Insider Pages Reviews for Le Colonial

3 Stars: Le Colonial is a good choice for the well-heeled (by Lee L.)

Lee L. — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:09:00 GMT

Our group of 4 ate in the main dining room on a Saturday night. We ordered the appetizer platter for four, the duck rolls, both vegetarian main courses, the beef in a banana leaf, and some side dishes, and the dessert assortment for four--and no drinks. So we pretty much ordered from the cheap side of the menu--well, cheap for this place, that is. With tip the tab came to about $200 (plus $12 for the valet parking for 2 1/2 hrs.) and we left pretty well stuffed. The waiter knew right off the bat that we weren't the kind of big spenders that normally dine there, yet we got the same good level of service everyone else got.

The restaurant's decor/ambience was certainly colonial Vietnamese/French. We've spent a lot of time in SE Asia and it had the right vibe for what it was trying to get across. And perhaps in keeping with the "colonial" ambience--there wasn't a single Asian in sight, neither at the tables nor waiting on them--a first in my experience in eating at many Asian restaurants in the Bay Area.

The food was generally tasty. The duck rolls and my vegetarian dish with tofu stood out--I'm not a vegetarian but one of our companions is, and he mooched off my plate constantly. It was the cah ri chay (vegetarian curry). I had it with the com xio hanh (3 onion broken rice).
Another in our group got the ca hap la chuoi (seabass in banana leaf) and the com nuoc dua (coconut jasmine rice) and loved both. As a side dish we shared the dau dua xao (green beans) which had a very tasty, salty, seemed-like-oyster-sauce sauce. My wife got the goi bo (salad with steak cubes) as her main course. It was tasty but nearly all the beef cubes had a bit of gristle in them that I had to spit out--not what I'd expect in a place like this.

Of the dessert sampler we all agreed that the flourless chocolate cake stood out. We all kind of gasped with delight on tasting it, and had to restrain ourselved from hogging it.

All that said, this place is way above our pay grade--around four times the cost of nearly-as-good food at local Asian restaurants which are also less fusion and more thoroughly Asian, which suits me just fine. I doubt we'll be going back unless someone else is paying.

Besides, we save up our money and fly to Asia each year to go scuba diving, and we've had fantastic meals wherever we've gone--especially in Bali--for maybe a fifth of the cost of Le Colonial. And our last dive trip to Bali cost $1,900 for each of us including everything--from airfare to meals to the resorts we stayed at (3 star resorts for the price of a Motel 6 here)--to all the diving we did. If I had to choose I'd much rather put our discretionary money into this rather than into the Le Colonials of the world.

If you want a taste of the kind of food we have there, try Borobodur, just around the corner (almost) from Le Colonial.

If you're well-heeled, and don't have to choose between travel and upscale dining, then Le Colonial is a pretty good choice, I think.

5 Stars: Excellent Dining Experience (by gourmetbooge)

gourmetbooge — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

We found this restaurant in the Zagat book in the Tower at the deYoung Museum. Excellent!! We chose from the waiter Daniel's suggestions. The sea bass and pork chop entres were fabulous. The service was perfect: informative, non-invasive, prompt and genteel. Wonderful dining experience that rivals the 10.0 meal we ate at The Luxor in Las Vegas.

4 Stars: Different but good food (by Shannon H.)

Shannon H. — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:32:00 GMT

We had a girls night out dinner here. The interior was very nice, the food was excellent. They have great appetizers! They also have a full bar upstairs.

5 Stars: Diamond in the rough (by JonathanThomas)

JonathanThomas — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

All around chic. Great for a leisurely dine or a happy hour snack. The decor is exquisite and the service top notch. But be warned: they serve up a devilishly delicious scorpion bowl but if you aren't careful it will sting you! It's one of the finest cocktails around but just be sure you have enough people to enjoy it with!

5 Stars: TO DIE FOR MELT IN YOUR MOUTH YUMMY! (by mcrocket)

mcrocket — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

City Searchers!
Keep this place hush hush!! All I can say is this was the most amazing treat I have experienced in the city thus far!!
Came here with a party of 12 and ordered everything on the menu! including before and after drinks... so we all had a bite of something... I can not say enough about this amazing restaurant.... just do not tell anyone...

