Medjool

If you have not been to this spot you are missing out. I have been there 4 times now. Although the food is so-so. I love the rooftop views and the comfy seats in the mezzanine. I made the mistake of not making a reservation for Saturday but found some space to stand and watch everyone dance. It was a great night for myself and all my girlfriends.

Posted 07/19/06

Unless you're into horrible incompetent service never go there! First of all, when I first tried to make a reservation with the restaurant, they kept me on hold for over 10 mins. I finally hung up and had to call back later. No one should be put on hold for that long without someone getting back to the customer to let them know they werent forgotten. Then during our dinner on Sat., the waitress came to us with our check and said that our time limit on our table was up and that we had to pay up and leave. Some of the people in our group had just gotten their dishes. We were shocked. We were not told about the time limit on the tables when we made the reservation. If we were told, we would have gone to a different restaurant. Ive never heard of a time limit on tables, especially for a group as large as ours (16 people). Then when the manager came over to speak with us, you would have thought he would have been more apologetic and accommodating. Instead of moving the people he planned to seat at our table over to the next group of tables, which were empty and whose group didnt show up, we had to move our group over. You would have thought he would have bent over backwards to not upset us further and ensure that your restaurant would get repeat business from us, but the staff didnt really seem to care at all. As if that werent bad enough, at the end of the night, when I went outside to leave and put on my favorite jacket, someone told me there were stains all down the back of the jacket. My jacket had been hanging on the back of the seat. The waiter had spilled food on the jacket. When I called and left a message for the manager telling him what happened, he didn't even bother to call me back.

Cons: Don't give them your business, they don't appreciate it! Horrible service!!!!

Posted 07/17/06

This had been my 7th visit to Medjool, and I must say that we have enjoyed the experience every time. I really enjoyed this last time due to the prompt response into accomodating my large group in such short notice. Our group of about 15 had a a section upstairs in the mezzanine level and were taken care of immediately by the wait staff and the manager. Our food was delivered promptly, even though the place was packed! After we were finished with our food, we headed up to the famous roof top bar! AMAZING night! The weather was just right, great mojitos by the way. We ended up heading downstairs where the dancing was going on and it was great! I truly have to say, once again i was very pleased with this place. Look forward to going back again.

Pros: large groups

Posted 07/06/06

I decided to go despite the negative reviews I read here. I was greeted and seated in a timely manner. The waitress was pleasant and frequently checked on my party of 10. The Mojitos are delicious (keep in mind nothing will ever be as good as the real thing in Cuba!). Next time I'll try the food...

Posted 06/26/06

I decided to go to Medjool even after reading all of the reviews good and bad. I had gone a couple of times during the week as well as a few times over the weekend. The service was great as well as the food, Except for may be on the weekends. The Saturday night that I had gone my friends and I waited a little more than expected for the food and trying to get a drink at all 3 bars was a few minute wait, which was pretty understandable since the place was nuts. Anybody with just an ounce of common sense would know that you can't ever expect the best service on the busiest night at any resturant/bar in SF.........But then again, I'm only speaking for myself and not the "marina district." I'm definitely going back.

Pros: Food, Decor, Rooftop

Cons: No parking, but then again it's the mission...USE VALET!!!

Posted 06/20/06

I can't believe how much hype this place has gotten - are we really that desperate for a new place to eat/drink in this town? The decor is nice. Now on to the negatives. The sangria is a joke - I think they dump some fruit into Kool-Aid right before bringing it to you. That's when they get around to bringing it to you - the service is ludicrous. Slow and inaccurate, they kept bringing us dishes we hadn't ordered. We should have just taken them because it took forever to get our actual order. When we did, the food was lacking any spark. It was fine, not particularly tasty or exciting. This is the place that could have been, but instead it's just a lame joint that would be a big hit in the suburbs.

Pros: decor

Cons: service, drinks, food

Posted 06/16/06

This is the most over-hyped, disappointing dining experience I have had in the last several years. We waited and were finally seated, ordered cocktails and 20 min later had no water or cocktails. As the cocktails arrived, the waited spilled them all over two of the people in our party. Accidents happen, but a better establishment would have comped the round or at least sent over an appetizer as a gesture of good will.
The portions were very small and most were only average...bizarre fries. The halibut looked good but had some strange and unpleasant spice I couldn't identify. We spent more than $150 on food alone and no one felt fully satisfied.
The bill was incorrect, we were charged for several things we had not ordered, which was a hassle. We were charged an 18% tip for terrible service, as we were a party of six.
A miserable experience!

