Blue Plate

I visited my friends in San Francisco a month ago, and I just wanna say that this is one of the finest restaurants I've been. They took me here and I absolutely love it. The meatloaf that's mixed with beef, pork and bacon. MMM omg.. I wanna go back.. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone!

Pros: Very friendly service.

They serve some tasty food here. We were a small group that started off with the beef carpaccio, grilled monterey bay squid and the antipasto. My favorite was the perfectly grilled squid with lemon. The lemon combined with the grilled flavor was terrific. My main course was the pan seared local rock cod. It was accompanied with rice beans, fennel, rapini, spanish chorizo, grilled bread and saffron aioli. You might question the combination but I can say that it was wonderful. Our server was attentive. We were a small group so we combined a few tables but it still felt a bit cramped. No stretching out here. The patio was wonderful. We didn't have a chance to sit outside but I think the next time I'll try to get a seat outside.

I'm into conscious restaurants that serve organic and local produce. So I was about to try and make reservations for my friend's birthday, when checking their website, I saw the t-shirts they sell. I was shocked. One wonders if this restaurant is of good taste if their t-shirts show a smiley pig bleeding with a axe cracking its head!

I went to Blue Plate with coworkers for a dinner and really enjoyed to food and atmosphere. The dishes are unique and the design of the restaurant makes the most out of the space. Blue Plate have a very secial patio outside in a cute garden for overflow- it'll make you hope you get seated in the back.

Pros: Great food, fun spot

Cons: none

We had the chicken liver, the prociutto, the squid, the steak, the lamb, the cod-it was all out of this world. What a fun discovery and they've been here for 10 years! The service was excellent and the food was even better.I want to sit ouside next time. It looks so romantic out there. Although we didn't have any, the desserts looked super tasty! Next time...

Pros: Everything!

Cons: There's a $10 parking lot next door

Came here last night with a group and we basically had everything on the menu. For apps we had the beef carpaccio with rock shrimp, antipasti which had this delicious frittata and eggplant yummy something, then we had the squid app that was grilled with spices everything was incredibly well thought out and award-winning. They also served fresh bread and made sure we had as much as we needed! From there we had sparkling wine which was sweeter then dry and complemented the appetizers we shared. For my main dish I ordered the crispy chicken thighs and this was some of the best comfort food ever. It came with polenta, mushrooms and brussel sprouts with a sauce that perfected the dish, and of course I had to order a side of the mac & cheese, yummy. Can you tell I loved the food! The ambiance was also perfect but I cannot get over how delectable the food was...We sat in the middle room where there was artwork everywhere you looked but I soon found that there was an outdoor garden in the back with about 6 tables, what a great place to have a romantic dinner. I look forward to coming back again and again, this is the hidden gem in the Mission.

Pros: The food, service and ambiance.

Cons: Cannot think of a thing.

Good food, friendly service, and a nice San Francisco night made for a perfect dinner at Blue Plate. We didn't order any appetizers b/c we wanted to try their Banana Cream Pie which was raved about and it deserves all the praise.
Two entrees definitely stood out: cavatelli with ratatouille and chicken with summer fruit. I had the meatloaf and although it was okay, I don't like barbecue sauce and it was mixed into the meatloaf; took away the flavor of the meat.
We made reservations ( a must, especially friday and saturday) and were seated at the front of the restaurant right in front of the open kithcen. it was nice to watch the chefs prepare food but it was a high traffic area. I would recommend requesting a seat in the back dining hall or the outdoor patio. They have heat lamps at each table, and a large wall that breaks the wind so don't worry about being cold.
This is a great casual dining spot in the mission. Would recommnend this restaurant and will definitely go back.

Pros: good food and banana cream pie

Cons: loud and meatloaf

I haven't been to Blue Plate in a really long time (mostly because I went there twice a week for a long time) and I had forgotten how great it was. I had a couple friends in town and decided to go. We had a few small dishes including the lamb appetizer which was great. The meatloaf always amazes everyone. Highly recommended.