5 Stars: Unbelievable food, impeccible service. (by ReneeDorsey)

ReneeDorsey — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My husband, 4 yr old son & I recently visited San Francisco for the 1st time - we are from the Wheeling, WV area and are appreciators of amazing and interesting food - but for us to find either, we have to drive 1 1/2 hours to either Pittsburgh, PA or 2 1/2 hours to Columbus, Ohio. For us, SFO was foodie heaven. On Sunday July 13th, we had been walking throughout the city, clutching our Fodor's guide when my husband said "Let's try this place." and off we went. Up some stairs to the beautiful outdoor atrium where some people were dining - my first impression was that we were not dressed well enough, but I saw a few others in jeans so we were ok. We were seated quickly and my son promptly fell asleep on the wall seat next to me. (Lots of walking likely took it's toll - but this was good because he was quiet.) Our waiter was Daniel and I agree with another reviewer - he was wonderful - service was perfect, he knows the menu, smiling, pleasant - could not ask for a better server. The menu has so many interesting dishes that it was difficult to pick. We started with the Banh Cuon (Steamed rice noodles stuffed with ground chicken and woodear mushrooms served with bean sprouts and chillies, nuoc cham) and Goi Cuon Ca Thu (Seared Ahi tuna summer rolls with rice noodles, English cucumber, cilantro, basil, red leaf lettuce served with ponzu sauce). IS YOUR MOUTH WATERING YET? THESE WERE JUST THE APPETIZERS! For dinner my husband had the Ca Hap La Chuoi and I had the Bo Luc Lac - we also had an extra side of Tau Hu Xao Thap Cam. My filets were the most tender beef I have ever had in my LIFE. EVERYTHING was amazing - but I have to mention the dessert, too: Coconut Panacotta- Delicate coconut panacotta served with carmelized pineapple and a pineapple sorbet. It was scrumptious - not too sweet but fluffy, smooth and delicious. We were treated very well, though we likely looked like tourists. Daniel was wonderful - NO COMPLAINTS from us. Expensive & worth it!

2 Stars: Good Food, Very Bad Service (by SFmtgPlanner)

SFmtgPlanner — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

The last time I visited Le Colonial SF was for my partner's birthday. It was a group of hotel sales managers and meeting plannera from the Bay Area. They were less than cordial to our goup. The hostess was extremely rude to begin with and was even ruder to one of our guests. She tried to ask the hostess for directions for her boyfriend who was on the phone and the hostess told her to tell him to check the website.
While upstairs having cocktails, the doors were open and it was a chily San Francisco night so we closed the doors. One of the staff came up to our party and said "those doors will remain open". There were a thousand other ways it could have been said. The server we had however was very nice and an excellent waiter. He seemed a little embarassed by some of the other restaurant staff.
A group of mine wanted to host a party of (20) for a dinner. I made reservations and had requests in order to get them paid in advance. No one ever called me back. When i called to ask what was happening a week later the girl on the phone told me her manager was out and that she wasn't sure they were holding my reservation any longer. I asked her if there was anyone else that could assist and she seemed put out. I told her that I would just cancel my reservation if they couldn't accommodate. She then said that I was rude and she didn't have to put up with it. Needless to say I cancelled my party of (20).

BOTTOM LINE: The food is good but nothing to write home about and the attitudes of some of the employees is awful. If you want great French Vietnamese food, Slanted Door is a much better option. Happy Dining.

5 Stars: Expected surprise (by Boris P.)

Boris P. — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:54:00 GMT

Took my wife for my 49th B-day to a place expected to be exclusive, which it definitely was; pricey - yes, tasty - you bet! Hard to find is actually hidden, somewhat secluded, yet close to the top center. Like an oasis of a kind. Decor - stylish and appropriate to the name. Very tastfull and interesting, not boring. In my wife's words, the waiter just charmed her from the start with his relaxed, leasurely, yet knowledgable approach. Food - OMG! I never thought that beef could be soooo tender, melts in your mouth. Or fish in a banana leaf - you could eat it raw. Plus a lots of other interesting stuff, of course... Highly recommended!