Pros: nice fixtures

Cons: noisy, overpriced, TERRIBLE service

Posted 06/02/06

if you hate people, why let them through your doors? i cant say that for the restaurant, but the lounge, definitely. the vibe in there is pretentious and definitely "marina-ish" and as for the DJ? hes probably a relative, if you know what i mean. dude needs more gigs from daddy so he can buy more vinyl. bouncers should wear t-shirts: "im a tool, i work at medjool" the only good thing? drinks are mission priced.

Pros: cheap drinks

Cons: people inside

Posted 05/21/06

I went to Medjool for the first time last week. I was impressed with the patio bar, mostly because of the view. Service was okay. It was busy, but everyone was pretty friendly.

Eventually we went downstairs because our hands and feet started to go numb because of the cold. I loved the couches/chairs. The service downstairs was about equal to the service on the patio. The calamari we had and crab salad were okay. I'd say it's more of a place to go drink and socialize than to eat. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a Marina crowd presence there though. But, Ill definitely go back to have a drink and hopefully enjoy the sunshine.

Pros: patio bar

Cons: Marina-ish

Posted 05/12/06

Service is amatuer with food that is very uncreative and bland. Drinks are simply a rip off in terms of price for the quality spirits they use... ask the barman or server whats in their well and you get the answer...
The design is like a big banquet hall that is cheap in all aspects. We were a small group and they failed to make us feel specail in any way. All who served us seemed at looss doing what they were doing. People around us were cheap crowds who seem to go out very rare not knowing what is being served to them

Pros: location, size

Cons: design, food & drink, service

Posted 04/17/06

I just read some of the reviews. I ate there twice in the month of March. Both times we had good service and we loved the food. I agree it is expensive for what you get.
I think it's got a wonderful atmosphere as well. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. I was in a party of 6 and we thought the service was fine, no complaints!
And everyone in the group loved the food and they were from NYC and one from abroad with sophisticated taste. I live in the neighborhood and eat there from time to time and have never experienced any problems whatsoever.

Pros: food, atmopshere

Cons: a little expensive

Posted 03/19/06

I recently joined about 10 friends at Medjool for a birthday dinner. The service was awful. The service was slow, the food is way overpriced and you are given a time limit on your stay if you are eating (I was in a group so I don't know if it pertains to small groups or couples or whatever). We complained twice. Little acknowledgement was given and we ended up dropping over $300 bucks.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND MEDJOOL FOR FOOD. The only fun thing about the place is the roof top deck. Save your $ and eat someplace else.

Pros: Outdoor ambiance, lighting, mood

Cons: overpriced, poor service, mediocre food

Posted 03/09/06

Went here on a slow tuesday night. Was seated right away. Atmosphere and decor was better than the average SF eatery/bar IMO. Besides the regular dining tables there are a few couches where diners can lounge in a relaxed manner while enjoying their drinks and tapas. Wasnt able to head out to the balconey for it was closed this one evening. Tapas were alright in taste, however, they were a bit flimsy for the price. I recommend the Bstilla and the pork tenderloin over beans. One thing that did annoy me was the long sporadic wait between a few of the plates....quite inexcusable for such a slow night...would hate to see what its like on a busy weekend. Tasty food, small portions, attractive decor, a bit pricey for what you get, questionable service.

Pros: Taste, Decor, Roof top

Cons: Portions, Service

Posted 02/24/06

Just took another trip out to Medjool for a friend's birthday after initially stumbling upon the restaurant. The ambiance is GREAT, service (our waitress) was very attentive and sweet. The food is good but the portions are small...that's what tapas are so know this before going. The restaurant is great for large groups and the upstairs bar, on good weather days, is packed w/ people.

This is definitely one of my fav fun hangout spots in S.F.

Pros: Decor, Upstairs Bar, Service

Cons: Could be noisy

Posted 02/20/06

I had dinner at Medjool the other night with a few of my girlfriends. The food was amazing and we all Loved the Mojitos! Our server was very sweet and on top of everything despite the chaos of the busy restaurant. We had a great time dancing on the roof and continuing the night downstairs when the DJ got started! We will definately be back soon!