I have to admit that I have had only one complaint about the this place... I cannot always walk in and get a table!
I have yet to have a bad meal here. The meatloaf is devine, the "drunken goats cheese mac", words cannot begin.
Daily fresh food specials, always great. The best part is you can watch the guys cooking, and let me tell you. They work their asses off to put that food on your plate.
I almost hate to give this restaurant a great review, because I know that the better review the lesser chance I can just walk in on a friday night and get a table.

Pros: Great food, decent service...

Cons: no "waiting bar", no parking

The meatloaf is made from a mixture of beef, pork (bacon?), and spices that makes it out of this world. The other entrees are good, but not as out of this world as the meatloaf. Waitstaff is pleasant. The wine list could use some CPR, but is ok (I admit I am a bit picky about wine). In case it's not clear, if you love meatloaf, go for the meatloaf.

Pros: Meat . . . loaf

Visit this place ASAP! The meatloaf is the best I've ever tasted, and the mac and cheese is heavenly. Our server was awesome. Although it was a Saturday night, and fairly crowded, we never felt rushed. Can't wait to return!

Pros: Food, Service

Cons: Gets crowded

Amazing food, that's all that needs to be said. Please go here for some good american cuisine. I felt like I was eating in my livingroom, Amazing establishment.

Pros: Great menu options, amazing cuisine

Cons: A little crowded, closed on sundays

Ok, the food was decent. That, however, is only one part of the equation. I would not recommend this restuarant. The kitchen is exposed and thus is loud. The tables are tightly packed together, which is fine, but if you can't hear one another, then you end up sharing your converstation with your neighbors. And for practical purposes, since the tables are small, then you should have plates that fit in that small place. As it was, we were artifully rearranging the table to make room for everything - not something that you want to do when the bill for two is over $100.

In anticipation of a busy restaurant, I made reservations. When I arrived at 9pm with my girlfriend, we were eventually greeted and I gave them my name. We waited about 20mins before being seated. That is too long if you go through the trouble of making a reservation, or at a minimum, there should be a place to sit (rather than standing in the doorway dodging customers) and have a drink.

Instead of describing this place as a good resturant, I would call it a fancy diner. With that in mind, the expecations one might have of this place will be met.

Lastly, don't make the mistake that I made and ignore others recommendations. I really wanted this place to fit the bill, but after reading some of the more critical reviews, decided that there are just some unsatisifyable people in the world. I would now rephrase that to mean that not everything is the way you hope it will be and when the writing is on the wall, you should read it and take heed.

Pros: food

Cons: 20min wait, despite reservation, noisy

I was a bit nervous after reading other reviews here about customer service, but it appears that the folks at the Blue Plate have read the reviews as well and are working on mending their ways! We made a reservation for 6, changed it to 5 when we got there, and 3 of us were seated within about 3 minutes in the back room (much less crowded than the front room). The service was tops all evening. The room was not too noisy for conversation, not too quiet--so we could enjoy ourselves without distrubing other diners; but it was way too dark ( I guess some people find that romantic). The area near our table had an odd smell--my daughter said it smelled like urine. The service was terrific, and we were comped the dessert for my brother, who was the birthday boy. Meat loaf, meat loaf, meat loaf--yum! The grilled hearts of romaine salad with bacon was unbelievably wonderful. Fried green tomatoes came with scrumptious grits. Desserts are overpriced at $7.

Pros: food

Cons: parking is rough on weekends

It was there first time I had been there and my expectations were low due to the name but the food was awesome and different. The ribeye and Halibut was great. The staff was very cool and attentive. Highly recommend this restaurant

Pros: Food, staff and ambiance was great

Cons: Can be a little noisy because of the acoustics and the large crowds.

I love this place! I've eaten at Blue Plate probably close to a dozen times, and it's consistently some of the best food I've had in the city. I've gone here on dates, with friends, with family, and the service is casual, friendly, and on-the-ball. And I love the ambience--very hip, well designed place to dine.

Pros: Great food, great service, great ambience.

Cons: None come to mind.