5 Stars: Expected surprise! (by BPmmx)

BPmmx — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 02:00:00 GMT

3 Stars: Not what I expected (by Tracy G.)

Tracy G. — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:50:00 GMT

Le Colonial is a very lovely restaurant in a very interesting location. The decor is very unique -- reminded me of Casablanca. However, the food was not as good as I had anticipated. I will say the Cha Gio Chay were excellent, but our main courses were lacking flavor. Service was good. I might try again. Nice place for a first date.

5 Stars: JOE IS THE BEST (by gus r.)

gus r. — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:03:00 GMT

Love the decor, nice lowkey area. parking is fair but hey its FRISCO. Food was yummy a bit pricey but you do know what you spend your money on. one of the Chef joe even came out to say hello.

4 Stars: Definate recommendation (by dirtbagmusic)

dirtbagmusic — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Just came home from Le Colonia - WE LOVED IT! Service was fantastic (ask for Daniel's table). It was mother-in-laws 79th birthday. They brought out a dessert plate with Happy Birthday in chocolate - tall thin candle - was great. We took two kids (9 & 12) and two adults and one senior. No problem with older kids - they made extra effort for them. Great place for out of town guests. Decore nothing like you have seen before. Great lighting - everyone looks fantastic. Get the beef salad - could have eaten two. Not great for younger children (a older couple would not sit next to us - their loss). Was nervous about after reading very old reviews - they were all wrong. I will go back soon.

2 Stars: Horrible service, rude servers, horrible manager, below average food (by newlink)

newlink — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

This place is the epitomy of customer disservice. Made a reservation for a group of 14, includying high executives and journalists on November 2007, printed out the confirmation e-mail and arrived 5 minutes early. Had to wait outside for almost 40 minutes because they couldn't find the reservation, was unwilling to join tables for us and did not offer any type of apologies. Manager was unprofessional, unprepared, screamed at us, blamed us for the mix up and left. Food quality was below average for the price, service was no better than a McDonald's. Will never come back.

1 Stars: Mediocre asian/french fusion cuisine. (by duboce)

duboce — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Seriously overrated for food and atmosphere. Food was just average and the atmosphere was one of crowded, noisy din. Service was below average and the host/hostess were rushed and distracted.
Overall, we could have done better.

4 Stars: great drinks, good music (by fizzlesnit)

fizzlesnit — Fri, 04 May 2007 02:00:00 GMT

Le Colonial has a live jazz/swing band on Thursday evenings. It's a fun place to have a cocktail and shake your tailfeather after work. No cover charge or drink minimum required. Food is expensive, but tasty.

3 Stars: fun saturday night crowd (by bonbonsf)

bonbonsf — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

arrived to late to sample any of the renowned menu but had a fabulous time dancing with friends. the crowd was diverse and friendly. and the staff was great! especially the bartenders.

4 Stars: nice downtown "scene" (by supergirlpw1)

supergirlpw1 — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 01:00:00 GMT

most dishes are very large so i'd suggest not getting too ambitious with the menu...the cold spring rolls are good but to be honest, most of the food wasn't too memorable either way.
i think what seems to stand out the most for me with the experience is it seemed like this was where all the dressed up hotties like to be seen. the food is pretty good and the service gets the job done, but the only thing that really stood out for me was the dramatic and beautiful entrance and the people to look at while i'm there. the tables are not very private and it's noisy with bar music from upstairs and lots of people walk through the restaurant. one definitely has the feeling of being "observed". it's a very loud, crowded and busy place on the weekends.