Pros: Food, Drinks, Service

Cons: a little Loud

Posted 02/14/06

Having dined at everything from the top 10 restaurants in the world to the corner hotdog stand, my general rule of thumb is this:

1) Any place that is crowded and cash only is a very strong indicator of Good food, drinks and a popular hotspot. Medjool wins on decor, food and general dining experience.

2) Any place that is crowded - don't expect perfect service. Duh. Have some common sense if you don't want a bad experience and come back when its less busy unless you like rubbing elbows with 100 other people. On a crowded night, this is not your 5 star Ritz Carlton.

Use your best judgement for what kind of experience you want to have. Its good on a sunday afternoon, and the service is good then. It is extremely busy on the weekends and nights. The bar is very well managed.

Posted 02/06/06

I'd heard a lot about Medjool (both how nice the rooftop bar was, and how poor the service was) and it was all true. The rooftop bar has a great view, although it (and the restaurant) suffer from "I'm too trendy" pricing, the patrons proving how cool they are to eachother by purchasing $12 drinks. Sorry, this isn't Manhattan; San Francisco has a wealth of good nightspots with _much_ better service, equivalent ambiance, and better value. The food was ok (other tapas joints in the neighborhood are better) but the service was bad. Slow and inattentive sums it up.

Pros: Soundtrack, Rooftop views

Cons: Bad service, Overpriced

Posted 02/06/06

Two friends and I went to Medjool on Wednesday, and knowing how crowded the place usually is, we made a reservation. Good thing - the place was packed. There was no wait to get our table though. We ordered the sampler, the spinach salad, the calamari and the scallops. The food was excellent! I've never tasted baba ghanouj this delicious. The service was prompt and friendly, but not overbearing. My friends and I are definitely going back.

Posted 01/29/06

We went to Medjool not having read any of the reviews. Honestly, the food and the service were average. The best part of the experience was that it was in San Francisco -a city rich with far above average restaurants. Based on these reviews, the odds indicate Medjool is a hit or miss kind of place - maybe a better location for Medjool would have been Las Vegas.....

Pros: in San Francisco

Cons: parking, value, service

Posted 01/10/06

I went to Medjool expecting to be disappointed by past reviews, and found out that what i was reading was a bit extreme. We were seated in the lounge area and greeted by the waitress/bartender, great drinks. We had the option of sitting in the lounge area but decided to sit on a table in the main dining room. Our service was great, which what i was looking for because of the reviews. The food came out in a timely fashion and it was AMAZING! I especially enjoyed the Hangar Steak and the mussels were to do die for. After we finished, we decided to go on the rooftop and check it out, and i must tell you it is AWESOME! I have say this place is definitely a hot spot for its reasons, no matter what i have heard before, i am definitely going back again

Pros: inexpensive

Cons: no parking

Posted 12/20/05

I wasn't going to go to Mejool because of some of the reviews I have read here but my friends were going and my boyfriend said it ca't be that bad. Not only wasn't it not bad but it was suprisingly really good. The food was great. The view from the roof was beautiful although the bar on the roof was closed due to rain. I have to addmit that the food was sent to the table oddly but I think that's just the style. So all and all it's worth the time. I guess most people have a good time. We all know what the rest do.

Pros: food, rooftop

Cons: loud music

Posted 12/19/05

Average food, small portions, unacceptable staff, rude, insulting - We went there for a birthday party - we'll NEVER go back. I could go on, but why - this place wasted my time and money - this is my gift to them - Happy Holidays!

Pros: it's in San Francisco

Cons: Service, Portions too small, Unacceptable staff

Posted 12/11/05

It breaks my heart to hate Medjool as much as I do, because the food is outstanding, but it can't make up for the abysmal service. I love the food so much that I keep going back, hoping the situation will improve, but it actually gets WORSE every time. The last straw was when I co-hosted a large, invitation-only party here (I didn't choose the venue). When the other hosts and I convened an hour before the party's start time we found that the staff hadn't been informed of our event. The owner then told us that we couldn't be there for another hour. He and the manager were completely disorganized, incompetent and rude throughout the entire event, making the evening extremely stressful for us. If the kitchen staff ever opens their own place with the same food but better management, I'm there, but I'll never go back to Medjool.

