 4 appetizers and 3 mains to feed a party of 2. Service :The waiter did mention they did things “differently” but it didn’t prepare us for how we were treated. The waiter dropped off the menus , promised to be back later to go over it and introduce specials - he came back 15 mins later and asked if we were ready to order. I asked to hear the specials and he seemed dismissive as if we wouldn’t be interested anyways. Next, Anything we ordered was followed by “ oooookay? Are you sure ?” I found it also odd that after politely offering me a refill of my wine, I had declined and the waiter replied with a sarcastic “all right. Lovveellyy” I think the mandatory service charge hinders waiters from actually providing genuine service. Service aside , I would not return or recommend this restaurant . There are better options in the city. Cute decor !

We drove an hour to celebrate our anniversary dinner here, but unfortunately the experience fell far below our expectations. The dining room is spacious, but it was extremely noisy. Although the restaurant has a beautiful view of the Bay Bridge, we couldn't enjoy it because our table was far from the windows. The atmosphere felt loud and hectic rather than like a traditional fine dining restaurant. The service was just average. The waiter did refill our water frequently, which was probably the only aspect worth praising. Considering there is a mandatory 20% service charge plus a 6% SF Mandate fee, I think attentive water refills should simply be expected. The biggest disappointment was the food. None of the dishes had particularly attractive plating, and many looked more like homemade meals than dishes from a Michelin-starred restaurant. Even more disappointing, most of the flavors were surprisingly ordinary. I honestly couldn't believe I was dining at a Michelin one-star restaurant. The whole sea bream had wonderfully crispy skin, but the flesh itself was bland and lacked seasoning. The lobster was also underwhelming—while cooked properly, the meat wasn't as tender as we had expected and the flavor was very mild. The Australian striploin was tender but otherwise unremarkable. The Parkhouse roll was delicious. The bread was incredibly soft and paired perfectly with the restaurant's house butter. The grilled potato looked adorable, and its skin was wonderfully crispy, almost like potato chips. Unfortunately, it was rather bland and still slightly undercooked in the center. The embered oyster was easily the highlight of the evening. The oysters were fresh, perfectly grilled, and complemented by a unique sauce that enhanced their natural umami flavor. The biggest letdown was the uni sourdough. Although the uni itself was fresh and sweet, the sourdough was overwhelmingly salty, completely overpowering the delicate sweetness of the sea urchin. To make matters worse, these two tiny one-bite pieces cost an astonishing $114. By the end of the meal, my overall impression was that the restaurant was simply below average. The pricing certainly matched that of a Michelin-starred restaurant, but unfortunately, the food, atmosphere, and overall dining experience did not.

Fish was fresh, well seasoned and well cooked. King crab rice flavored very well although on the pricer side.

We visited for our anniversary and had the cook for you prix fixe menu. Unfortunately, the experience was quite underwhelming, especially considering the price, which can easily go over $300 per person. Throughout the entire meal, a fly kept circling our table, and we spent much of the dinner swatting it away. This is certainly not something I would expect at a Michelin-starred restaurant. The food was decent, but nothing particularly outstanding or memorable. Unfortunately, on the night we visited, some of the restaurant’s signature dishes, including grilled fish, were not on the prix fixe menu. It’s a seafood restaurant known for its wood-fired grill, but sadly, we didn’t get to experience it. Our main courses were lamb and lamb tongue, which may be polarizing due to the distinctive flavor of lamb. Since there are no choices between courses, it felt like a bit of a gamble as to what we would be served that evening. And if we knew about the main, we would not have ordered a bottle of white wine. The dessert was particularly disappointing. For two people ordering the prix fixe menu, we were given one individual-sized sorbet to share. We ended up ordering the soft serve separately and paying extra for it. Angler doesn’t seem to be generous with desserts, based on a previous visit, three guests received two desserts to share (one soft serve and one slice of cake). I was also confused by the pre-visit communication. The restaurant contacted us beforehand to ask whether we were celebrating a special occasion and even asked for my significant other’s name. I thought this was a thoughtful touch and expected some acknowledgment of the occasion, but there was nothing different or personalized about the service other than saying happy anniversary. I’m not sure it was by a mistake or was a discrimination, other table (with white people) was also celebrating and they were definitely getting something with a candle lit. I don’t really expect receiving anything complimentary, hence why I didn’t even mention it when I made the reservation, I just don’t understand the purpose of asking for those details in advance and treating people differently. Overall, we left feeling somewhat uneasy about the experience. At the price we paid, I expected a better experience in terms of both the food and hospitality. Nothing was terribly bad, but it was a bit disappointing, which left us thinking that we probably don’t need to come back.

I called to ask whether they could accommodate a medical dietary restriction: plain grilled fish with plain rice or potatoes, at a seafood restaurant built around a wood-fired hearth. I was told “chef doesn't like making changes to the dishes” and that I “should eat somewhere else”, with the explanation that “chef has recently been awarded a Michelin star”. A simple no would have been fine. Worth knowing before you book if you or anyone in your party has dietary requirements.

Lettuce Herbs salad was fresh, zesty, filling, acidic, but good. Diver scallop as a medium course (just one) was amazing. Scallop/sauce perfectly seared and cooked and one of best scallops in my life. Lobster Thermidor was mixed. The pulled out lobster meat stuffed back into the body of the shell was tender, flavorful. Must have been from the claws. The tail meat, however, was very tough to pull out of the shell and very chewy and tough. Maybe a bit overcooked. Service was excellent. Ambience is nice, although the website oversells the view. I could see the Ferry Building and other Piers, but not the water. Coconut sorbet was nicely presented in a coconut shell and very light and creamy. Martinis were fine. I can't give this a 5/5 overall, but definitely a 4/5 or 4.5/5. That scallop was exceptional.

Food (4/5): Came here to try the $55 lunch special. Oysters were good, as was the sea bream. The dressing used for their salad was delicious. We also ordered a la carte and tried their black cod, which was also amazing. However, the portion size felt like it was on the smaller size for the price though, especially for the black cod that we ordered. Service (3/5): Service was attentive and courteous, though it didn't feel like Michelin-level service and didn't feel as friendly as other Michelin restaurants we've been to. I was also a bit surprised that there were no options to modify the appetizer of the lunch special to accommodate a dietary restriction. Atmosphere (4/5): Nice open kitchen, dimmer ambience inside. Nice though not standout. Overall (3.5/5): Food was tasty but portion size and service left a bit more to be desired.

Brooke was our waitress! She was fabulous, knowledgeable and super sweet! The views and food were amazing!! The prawns were stellar! Visited from Texas. Loved it!