5 Stars: Best Vietnamese in the City (by swingdiva)

swingdiva — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Le Colonial last Thursday with a few close friends. The decor was lush with an exotic foreign feel. I was tempted to sit on their outdoor patio because of the awesome weather, but we opted to sit in the main dining room instead. We were seated promptly by a very personable hostess. Our waiter was extremley helpful and informative and directed us towards ordering "family" style. This was much more fun for the whole table as we got to choose an array of many things. We started with fresh spring rolls filled with poached prawns. They were fantastic with mint and served with peanut sauce. Though I am bit of novice when it comes to wine, the French Sommelier helped us pick wine that was both good and in my price range (which was a pleasent surprise). The cubes of beef tenderloin and the lamb chops were the two best entrees that we ordered. Both portions were enourmous, with the lamb arriving with five chops. The service was well timed and there seemed to be a large amount of support staff running around clearing, bringing food and always kkeping us refilled.
I had always heard that the lounge here was amazing, so after dinner we went up and saw the thursday night swing band perform. Though by 9:45 it was pretty crowded we were able to get a table a bit away from the band and the dancers and got drinks from a cocktail waitress. It was nice not to have to fight through the people at the bar. we had a relaxing couple of cocktails and saw some fantastic dancers.
I will definitely be coming back soon, probably for my birthday. The place had a great atmosphere.

1 Stars: Terrible service (by cpenman)

cpenman — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Neat place, very interesting menu - but beware of BIG service / management issues.

We arrived for our reservation on-time at 8:45. We were seated right away. The waiter was good. Our order was taken promptly, and our drinks and appetizers were brought in good time. We finished our appetizers by say 9:10 (up to now, we really hadn't been paying attention to the time and we were in no rush).

At 9:40(!), the waiter first came to apologize for the fact that we hadn't been served our entrees. He apologized again around 10:05 (yes, folks, these are real times!). By 10:15 (over an hour after we had finished our appetizers), we were sufficiently ticked off that, even if the entrees had ever arrived, we wouldn't have enjoyed them anyway, so we asked for the bill for our appetizers and drinks. The one smart thing they did was not charge us for anything.

The waiter was very apologetic and could only keep repeating that he didn't know what had gone wrong - but never once did the maitre d' or management appear with either an explanation or an apology. They were conspicuously absent as we left - one and a half hours after we arrived and with no entrees!

It was an unforgivable performance for what pretends to be a first class restaurant.

3 Stars: Too much hype, service was lousy (by liang32)

liang32 — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 02:00:00 GMT

My boyfriend wanted to take me somewhere special and chose Le Colonial. I was excited since I hear good things about the place but there were lipstick stains on my glass before I even touched it and flies in the water they brought to refill the glasses. The food was OK but nothing special. In general, the service was not up to par for such an upscale restaurant.

1 Stars: Horrible bartender (by freck)

freck — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 02:00:00 GMT

My husband and I went to the bar last night for a cocktail. We ordered 2 vodka and sodas. When the bartender gave us our drinks, my husband handed him a $20. He then rang up the drinks and put the change in the tip jar. When my husband asks for his change back becuase he had no idea how much the drinks were, the bartended proceeded to say to other customers at the bar in a very loud voice, "Oh look, this guy gives me a $20 and now wants his change back". He then went back to the tip bar and took out $4 and slammed it on the bar. #1 - you always give a customer their change back to let them decide how much to tip. #2 - you don't make fun of customers in front of other customers. Of course we set down our drinks and walked out. We did complain to the manager and hopefully he will be reprimanded. Actually, he should be fired.

5 Stars: Excellent Restaurant (by jamaj79)

jamaj79 — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 02:00:00 GMT

Le Colonial is a great place to eat and do the bar scene. They have excellent food and their bar is great too. Excellent place to take a date, but be prepared to spend some $$ cause the place is not cheap. Have no complaints about this place.

2 Stars: Nice setting but poor food and service (by mikesfo)

mikesfo — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 01:00:00 GMT

With all the Vietnamese restaurants in the city Le Colonial would understand that they have to be above and beyond in food quality and presentation along with service. The restaurant failed on all accounts. The three appetizers were luke warm as if they were made hours ago and kept warm for service. I have experienced far better presentation at local Vietnamese restaurants. The main course was abundant, but again, nothing above and beyond. The service was poor. I would not return.

