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Monsieur Benjamin

French Restaurant and Bistro$$$$

Hayes Valley, San Francisco

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Monsieur Benjamin

8.7^/10

506

ratings

Ranked #2 for tartare in San Francisco
The experts at Eater and SFGate recommend this place
"The sea urchin is the best I've ever had."(7 Tips)
"Loved the seafood sausage and bone marrow."(7 Tips)
"Beef tartar, quail, sweetbread, beef crepe are the must eats."(7 Tips)
"Maple bacon french toast and duck confit poached eggs: absolutely."(5 Tips)

84 Tips and reviews

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good for dates
trendy
bone marrow
corey lee
desserts
restaurants
foie gras
spacious
deviled eggs
French toast
pate
bistros
meats
ice cream
brunch food
good for groups
great value
bar
spare ribs
gelato
(15 more)

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Arthur LiaoFebruary 15, 2016
Been here 5+ times
Foie gras torchon, foie gras poele (seared), foie gras salad ... Basically anything with foie gras. Also the steak tartar, steak frites, savory and dessert crepes, gateau marjolaine, cocktails.
Hei-Yu TangSeptember 7, 2015
Trendy bistro by chef Corey Lee. Top notch food, great ambiance and impeccable service. Definitely try the Sea Urchin. Nice wines to accompany your food and open for drinks till late.
EaterNovember 13, 2014
Head to this French bistro, which takes on the classics both familiar (duck confit, steak frites, a burger) and less so (escargot, sweetbreads, beef tongue). There are great cocktails too. Read more
Kathy 👩🏻‍💻 LinJuly 3, 2016
Been here 10+ times
A great place for a glass of wine after a night at the opera. Never gets too crowded - sit at the bar and take a gander into the kitchen. Ask Bob for wine pairing suggestions!
The Taste SheriffApril 21, 2018
Excellent! Fantastic delicious food, fair portions, expensive for a reason and not outrageously ($100pp w/ drinks and tip included). Try the duck, the snails and the gelato dessert. Cool crowd too!
jansen cDecember 11, 2016
Been here 5+ times
Had a great brunch here over the weekend, it was a decent surprise with really tasty French food. I recommend trying their Uni and duck confit!
joanneMay 11, 2015
solid burger. a holy trinity of comte, raw onions, and caramelized onion bone marrow marmalade. if the price gives you pause, consider that it comes with a mind-bogglingly large mound of frites.
SFGateSeptember 19, 2014
New renditions of deviled eggs at Monsieur Benjamin: Creamy yolks lightened with creme fraiche with a surprise of pureed herbs on the bottom. Read more
Anthony YuenSeptember 14, 2014
Sweetbread....mouth watering. Service....impeccable. Every minute was excellent and the team was so attentive! Happy Birthday to my friend Christopher. ☺😊😀😁😃😄
Brian StraussJanuary 29, 2017
Been here 5+ times
Simple, familiar, but stunning modern brasserie. Can't wait to go back. Excellent oysters, fries, and foie gras.
Anton ShusterApril 14, 2015
The burger is topped with Comte and a caramelized onion and bone marrow marmalade on a housemade potato-buttermilk bun. It comes with hand-cut fries and housemade ketchup.
Johnnie MJanuary 29, 2016
Excellent sea urchin. Extremely good steak frites. Chocolate Pot de creme AMAZING!!! Yes. I like this place very much.
Holger LüdorfJune 22, 2015
Been here 5+ times
Upscale but authentic bistro food. Loved the seafood sausage and bone marrow. Full bar & excellent cocktails, as judged by the Sazerac.
Celine HOctober 9, 2018
The food here is solid. Pricey but worth it if you’re celebrating. The restaurant charges a mandatory 20% tip, which I’m normally fine with, but my server was quite absent throughout the night.
Tricia LeeNovember 27, 2014
Amazing! Med Seabass was delish. Must try gateau crepe dessert. Definitely worth a visit.
DekontiJuly 25, 2014
Great wine selection. Get sweetbreads, steak tartare, mussels, Arctic char and chicken wings.
Daniel BouludJuly 30, 2014
