Exotica-themed restaurant serves an array of approachable Southeast Asian dishes.
Consistently Great Food & Srvc
Unique Menu & Great Happy Hour
Perfect for Large Parties
E&O Trading Company is a dynamic Southeast Asian grill specializing in small and shared plates. Using only the freshest ingredients, the menu has been transformed into a delightful mix of innovative small plates based on the street foods of Southeast Asia. Located one block north of Union Square, E&O is the perfect place for a business lunch or dinner with friends. Banquet rooms are available for private events.
The décor is Pier One meets Indiana Jones, with birdcages suspended from the ceiling, wood floors and a notable presence of bamboo and rattan. The upstairs mezzanine and main room are filled with couples meeting up after work, tourists and large groups celebrating birthdays or co-worker send-offs. The ambient noise is surprisingly low considering how packed it can get. Service is brisk and efficient. The primarily small plates menu is a globetrotting monsoon of Eastern spices and flavors. A refreshing starter is the Burmese green papaya salad, while the signature Indonesian corn fritter is a bit heavier. Meats are expertly handled, especially the succulent mango-glazed Thai ribs. There are numerous grilled items, like marinated ahi or a steak satay that's juicy but a touch pricey considering the smallish portion. The banana fritter is an island-inspired finish.
I stumbled on this restaurant on a business trip to San Francisco. The concierge of the hotel recommended this place. I was alone for dinner and the place was pretty crowded with tourists and locals. My server was very attentive, making sure I had everything I needed. The food serving was just right. The food was great too! Can't wait to go back to San Francisco and eat at this restaurant again.
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I'm not big on Southeastern Asian Cuisine (which is what they advertise themselves as) but I see this more as 'fusion' than anything. Right on Union Square, it's walking distance from most of the hotels, and the atmosphere and staff are great!
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Latest reviews by Citysearch:
(read all 18 reviews
on Citysearch)
Amazing appetizers and delightful exotic drinks! a perfect combination!
By GINAMC50
I went here the other night with a girlfriend from work. I had heard about this place from fellow co-workers and finally decided to try it. I had heard that it is pricey (even for just drinks and appetizers!) but we went anyway. I am glad we finally decided to try it out. This place is amazing! I had one of their exotic house cocktails(with an umbrella, how girly right?!) and so did my girlfriend (it was girls night out after all!) We decided to order some appetizers as well (after seeing the menu and the dinner prices we decided to not have dinner here) but instead enjoyed some of their specialtys, such as the corn fritters, and papaya salad, both were very tasty! Perhaps next time we will try this place out for dinner. I figure any place that can make appetizers as fresh and scrumptious as these must do a fine job with the main entrees as well! Nice atmosphere as well, attentive staff! a little bit noisy though.
Pros: Delightful exotic house cocktails! Atmosphere and naturally the food! Cons: Pricey, a little loud.
Posted 09/03/08
E & O Trading is disappointing
By Pakewahine
I have been to E & O several times with my co-workers for lunch. The decor is beautiful. The service is attentive. The Asian food is terrible. If you really want authentic Asian food and not fusion/American style food don't come here. The food is OK but lacks a real Asian kick. It's just not there. Not enough ginger, spices, etc. The satays are bland with no spicy kick. I've traveled to China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Hawaii and Europe and have tasted excellent foods. This restaurant is very disappointing. .
Pros: Decor is nice/tropcial Cons: Food is bland and disappointing
Posted 08/06/08
Best small plate offering
By cktjhill
I'll keep it quick, my girlfriend and I eat at e&o at least twice a month. The staff a fast and friendly. The food is amazing, the chicken lettuce cups are fresh and sharp, the corn fritters are delicious, the ahi tartare has an amazing spicy sauce, the naan breads are diverse and always make a great compliment to your order, and of course... the new chicken dumplings are sweet and savory and have a clean, healthy taste... no deep fried mess, you can actually taste the spiced ground chicken. I seriously have no complaints and I've eater here a good twenty times, the food is just a great draw and I'm less inclined to keep trying new places since I know this gem exists right near my office.
Pros: amazing food and drinks. Cons: none that i can think of, maybe just location, it's in a boring part of town.
Posted 10/07/07
Decent expectations amounted to great discontent
By valerielikesgoodfood
I've driven by E&O several times and always assumed that beyond the stunning doors they served fabulous fusion chow, BOY WAS I WRONG! The service was very kind, the decor gorgeous, but the food was sooooooo bad! My companion had the scallops, which tasted half way done and tough to chew, the sauce they came with had a bunch of grapefruit pits in it and a funny smell. The tuna tartar was decently prepared, though it too didn't look fresh and had an off-pink color to it. Over all we felt like we got ripped off on their "lunch special," and realized why this place doesn't pack up during lunch. I can only assume that most of the diners are either making their first (and last) visit here or are from out of the city and got lost in downtown SF. The chefs must have been culinary flunkies in this joint.
Pros: nice decor and drinks, might be ok for cocktail hour Cons: sad, bad food
Posted 07/07/07
Nice Atmosphere at Asian-Fusion Joint
By cuisinenoi
The atmosphere here is quite nice, got that Indo-tropical look and feel. Seems like a fun and hip place for drinks and gathering. The food was pretty good. We only tried two dishes though. We had the grilled skirt steak which was Korean-style but the meat was tasty. We also had the char-siu style smoked black cod, I wouldn't order that again though as the fish was a little dry. I'm sure they have other dishes that are good so will definitely come and try other dishes.
Pros: nice atmosphere, good food Cons: little pricey