4 Stars: good for groups but not special occasion dining (by hersheyjan)

hersheyjan — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I took my boyfriend to dinner here for his birthday. The food and presentation was delicious! We were seated promptly. The service was ok...a bit slow and not as attentive as I would have liked. Overall the experience was good until the end when the hostess didn't thank us or give a farewell greeting. That kinda left me sour after spending a good amount of $$$ on dinner, champagne, and wine. Overall value is questionable.

1 Stars: No Service? No More Business (by 4daychef)

4daychef — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I hosted a business dinner of 6 (~$500) on a day when a Democratic Party event was happening upstairs. It took 45 minutes for the first attention from the bussing staff: water. We were able to order drinks 20 minutes after that. I suggested that they had an opportunity to "make things right"--so they charged my credit card twice like soggibiscotti (found it on my Amex statement), but did nothing else except apologize about having to serve the "VIP's" upstairs. I used to host larger work gatherings in the Bar upstairs, but I can't give business to an establishment that treats "average" customers with contempt.

5 Stars: martini brothers and great bar food (by carrington)

carrington — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 01:00:00 GMT

We just experienced our 2nd Thursday night here in the bar upstairs dancing to the retro sounds of the Martini Brothers. We also loved the bar food, cocktails and fabulous people watching. Wow, what a fun scene. It is really hard to find this type of experience. Our waitress was charming and worked her way through the crowd with skill. Her great service added to our experiece. We have had dinner in the downstairs dining room numerous times and must say the food is at an all time high. We were glad to see the Chef wonderfully featured recently by food writer Michael Bauer. But, don't miss a Thursday night with the Martini Bros.

1 Stars: Poor Customer service (by macten)

macten — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I went in there very interested in possibly having my wedding reception at the restaurant, or at the very least my rehearsal dinner.. When I asked the one of the hosts up front what the protocol was in renting the space for the evening his reply was "no one does that, that's WAY too expensive" Not only was this terribly uninformative, but totally inappropriate. I called their special events contact twice in hopes of getting a productive response and never received a call back. Overall-the restaurant is charming and unique, which is a big draw for special events and parties, but if their service is so poor in getting basic responses about planning an event in their space - one has to figure that the staff and service throughout the event will be inhospitable and ultimately NOT worth the apparently "too expensive" cost.

3 Stars: TASTY food, waiter rude (by vader42)

vader42 — Mon, 30 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Let me start right off by saying that the food was spectacular. That said, I can say that the greeter, the waiter and the level of service in general would have been surpassed by The Sizzler. I received Saigon chicken noodle soup, a very tasty clear broth -- too bad I had ordered the lobster consumme. My allergic-to-shrimp friend had been given 2 non-shrimp choices on the online tasting menu, was then told that she could only order either the shrimp or a comparable veggie option, not the Ga Roti Xa (lemongrass marinated chicken) which had also been on the menu. After the waiter made the biggest stink about it, which I thought was pretty weak and unprofessional, we asked the manager, who of course said that it was merely a mistake. At least we finished off with gr8 flourless chocolate cake w/sweet cream & seasonal fruit with sorbet.

1 Stars: Fall from Grace (by beblancha)

beblancha — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

This was my favorite restaurant when I lived in SF. This weekend I visited and we made a reservation for Dine About Town, but when we arrived they informed us they were out of that option. Much later, the server returned with a substitute. We ordered appetizers which never arrived. The server was absent most of the time. A woman at a nearby table was so drunk she had to be CARRIED OUT. In the end, the server came over, apologized for bad service and disorder, and suggested we return, and he'd give us the manager's card. He didn't, and didn't make any adjustments to our bill to demonstrate apologies for the incompetence. I feel badly that I wasted my one "fine dining" experience on this trip to SF on Le Colonial. It is no longer the classy establishment I remembered so fondly from my years living in the City.

5 Stars: Very Nice Dining (by chrisandrews)

chrisandrews — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Food was wonderful. Rice paper wrapped rolls were wonderful. Entress werenderful, shrimp with curry coconut sauce with veggies and sea bass. Dessert, cream carmel with pineapple, coconut, ginger was great. Service was just average. Waiter never once checked back with us to see f everything was ok. Food was slow getting to us.