I think the food is the only saving grace about this restaurant, and I strongly disagree that this restaurant should be characterized as a good date destination. My boyfriend and I had reservations at the restaurant last night and still had to wait a good 25 minutes to be seated - and for everyone who has been to Blue Plate, there is no bar area or even a space for people to sit/stand and wait for the table and not be knocked into by the traffic in the restaurant. To top it off, the host ignored us and made no effort to let us know if and when our table would be ready. Also, if you have any interest in talking to your date, this is not the place to go as the restaurant has no insulation and is extremely loud. I was really disappointed with the experience, and think the management should think strongly about whether they want to create an environment that its patrons want to return to.

Pros: Food

Cons: Host, parking, ambience/noise

I adore Blue Plate and find it to be a great date restaurant. For the amount of food you get, the prices aren't bad. The servers do tend to try to turn over tables rapidly, so it's better to get a reservation on the later side. The outside patio is so romantic! It's easier to get outside during the week, although the patio isn't always open. I adore the meatloaf and the brussel sprouts. Decent wine selection.

Pros: Ambience (bustling), outdoor patio

Cons: Pressure to finish quickly

Asked to sit outside. Was told there was a table eating dessert. Half an hour later was led to a table inside and given 2 different excuses why we weren't getting the table outside as expected (diners weren't actually that far along as believed, and then told someone else was actually ahead of us. hmmmm). Was told it would be an additional hour for a table outside. Decided not to wait as it was already late. Called to complain to the manager and was given yet a third excuse for the mishap. How about admitting the truth -- you gave the table to someone else. Do you think I'm stupid?! My money was better spent elsewhere.

The restaurant's photo really doesn't do the ambiance justice. It's a very cute place. I had the park chops, which was a portion far larger than I could eat in one sitting. I found that on it's own, the seasoning was okay.. I like it a bit sweeter, however it was served with a walnut bread and blueberrys. When all the ingredients are put in your mouth at the same time the result is just right. My partner had the meatloaf which was a little over-seasoned to my taste. I tasted a little bit like summer sausage beef jerkey. The mac and cheese was way above par IMHO. The pricepoint was a little high for comfort food, however you could tell that they put a lot of thought into their dishes. Definitely a good date restaurant or a place to take an out of towner. Not a standard weekly fare for me however. I also went for the courtyard and there doesn't seem to be a lot of seating out there, we ended up eating inside.

Pros: ambiance, great food presentation

Cons: little pricey and a tad overseasoned.

I went with my family to celebrate my b-day. The tables were small, we sat in the front dining area. The waiter was a bit odd, but nice. The lamb appetizer was scrumptious. I recommend checking this place out, you'll be surprised. The only downfall is the silverware. The pieces must be from Goodwill because it tasted like the silver was worn off.

Cons: Silver wearing off the silverware

10 of us went for a good bye dinner for a colleague and boy were we disappointed. reservation got really screwed up on their end and WE accomodated the restaurant by arriving 30 minutes early. Tried to order appetizers and we were told we had to wait until everyone was seated (had late arrival) I think we had the same female server as the others here.
Pointed out that we were asked to arrive early to avoid overlap with 2 other groups. No dice. 20 minutes later our server came back and wanted app and entree orders....huh? Said it was to do with timing w/kitchen, but we tried to avoid that by arriving 30 minutes early than we booked. Tainted the evening for us.... and the food was really tasty. Spent a chunk of change, yet felt 2nd class at the treatment.

Pros: great food, garden looked cool

Cons: awful service, not good for groups

If you're looking for a slab of meat that is prepared to perfection, this is the place for you. Not only are the steak and pork dishes delicious, they're also huge! I came out of Blue Plate feeling stuffed! The atmosphere is the way everyone describes, really unique. It feels like they pulled together items from the Salvation Army, yet put them together in a way that feels very artistic.

The few downsides are that the menu is not extensive, but to some that can be more appealing that a long confusing one. The tables are also really close together in the front room, which can make you feel like you're having dinner with two other couples. And make sure you have a reservation because there is no waiting room at all, and people huddle near the doorway for a couple of minutes even with a reservation.