Pros: Food

Cons: Service

Posted 11/29/05

Loved the ambiance, the owners are great, the food was pretty good, but the service left much to be desired. I've been here a few times and thought it was fantastic when it first opened, but I feel that the quality of service and the food has started to dip. The decor is beautiful, with gorgeous lanterns suspended from high ceilings and warm, lambent candlelight. It's great for parties -- there's a great roof deck (with a cash-only bar) but it's confusing to get to (you have to use this elevator in the youth hostel next door, which sort of takes away from the experience). I would not recommend it to vegetarians, because the best dishes here are the meat dishes (almond pomegranate chicken, hangar steak, and lamb are great). Also, even for tapas style dining, the plates were waaay too small. I left hungry.

Pros: ambiance, good for parties, meat dishes

Cons: too loud, servings too small

Posted 11/22/05

It's been a while since I had such horrible service from the ENTIRE staff. The front desk staff didn't know where the rest of my party was sitting, waiter didn't want to walk to the bar to get my drink because she was "busy" (I had to walk down the hostel emergency stairs to reach the bar), portions are so tiny so that if you are hungry, you feel like you had a great tasting meal. To top it off, the bouncer guy protecting the private party was incredibly rude telling everybody sitting upstairs to use the emergency exits to go the restrooms downstairs since the main stairs are blocked by the party. Dont waste your time or money there!

Pros: location, Roof top bar

Cons: Service, Small portion, Lack fo creativity

Posted 11/14/05

I attended a gathering of 40 or so for a party at Medjool this weekend and was completely disappointed by the attitude we received by their staff. The meal was pre-set and they knew very well how many people were attending, as they required a confirmed head count. Not only were the portions way too small (if it they had set this up as a buffet, it would have been enough food for 20, not 40), and I actually overheard a staff person say to a guest, (a guest!) "is it your goal to be in my way the entire evening?".

Funny I'm sure if the staff and or management were aware of who some of their guests were and how those folks might affect the success of their restaurant, they may have thought twice about the disrespect shown... too bad.

Posted 11/14/05

My high exceptations were disappointed on my recent visit. Service was slow, unattentive. We were with a large party and were told we had to go to the bar downstairs, through the emergency exits to get our own drinks, if we wanted something other than the weak sangria. Food was good (since we were starving), what little was served. Staff was unfriendly and downright RUDE! Avoid the hype and go somewhere else!!

Pros: Good food

Cons: Rude service, unfriendly

Posted 11/14/05

My company had it's most recent Holiday Part on the mezzanine at Medjool and it was by far the best party yet. The space is warm and cozy and the food was great. I loved being up above the dining room looking out over all the action. I highly recommend it for any holiday gatherings.

Posted 11/01/05

This is one of the most innovative restaurants I have been to in San Francisco - more like an uber hip NY place. Service and staff wonderful and helpful. the small plates are generous and well priced, and they spaced them well. I cannot say enough good things about Medjool. Loved the decor too. Food was imaginative, fresh and well prepared.

Posted 10/14/05

I've been 5 or 6 times. The food and service has been great every time. The ambience is excellent and probably my favorite thing about this place is the diverse crowd. For a diverse city, many mid to high end restaurants in SF can be pretty homogeneous. There is a great mix at Medjoo.

Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Diverse Crowd

Cons: None

Posted 10/14/05

Yes, one cannot deny that there is an incredible view from the roof...if you ever get there! I didn't eat there, so cannot comment on the food. However, got there at 10 and waited over 40 minutes to then be allowed to climb 3 flights of stairs (elevator was broken) to a not so crowded roof. No roganized line and bouncer was letting in his "friends" (about 30 of them) through the side door. One girl was so mad we witnessed her throw 2 drinks and the glass the drink was in all over the bouncer, and he just stood there and took it (almost as if he's used to it!)! Incredible! So, pros are the view if you ever get there and the bar downstairs is really cool...cons, the staff was so rude and the line was ludicrous.

Pros: View, Downstairs Bar

Cons: Rude staff, Long line

Posted 10/12/05

I was really impressed by the view and outdoor seating: not many places in the city, unfortunately, offer either. But the food and service were lousy. The portions were so incredibly small as to be laughable. The wooden skewer was by far the weightiest item on the plate.