1 Stars: gone downhill (by soggybiscotti)

soggybiscotti — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 01:00:00 GMT

after 5 years of making this a regular happy hour/dinner spot, i am officially turned off. last dinner was ridiculous: AFTER reservations, took 1 hour to be seated ... after being seated, took 20 minutes to get WATER! ... after water, took another 20 minutes for our wine/food order ... when the food came, it was COLD! ... paid a $400 bill for this business dinner, and got charged TWICE on my credit card! i am absolutely done with this place!

4 Stars: User review by justhefacts (by justhefacts)

justhefacts — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 02:00:00 GMT

The lounge has live music on Thursday nights. Depending on whos spinning, the DJ music is good as well. Its a popular place and therefore gets very crowded and loud. Seats are tough to come by. Service is slow and unfriendly and the unimpressive overpriced appetizers are barely edible. Drinks are often spilled on the dance floor and unfortunately take forever to be cleaned up if it can be called that. I was carded outside the main entrance one night by a big, rude bouncer. It was startling because Id been coming there for many months and had never been carded. Its a restaurant first and foremost so the only people who should have to card anyone are the bartenders. Im nearing 30 and look it so it was entirely inappropriate. I always dress sophisticated but many dont. A dress code should be enforced like no jeans or flip flops.

5 Stars: Great food, service & atmosphere, but pricey! (by altaskr)

altaskr — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 02:00:00 GMT

A great place to take your guests from our of town, but the food and wine are a bit on the expensive side (compared to the many comparable restaurants in the SF area.) With appetizers and a mid-priced bottle of Pinot and 20% tip, we left at over $120 per person.

5 Stars: Delicious! (by sandyweb33)

sandyweb33 — Mon, 30 May 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who is adventurous. I have been here 4X with husband and/or friends and everyone has loved the variety of dishes, tastiness and ambiance. My sister even brought a picky person who enjoyed it! In the bar try one of the rum drinks from the old Trader Vic's menu--they are delicious!

2 Stars: not worth it for bar scene (by karomich)

karomich — Tue, 15 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

the food was great. But after we spent time in the bar upstairs and it was so boring. The croud was too snooty to have fun and the bartenders were rude. Would not go back for night life but would ge back for food.

5 Stars: Stylish (by gelid)

gelid — Sat, 12 Mar 2005 01:00:00 GMT

The large amount of people on busy nights does not affect the quality of service; though hurried, the servers were competent and helpful. The tables were close together, but it added to the dimly-lit, romance-inducing atmosphere of the place. Food, especially desserts, were creatively prepared and tasted quite good.

5 Stars: Hidden but worth finding (by tauro)

tauro — Sat, 14 Aug 2004 02:00:00 GMT

It's tucked away in a little alley but once you go inside the nicely designed, trendy decor and the chic environment set the mood for a special night. There are two floors, and the top floor has a decent size bar with comfortable couches where you can eat as well. The first floor is the restaurant.

When I went, there were lots of young to middle aged beautiful people and the ratio of guys to girls was pretty even. Definitely a chic place that I will go to again, next time with some friends.

Parking is convenient if you pay $10 because there is a lot literally right next to Le Colonial but good luck trying to find free parking at night in this part of town.

4 Stars: Haute Viet Vittles... (by howudoinsf)

howudoinsf — Thu, 07 Aug 2003 02:00:00 GMT

Charming Vietnamese restaurant tucked between Sutter/Post, Le Colonial is a gem of a restaurant. An open greenhouse area leads to a cozy, romantic dining room with a sexy lounge/veranda upstairs. Food is Vietnamese fusion, we had the appetizer sampler platter and I had the Duck Vitay in orange sauce ($25). Dessert was a large chocolate/caramel fondue and a rice pudding brulee, either could have served three people. Decor is retro-Vietnam and service was good except for our waitress who mis-timed many steps. Overall a great spot for a cozy dinner date...