Pros: Delicious meats, Ambiance, Service

Cons: Short menu, Space, Parking

This place is great. It's officially on the top of my list. Amazing food and super service. Blue Plate has it all!

Pros: Food, Atmosphere

place is great and the food is yummy. but it's true..if you get there too late they will run out of the entrees. I was looking forward to the seabass, but they ran out =/. all in all cool spot.

While the food was above average, the experience was completely ruined by a waitress with a very entitled attitude who was of the opinion that customers need to be warm and friendly and only speak when spoken to. I asked to speak to the manager on the way out, but was told it was not possible. Unfortunately, I would not return to Blue Plate because of this. Nor would any of the ten people in our party. When all's said and done, the restarant loses, not the customer.

Just had a great date at Blue Plate last night and the food was fantastic. I wish I could say the same for the service. We set our reservations for 8:30 so that we wouldn't be rushed and could enjoy each others company. Apparently, the server had other ideas. I think we actually said three seperate times that we were still looking and probably needed some more time (this is within less than 10 minutes- so it wasn't like we were excessively taking time). Moreover, there were a few open table around us, so she couldn't have been angling to turn the table in record time. Anyways, the food was great, the setting was great, but sadly, as I look back on my experience at Blue Plate, the only recollection is one of annoyance.

Pros: Ambiance, Food

Cons: Service, Service, Service

I love this place. It's a good place to take out-of-town guests because it's so "San Francisco" -- funky+creative ambience, casual+curteous waitstaff, quality american food. It's very unpretentious so don't go there if you're feeling fancy -- you'll be a little disappointed. The mac n cheese is a must have.

Pros: Ambience, Website, Mac n Cheese

Cons: Parking

If you are looking for a meal with great flavor and a fun atmosphere, The Blue Plate is the place for you.

Pros: great food, good prices, to die for dessert

Cons: hard to park

There are so many places you can eat in this city for 150 bucks for two that are awesome; Zuni, Delfina, Faralon, Houstons (yeah, Houstons). And there are so many places that two people can eat in this city for 150 bucks that kind of spank it; Chapou, Chez Spencer, Luna Park (if you drink a lot) etc... But regardless of what these reveiwres here say about Blue Plate being "pricey", their portions are HUGE, everything I have had has been awesome, and their take on everything - from presention to ambience is totally unique...and it WORKS!!

Pros: portions, flavors , uniqueness

Cons: , ruin it with patent , expectations

Great food, loved everything I've tried! But, it's a bit snobby in the price department.

Pros: Fresh, organic food, yummy

Cons: , pricey

I was really looking forward to coming here due to the reviews I read. Unfortunately, I was not happy with my meal. I had the pork, which was so dry I could hardly eat it. I also tasted the chicken and steak from people in my party. Both were good but not unusual. The service was average at best.

On the upside, the decor and atmosphere were great. I would also like to try the patio area. The only locale downside is it is a little distant (south)from most the Mission activity.

I do not live anywhere near the mission, however I make the drive for this place. One of the best places San Francisco has to offer. Each dish is made with TLC. The menu is always changing and I have enjoyed every new creation it offers. CHECK IT OUT! Make certain to make reservations as this place gets busy.

Pros: Food, Wine, Music

Funky Little Spot in the Mission District is truly an honest description of the "plate". The salads were extemely crisp, my pork chop was "scrumptious", with tasty chard and fava beans and displayed perfectly. The wine was superb a "cab" chosen by the chef. A peach and rhubbarb upsidedown cake....I wanted to lick the dish...it was awesome!!!
Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and his suggestions were valid and helpful. the service deserves a 9.8. I will return.......

Pros: Faccacia, the best, Entree are perfect, priced moderately

Cons: Parking a problem, Restrooms, busy, Needs a soup!

Traditional, meat-and-potatoes entrees are the specialty at this cramped and dark Mission spot. Eclectic wine selections. Edgy wait staff that try a little too hard to be, well, from the Mission. It's all good for a decent, down-home meal in the vicinity. But it's slightly overpriced for the area and for what they offer. And given the good-but-not-great quality of the food and service, it's not exactly something to write home about.

