Hayes Street Grill

This is one of the first places I visited upon arriving in The Bay Area. Little has changed. We even have some of the same waiters. First and foremost, this is a fish restaurant. Second, prep and presentation are static. Someone says 'boring'; I say 'reliable and comforting'. There are seasonal variations and some great zodiac-driven specials. Soft Shell Crab, Shad Roe. I get their emails and they inform me, not bombard my inbox. Tailored wine selections, classic mixology. Carnivores and Veggies graciously accommodated. Salad Nirvana. Being in the Hayes Valley, they understand that you are either going to a performance, or are just coming from one, and need to get home and let out the cat. Let them know. October 2022 update: Symphony night and there might have been one or two open tables. Strangely SFS seems to have dropped pre-concert lectures, so the crowd was a bit later and seemed to spend more time. So far, Hayes Street has come roaring back. Try the scallops. They're the best in the city.

I have eaten at the Hayes Street Grill for years. I've enjoyed the food sometimes, sometimes not so much. The staff is always courteous and professional with the right amount of friendliness. I've always been seated promptly upon arrival when I had a reservation. Last night, the drinks were good, though my friends and I were surprised that the bar uses a rather pedestrian brand of cherry, rather than the better flavored cherries by Luxardo. Our salads and dinners were very good. One friend of mine and I had the sole with mushrooms and fingerling potatoes. We both loved the mushrooms, cut and prepared to be almost like pasta. Kind of amazing. The dessert menu is one of the best I've seen in a long time. The carrot cake was a better than average carrot cake. One friend at my table had the Winter Fruit Pavlova (not pictured below), which looked more interesting. He said it was complex and delicious. It's funny that it's called "winter fruit" when it contains mango, kiwi and pineapple which might be more appropriately classified as tropical. We made it to our show with time to spare.