5 Stars: still #1 (by patioboyz)

patioboyz — Mon, 07 Jul 2003 02:00:00 GMT

I just revisited Le Colonial after hearing of their new chef. While I sat down and ordered with a bit of hesitation, thinking the the food would not be as good, I was blown away. The meal was unbelievable. I have been going to Le Colonial since it opened, and have never come anywhere close to a bad meal. Sure the prices are high, but this is San Francisco, in the most expensive neighborhood, in a 4 star restaurant, in a class by themselves. Two floors, extreme oppulence, great service, resectable (unique) wine list, sexy upstairs bar and an atmosphere you would only find in Europe. I was born and raised in S.F. and know my city and it's restaurants ... this is it.

2 Stars: Not worth the money... (by kiwwi)

kiwwi — Thu, 01 May 2003 02:00:00 GMT

Le Colonial has great decor and ambiance but the food is so overpriced and the portions are tiny. I'm Vietnamese and am familiar with the dishes served here.

You won't find fusion cooking here but everyday vietnamese dishes with a few other ingredients thrown in for a twist. It's not worth your money.

1 Stars: blah (by cshane)

cshane — Sat, 25 Jan 2003 01:00:00 GMT

mediocre food at high prices with snobby SLOW service. The ambiance is beautiful, but the food portions were tiny for the price. Fusion food has been done far better at other restaurants (try Roy's instead). To top off the evening was a "mint-julip creme brulee"... I'd be embarassed serving a desert this bad. I recommend going just for drinks so you can see the interior design.

4 Stars: Elegant dining (by tapashi)

tapashi — Fri, 24 Jan 2003 01:00:00 GMT

This elegant Vietnamese restaurant offered good food that while not the most authentic, is at least creative. The crab balls appetizer were excellent, the cari tom (prawns curry) very tasty, and the mousse dessert was good but not great. The service was very good and the ambiance was quiet and romantic.

4 Stars: Maybe I should have.... (by San_Francisco_Foodie)

San_Francisco_Foodie — Thu, 23 Jan 2003 01:00:00 GMT

It's definitely a place you only want to try once. Just for kicks. Food was mediocre and didn't thrill me at all. The people in my party agreed. Great bar otherwise.

4 Stars: So So.... (by jlane)

jlane — Fri, 20 Dec 2002 01:00:00 GMT

I ate at Le Colonial and enjoyed the varitey of tastes and presentation. The food was good but not the best Vietnamese food I have had. I also liked the decor very much.

3 Stars: Acts like a bar, but... (by hotchilidawg)

hotchilidawg — Sun, 08 Dec 2002 01:00:00 GMT

We ate at the bar on a Wednesday night. At 11:30, after 2 drinks each and a few apps, the lights went on and we were handed the bill and told the bar was closing. The server hovered until we left. Unacceptable service for any restaurant, even in the bar.
There is better fusion food at just about every other restaurant of this type in the city. Only go if you are tolerant of poor management.

4 Stars: Fun for a big group (by connoisseur)

connoisseur — Thu, 03 Oct 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Nothing terribly new or exciting in terms of food but generally all pretty good. I just like the place for taking big groups for dinner - family style. It's also good for groups since you know people like to be "fashionably late." In which case, you can continue to sip one of house cocktails at the upstairs bar while waiting.

5 Stars: Europe meets in Asia in full swing (by pochito)

pochito — Fri, 13 Sep 2002 02:00:00 GMT

It's quite an experienceto dine at Le Colonial. The decorations and the ambience add to the feel of the place. You feel like you're in Vietnam, but with a French touch to it. The food is euroasian mix. It's so delicious-one plate is tastier than the other that you can't decide which one is your favorite. It's well worth the price and the service is outstanding. Take note that there is a lounge/bar with great music and dancing upstairs. It's great fun.

5 Stars: a beautiful experience (by oooh_yummy)

oooh_yummy — Wed, 14 Aug 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Beautifully decorated, delicious food, valet parking, lounge to relax afterward. What more do you want? We had a fabulous dining experience. We were promptly seated. Service was impeccable and ever so courteous. The food was fantastic. And you know how you're too full to move after you eat? Well, you don't have to. Just head over to their lounge, sip exotic drinks, relax and enjoy.