Pros: view, outside seating, nice decor

Cons: food portions, service, price

Posted 09/30/05

Horrible experience. Don't let the ultra cool ambiance or the hip roof deck fool you. This is perhaps the worst restaurant in San Francisco. The food is 'ok' but the service is the worst I have experienced at almost any restaruant. Do I sound disgruntled? I am not the only one. We had a dinner party for about 12 people with advance reservations. Our food was slow to arrive, our server incompetant, the manager unhelpful, and the order wrong. To make matters worse they over charged us and were unwilling to work with us to give a refund. There are so many great restaruants in SF and the Mission - I suggest finding somewhere different than Medjool.

Pros: Roof view

Cons: Horrible Service, Incompetant Staff

Posted 09/30/05

When you go into a restaurant, you expect to sit at a table; or at least in chairs. Neither of this was the case at Medjool. After waiting 45 minutes for a two-week early reservation, we arrive to our table: four people at a round table 2 feet wide, sitting on ottomans. The food was all mixed up, we had no place to put our wine - except the floor- and in the end, they bought us a kamikazee shot to make up for our disappointments. The food was barely mediterranean, and just plain wasn't good. The roofdeck IS the only thing that this restaurant has going for them. I wish them the best of luck and new management.

Pros: Roofdeck

Cons: Service, Food, Ambiance

Posted 09/29/05

I just love that it has 3 different levels. I have now had dinner in the dining room, up on the mezzaine level and the glorious Rooftop. I will admit, service was alittle slow on the rooftop but with a view like that I didn't mind one bit. Some friendly advice: you want to go to the the Rooftop, come before 10pm.

Posted 09/29/05

Tried this place recently. Loved the ambience. With its high ceiling and hip crowd, I definitely felt I was in a hip place. We sat down to order and the waiter took his sweet time coming to our table. After taking our drink order, he strolled by 3-4 times before we flagged him down to take our order. BTW, the Sangria tasted like spiked Hi-C. The food however was exceptional. I reccommend the braised ox tail, the chicken with almond-pomegranate sauce, the scallops with preserved lemon gremolata and the fried sumac-dusted calamari with with aioli. All perfectly prepared and very good. I didn't try the dessert as it did not look appealing. OVERALL, I recommend trying this place. I think you will find that it's worth the hype. Just plan on spending a while there. It's very crowded and the service is slow.

Posted 09/27/05

The food here is great but the service is something to be desired. I found the wait staff unattentive. We had to keep asking for everything from water to clean plates. All the hassle when the place was empty on a Monday night.

Posted 09/27/05

Went there with an open mind...Four of us total....Saturday night....Everything was mediocre at best...A man was running around yelling and looking like he was about to pass out from a coronary...We were told he is the OWNER! Seemed to add to the negative vibe in this "could've been" a great place atmosphere! Interesting that negative shots seem to be limited...HMMMM...

Posted 09/21/05

Some girlfriends and I went into Medjool for an early dinner on a Thursday and couldn't get enough of the place. After our amazing meal we moved to the lounge for drink before we were to head to a party. The bar crowd was so much fun, the lounge super comfy and the men were so cute, we ended up staying there all night!

Posted 09/07/05

We should have taken the clue from the elevator that took forever to open. The view was amazing, maybe it was just this one time but the service was really horrible. It took soooo long that at some point (being dehydrated from repeatedly asking for water with no luck) I was hoping to just cancel the order and get some food down the street. Expensive and small portions Oh and did I forget that they do not have ESSPESSO! "oh maybe there was a little coffe left in the pot" Pahhhleezzee this is BRUNCH!

Pros: view

Cons: slow, expensive, small portions

Posted 08/28/05

The food & ambiance are great for a late evening date or just some fun picking at tasty little dishes while socializing and sipping cocktails. Unfortunately, the service isn't nearly as charming. The upstairs bartender ignored us as we were standing there waiting to order a drink and grumbled a stern "YES" over his shoulder when we asked if he was closed. We then proceeded back downstairs to get a drink at the main bar, where the bartender made us feel like we were puting him out by ordering 2 drinks. He then ran our credit card (when we really intended to start a tab) and when we didn't sign w/in the first few moments, he shoved back at us with the pen, reminding us to sign. It wasn't last call, but I wasn't about to stay for another drink anyway.