Pros: Americana, wine selections, unusual

Cons: cramped, pricey for value, uncomfortable

This place is real. There is no pretense, no white table clothes, just a lot of personality and incredible flavors. The food and the service is honest. I had the osso bucco with polenta and my friend had the halibut with corn. Both were deliciious, perfectly seasoned and full of flavor. I wish there were more places like the Blue Plate

Pros: great food, fun, maverick

Cons: loud, tough parking

We visited San Francisco and tried out Blue Plate. Our experience didnt start off being that great but after getting really pissed at them, things improved a lot and it turned out to be one of our best meals on this trip. We arrived to the restaurant for our 8:15 reservation. One of the employees sat us down at a table by the door as another employee asked us to get up since someone else was waiting for that table that almost happened again with a second table, but once I approached the host, being extremely irritated at this point we got a great table in the patio/garden and things started to look up. The server we had was great shes also one of their pastry chefs and the rest of the staff really stepped up. The whole meal ended up being worth it.

I have been dining in SF for many years. All in all the blue plate is one of my favorites. There is a reason why you may see danko or waters having an early dinner at the blue plate. I have experience very good service and just decent service at the blue plate, always attentive, although occasionally frazzled. The food is solid, good and what it claims. The atmosphere is comfortable and the garden is a big plus.

Pros: garden, good wine, good food

Cons: busy, out of the way

I thought this place was awful. We were served by a cocky hipster waiter who thought cynicism and snappy comments would get him a bigger tip. I have never felt so threatened by a waiter ever, the food was mediocre and the chicken i ordered wasn't even fully cooked. You don't get what you pay for here. Don't waste your money. Don't go here. The atmosphere was nice and that is about it.

A group of 5 of us stopped in for dinner, we started with the flatbread, grilled scallops and ahi appetizers, all were delish. For my entree I had a huge sausage-stuffed pork chop with greens and white beans, very tasty. My friends had the salmon bake, duck confit, meatloaf and steak, all were very decent. Dessert was a chocolate cake and blood-orange brulee, quite good. Service was very good, laid-back but attentive. Decor is like a dining room, one main room split up by a service area and a back room for groups. All-in-all a very good dining experience even if the location is a bit out of the way.

Pros: Timely Service, Good Comfort food

Cons: Out of the Way

It's out-of-the-way, it's in a random neighborhood, it's very low-key and informal, and it's incredibly cramped...but you won't care once your entree arrives. Put simply, the food here is incredible. The menu is small, but it's rotated often, and frankly, you won't care - pretty much everything is delectable. The salads are superb, and don't miss the macaroni and cheese (with goat cheese) or the spinach. Mmm...

Pros: incredible food!, good value, casual, relaxed

Cons: out-of-the-way, small

everything was too salty or too sweet. the quail was a mess, the polenta too watery, the mashed potatoes too salty, macaroni and cheese to salty, brussels sprouts too rich, ganache too sweet. service tho was ok, though it took forever for homeboy to pick up the check. can't understand what all the talk is about. sigh*

Went last night for dinner with a friend. What could have been a very enjoyable meal was ruined by the inattentive, attitude-laden service. I can honestly say that I've never received worse service at a restaurant of this caliber before. My friend and I walked in, were very polite to our server, made no unreasonable demands. Yet we were ignored throughout our meal. After reading great things about their focaccia bread, I was expecting to receive some. We waited some 45 minutes to get any, and even then, I had to ask for it. I would have left her a few pennies as a tip, but my conscience prevented me from doing so.
Bottom Line- great food, horrible service

SOO Yummy!!! I can't say enough incredible things about this place... I could eat there every night!! Thier salads are amazing - and any meal you order is bound to please you - their cooks are phenominal. The service is outstanding - yummy wine - very comfortable, warm atmosphere - with the edgy mission flare. We LOVE Blue Plate! ENJOY! :)

Pros: incredible food, delicious wine, great service