5 Stars: "shades of Casablanca" (by likestogo)

likestogo — Sun, 28 Jul 2002 02:00:00 GMT

A great dining experience--almost made me think that I had been transported to the set of "Casablanca" in the 1940's. And the food, ce magnifique! Appetizers of Crayfish & caviar or Chilled eggplant soup with red pepper sorbet...lamp chops that melt in your mouth and duck breast with "forbidden rice," topped off with Apricot-cherry croustillant with pistachio icecream.
Nothing could top this experience.

4 Stars: Yummy! (by yylee99)

yylee99 — Mon, 22 Jul 2002 02:00:00 GMT

I first tried Le Colonial when the hosted my company's Xmas party. The food was great so I decided to go back later.

I was not disappointed. The food and service were great. The beef tenderloin is to die for! The banana wonton dessert was heavenly. Will definitely go back again and again

4 Stars: Love the Bar! (by Kate)

Kate — Fri, 12 Jul 2002 02:00:00 GMT

I feel like I'm sitting in Hemmingway's sun room when I am out on the patio bar upstairs! Lovely place to bring people from out of town or meet a friend for drinks.

5 Stars: New & Exciting... (by the_bickersons)

the_bickersons — Thu, 11 Jul 2002 02:00:00 GMT

We had heard via the food chain that Le Colonial brought in a new chef so we ventured in to test the waters. Had been to the restaurant several times this past holiday season and enjoyed ourselves. We were quite impressed with the new menu and the changes we noticed. Our server was quick to point out new items as he described them with enthusium and detail. The presentation was in style, the tastes were authentic and balanced. When we inquired as to the background of the chef we were pleasantly surprised to have the opportunity to meet her in person. This will certainly make our favorities list when we are dining out!

5 Stars: Excellent for parties (by Mathilde)

Mathilde — Fri, 21 Jun 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Le Colonial makes it so easy to throw a big party. We had a large group and the restaurant provided us with prix fixe menus to choose from in advance. They also suggested wines to go with the menu items we chose for our group. The experience was incredibly stress-free and I am very grateful for that. The restaurant and food were just perfect. This is an excellent place for groups!

2 Stars: Just So-So (by Flipinsf01)

Flipinsf01 — Fri, 14 Jun 2002 02:00:00 GMT

I went to have dinner there last night because it was close to the Curran Theater where I was going to see Les Miz afterwards. The restaurant is very beautiful, the drinks were good, the service was great but the food is mediocre. Everything was greasy...I have had Vietnamese food before and I've always liked it because of its "non-greasiness". The spring rolls were greasy and so was the ribeye which was slathered with soy sauce (!). For the price ($148 for two appetizers, two entrees, a soda, two cocktails, a beer, one dessert and coffee), I feel like I could have had better food someplace else.

5 Stars: Plein Air, Superbe! (by s_chandler)

s_chandler — Fri, 14 Jun 2002 02:00:00 GMT

During the warm weather spell, my friend and I had a great dining experience on the patio area. The courtyard dining space here is truly relaxing. In this town it is not often that you can find outside dining that is not wind beaten. Our servce and food both made for a enjoyable time. I will definitely remember this for future summer evening dinners.

5 Stars: Wonderful!!! (by Payton)

Payton — Thu, 13 Jun 2002 02:00:00 GMT

This is one of my favorite restaurants in town. The service is 4 star, the food is incredible and the atmoshere is a lot of fun.

5 Stars: Great food Great fun (by karen02)

karen02 — Thu, 13 Jun 2002 02:00:00 GMT

Wonderful atmosphere and perfect to meet and greet. The upstairs bar provides a casual spot for a light bite & drinks while the downstairs is wonderful for a fine dining experience.

5 Stars: Great Fun (by MarkeBieschke_Citysearch)

MarkeBieschke_Citysearch — Tue, 21 May 2002 02:00:00 GMT

I went here with a large group, and the staff and food were absolutely marvelous. Plus the atmosphere (which kind of reminded me of the 80's in terms of monied internationalists) was verrrry interesting. All in all a great experience.