Pros: Ambiance, Food, Drinks

Cons: Service

Posted 08/26/05

THis is such a unique SF hot spot. The Roof deck is so fun, altho it gets really cold if you're not near a heater. The service was good, drinks were great, but CASH ONLY here. You kinda need to hover over people to get a table since it's all self-seating upstairs.

Pros: unique atmosphere, huge roof deck

Cons: cash only

Posted 08/26/05

the rooftop restaurant is disorganized and the attitude of some of the waitstaff was aloof and inattentive. we waited to order, waited ages for our food to arrive, received the wrong meals, were given lukewarm coffee "on the house," then were overcharged on the bill. each time, the server said, "oh, sorry," without even making eye contact, then shuffled away to talk to a friend.
but the food was damn good.

Posted 08/19/05

We spent a few hours talking eating and trying different plates. The food was tasty, the mussels were the best. What we couldnt understand was why we were being offered plates we didnt order. It happened far more times than we thought was normal. There were 4 of us, some of the small plates could only feed 3, while others fed the whole group.

Posted 08/01/05

ok, so i've walked by this place a million times, and then last week went by and some guy was walking his weimariner, ridiculous, in the mission, what have you people done to my hood? food - ok, creative. drinks - $8 drinks in the mission? c'mon. roof is admittedly very nice and the interior is pretty plush, but with all the aging hipster types lounging around, it kinda lost the touch, plus the whole hostel thing in really strange.

Pros: decor, view, some hot chix

Cons: slow elevator, hostel, prices

Posted 07/19/05

I've been there six or seven times and have never had a problem with the service there. The Sky Terrace is a great addition to the Mission scene, especially for those times when you're not in the mood for Zeitgeist. The recent addition of the semi-enclosed shelter on the roof has solved some of the problems with San Francisco evening chill. Drinks were fine and reasonably priced. In this town, you pay dearly for drinks with a view. The biggest drawback was the elevator, which must be one of the slowest in the city.

The food in the downstairs restaurant was good, though maybe a little overpriced compared to other small plates locations in the city.

Pros: rooftop bar

Cons: very slow elevator

Posted 07/15/05

Living just a short walk to Medjool, I am often drawn to the place for lunch, take-out, and informal get-togethers with friends. Medjool has provided the neighborhood with a stylish, reasonably-priced place to grab drinks and light meals. The food is delicious! My boyfriend and I have worked our way through most of the menu and have been very happy with most everything. Highlights include the sampler platter, the goat cheese salad, the pommes frites, and the rose ice cream. Only problem is, it's taking a long time for them to work out the kinks (hours, menus, etc). This place is one of my new favorites, and I'm sure they'll only improve with time. Plus, the waiters are HOT!!!!!! Go on a sunny day and enjoy their HUGE rooftop cafe area!

Pros: Cheap!, Hot Waiters, Excellent Food

Cons: New Est. Shakiness, Can be Crowded

Posted 07/14/05

The rooftop bar is amazing BUT that's the only thing going for them.
The service was horrible. I've been three times with different people and all three times the service was way below par. All three times food came way late and/or never show up. If you want drinks just go straight to the bar is A LOT faster.
Why they even bother having servers when they are obviously not doing their jobs.

Pros: Great View

Cons: Service

Posted 07/12/05

Wow!! what a true jewel! Went there for dinner with 4 other people. After driving around the mission trying to decide where to eat, we walked into medjool. the atmosphere was great, The food is delicious...highly recommend the lamb tagine! The drinks were very tasty as well. Our server knew the menu to the detail, and she recommended all the right items. After we finished dinner, we went up to the roof terrace where the view is spectacular!! San Francisco does not have many places with views like this. We hung out up there drinking till closing. I have to say, it was an amazing experience and I will go back time and again! This place is a must see/experience.

Pros: food, atmosphere, service

Cons: bit cold o roof

Posted 07/10/05

Finally a place that is'nt the same old boring routine that everyone flocks to just because there's no where else to go!! This place is great! Food was excellent and exotic, service was great! And overall atmosphere is beautiful!!! Go there and you'll be back!!

Posted 07/06/05