Restaurant Gary Danko

So, Gary Danko....good food, good service. You can chose between a 3, 5 or 7 course meal. We did the 7 course. Everything I had was super yummy...We were there for close to 3 hours- we had a cocktail prior to dining. But...it was nice, sit down relax take your time kind of dinner. On the pricey side though, I spent close to $400 for 2 people so be prepared.

Talk about going down hill. First of all the restaurant was very dirty. Bad smell when you first walk in. The staff was very rude and not welcoming at all. We were very well dressed and looked very respectable.Still no respect. We had 8:30 reservations and got a table at 9:20. The food was ok not great. I had a better dinner at Il Fornaio a night before. Our food showed up and my rare steak showed up medium well. My soup was cold and salty. Ican go on and on. Our bill was $675 and it was worth about $150. I will not recommend this restaurant and its just a big hype. Hope this helps.....

After hearing all the rave reviews about Gary Danko, I decided to finally try it out. I had just been to Masa's pretty recently, so I was expecting just as good an experience. I'm not too sure how the prices compare - I did a multi-course like at Masa's which might have cost just a little less at Gary Danko.
The table for two that I got was in a really awkward location. I sat inside, and my boyfriend sat in the aisle - and it really was sitting in the aisle. He was hanging out right next to a small hallway, right where a wall ended. The staff was not able to get us another table. They apologized profusely and handled it about as well as is expected from a fine-dining establishment.
I actually really enjoyed my meal with the exception of the lobster bisque. It was way too salty for me! I ordered a fabulous dessert - caramelized banana crepes, which were prepared table-side. It was fun to watch the guy prepare our dessert and flambe those bananas!
If I'm feeling like going to a high-end restaurant and spending some $$$$$, GD is definitely on my list, just below Masa's. One more thing, I did like the atmosphere of GD. It felt more accessible to me than Masa's, and less like someone "normal" wouldn't belong.

I have been to this restaurant several times and just ate there last night. This is my favorite high-end restaurant in San Francisco. Overall, the food and experience were superb. With one surprising exception, the courses that my husband and I ordered were well-conceived and well-executed. Gary Danko puts together interesting combinations of flavors and textures that work. Wines were paired with each course to enhance the food. The service was absolutely flawless. Timing between courses was perfect. Just when you thought you might need something, it appeared. I'm normally much more influenced by food than service, but I would say this restaurant does a great job of providing service that adds to the experience. The only negative was the noise level. While tables are spaced well, there were quite a few parties of four or more that were just...LOUD.

Great wine list. Great food. Great atmosphere. Ok maybe it's not the best but it's pretty damn good. The menu is always changing. The last time I was here I had the Moroccan Spiced Squab which was awesome and I am not the kind of guy who orders squab. The lobster appetizer is incredible. The service is very professional. Sometimes a bit too professional. It's expensive but definitely a good night on the town.

PROS: Great food and wine
CONS: Tres cher

The food at Gary Danko is very good, but also very pricey. For the amount of money you are paying for the food, the service could be better. The portions can be somewhat small.

PROS: food
CONS: service, parking

Given the cost of the experience, the experience should be better. Nothing was memorable other than the numerous gafs made by the wait staff. It felt like prom night, every other diner there was celebrating something.

Our courses were misdelivered, wait staff was confused, food was good but not great, not memorable. The whole evening was expensive and rather disappointing.

PROS: Very nice albeit very expensive wine list
CONS: Lauded yet seriously underdelivers