Can’t wait to try Benu’s brand new little brother, a French bistro à la Corey Lee. I sneaked a peek of construction on my last trip. I will come back for sure!
Veronica BelmontJanuary 1, 2015
You may think to pick either the savory beignets or the croquettes. Don't choose! Order both. They are tiny and delicious
Anthony ValenteSeptember 24, 2014
Steak tartar, pâté, seafood sausage...pretty much everything on the menu is insanely good, but these were my favorites.
Craig VillamorNovember 4, 2015
Beef spare rib is excellent. Crepe dessert interesting. Wish they would clean table between courses.
Joe AlicataDecember 6, 2014
Start with the escargot and finish with the ice cream, you will not be disappointed by Corey Lee's next move.
Nicole RocchioMarch 6, 2020
Best mussels I’ve ever had. The potato purée as a side as well!!!
Jasmine FriedlMay 29, 2016
Frog legs: yes. Beef tongue: no. Maple bacon french toast and duck confit poached eggs: absolutely.
Tanner ChristensenOctober 24, 2015
Try frog legs and escargot for dinner, or French toast and unlimited mimosas for brunch.
Gayle MacciaOctober 30, 2016
Was not on top form today Waited way too long for wine which came after two requests and the appetizers. Again asked for lemons w water and had to ask 3 times.Details missing for an expensive place
Megan AllisonDecember 21, 2016
Been here 5+ times
Flawless burger + a French red, open late. Painful price points but much to love about it. I never leave unhappy.
Hyung Ju KimJune 24, 2016
Beef tartar, quail, sweetbread, beef crepe are the must eats.
Brett LiderSeptember 14, 2014
The Camembert beignets are staggering. They are small and come 6 to an order, and they are dusted with a mushroom salt. I could have eaten them all.
Brendan CurranJune 11, 2015
Been here 5+ times
Excellent duck confit and salmon tartare. Considerably less heavy than typical French bistro.
Brad TNovember 26, 2017
I so wanted to love this Cory Lee spot but alas was not meant to be. Some of the blandest French I've ever had.
Yaron Zakai-OrFebruary 12, 2017
Excellent, authentic French casual cuisine. Awesome deserts and drinks
nils jansonDecember 6, 2014
The sea urchin is the best I've ever had. Brunch is great: try the chicken croquette.
michael tSeptember 7, 2014
Been here 5+ times
Get the mussels and the marrow. Use the grilled bread for best results.
Arthur LeeSeptember 10, 2015
Desserts are excellent- they are all home made (including the ice cream!)
Maya ShanmugamOctober 17, 2015
Love the maple choux-blé pastries + their sauce gribiche
Iris NgApril 30, 2015
Been here 5+ times
Here for brunch? Get the grilled ham! It's Soooo good!
Christophe LampertiMarch 12, 2018
Been here 5+ times
Beef tartare, croquettes and generally their small plates are good. But it’s a bit too expensive for what it is, something seems to be missing.
Ayse DibekMarch 9, 2016
The confit duck was great so was the oysters. Cool trendy atmosphere
Daniel UdellAugust 24, 2014
Everything is great but get the bone marrow every time. You're welcome.
Jimmy HangJuly 13, 2014
Def try the sweetbreads - beignets were just ok
Haley DasarpJuly 5, 2017
Romantic atmosphere! The layer cake for dessert is a must.
Kyle BrazilOctober 6, 2014
Sea urchin & mussels are a must have. Great service.
Jina AnneAugust 17, 2014
The parsley breadcrumbs that come on the chicken wings are quite tasty.
Max WennekerMay 18, 2019
Awesome fries and wine selection
Jenn ChenJuly 22, 2015
Steak tartare and Arctic char are amazing.
PeggyApril 19, 2016
The Ace was an excellent choice of cocktail.
SFistJanuary 13, 2015
The chef's here have put together a crave-worthy menu of revised and brand new bistro classics at their bustling Hayes Valley outpost. There's steak tartare, frog legs in aigre doux, and much more. Read more
Emily CarolineAugust 18, 2018
Super fun for girls night - upbeat atmosphere!
Brant McQuittyMay 27, 2016
Traditional bistro fare in a modern setting.
Jeena JamesAugust 11, 2018
Good cocktails, fyi there's 20% gratuity added to your bill automatically!

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