Sunday Brunch SF

[walkoffdinner]

We like the Elite Cafe, but looking for something to try something new. Canteen no longer has brunch according to their website. The Marina, Embarcadero or downtown are good locations--heading back to East Bay, but full bar is a must. Places with lines like Mama's won't work. Suggestions?

[jaiko]

? re bbulkow's listing of "Palimino - upscale and hushed, but fits the parameters"

Do you mean Palomino in the old Folger's bldg (345 Spear St.)? The good are the parking lot underneath and the look-underneath-the-Bay-Bridge-and-partial-Bay view. The bad is the food. I have gone to Palomino periodically ever since they opened, and our last visit in 2011 for lunch gave us merely adequate food. Decent, but a long way down from how good they were at first.

Palomino has always been focused more on bar drinks than food, but one thing that really irritated me at lunch (which was a Saturday) was having to listen to two TVs turned to sports. The main dining room was closed off and service was in the bar area. Now, the chairs are actually more comfortable in the bar than in the dining room, but I wouldn't consider those TVs to create an upscale environment for brunch. If I were going on a Sunday I would call first and ask where they are serving meals - DR would be okay for a nice experience (and the view is better), but the bar is for drinks.

[Robert Lauriston]

Palomino's one of the chains owned by Restaurants Unlimited, which also owns Kincaid's, Horatio's, and Skates.

http://www.r-u-i.com/

[DeborahL]

I had brunch at Maven this morning in the Lower Haight, and it was great. http://www.maven-sf.com/ They have a full bar (dinner is their mainstay: small plates and cocktail pairings), and brunch includes "morning cocktails." The brunch menu is small/focused, with fresh ingredients from the farmers' market. Highly recommend it. I'm gonna start a new thread just about Maven, I liked it that much.

Here's my Maven thread:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/870156

[bbulkow]

Sometimes I feel CH is a little parochial. SF is a very "brunch will full bar" town.
For "finding new places", yelp is not a bad resource - you can search by time & bar
(the focus on bloody mary is you said "brunch" and "full bar" which means bloody mary to me. I'm not actually a huge fan. If you don't like a bloody mary or bloody ceasar, I'm sure any place that can make a good bloody can do whatever you want)
Many of these places take reservations (unlike Mamas), so you can call right before heading over

Serpentine - great all arounder, upscale like your examples, not your geo area, but easy parking down there
Zuni - bloody mary "thin and inconstant", worth a try
Foreign Cinema - everyone's favorite brunch, may have full bar (yelp says yes, I remember no)
Prospect - upscaler than thou, brunch & full bar on sunday though
Zero Zero - wow! they have a brunch! perfect.
Sam's in Tiburon - it's only a ferry hop!
AQ - from RL
1300 Fillmore - from CarrieWas
Cotogna - from greyelf
Absinthe - perfect, and very large so unlikely line
Starbelly - what's not to like - other than the geo and parking -
Sweet Maple - known for BACON - and a full bar
Cliff House - no recent food reports, your side of town (sort of) - previous food reports were positive
Luna Park - I always like the scene - can get loud - out of your geo - may have lines
Bisou - looks like a nice choice, out of your geo range
Radish (looks like they don't have a full bar, but do brunch standbys with soju, and the brunch looks REALLY GOOD, probable line action)
Perry's - old school!
Nopa - perfect, possible long line
Double Play (potrero) - kitchen closes at 11am, dive, could be fun
Slow Club - perfect in every way, except parking & maybe line
Starlight Room (harry denton's) - drag brunch, looks like hotel food, but with killer bar and entertainment
Brick House - haven't been, yelp says brunch + full bar
The Plant - haven't been for a normal meal, calm and not party, yelp says brunch + full bar
Chamber's at Phoenix Hotel - reviews as "best kept secret" - poolside brunch, strong bar
Ironside - $12 bottomless build-your-own bloody bar - mission
Oola - listed as a great bloody mary, probably your cup of tea
Slanted Door - open for brunch with full bar
Tangerine - Castro, probable line, asian fusion but apparently much local love
Outerlands - claims full bar on Yelp, wouldn't have expected it, possible line, well reviewed
Grand Cafe - huge place, so no line, average food but fun
Jake's on Market (the 2223 place, may be closing? much beloved!)
BottleCap - some press, not sure though
Palimino - upscale and hushed, but fits the parameters
Presidio Social Club - I think they have food at that hour
The Old Clam House - recent revitalization and low visibility - probably good, with no lines
Town Hall - perfect
Park Tavern
Tipsy Pig - perfect, right?
Maven - looks great
Market Bar - in the ferry building, covers all bases
Elephant and Castle - especially if you like burgers
Brandy Ho's - not what you're thinking of
Nick's Crispy Tacos at Rouge - bar opens at 10:30am, they'd be a fool not to serve food
Chez Maman West - probable line
Cafe de le presse (limited menu, so french it hurts, may not do american drinks or vodka drinks)
Dobb's ferry - open, seems to have bar, southern
The Republic (marina - bottomless Bloody Marys - no food reports)
The Ramp - excellent bloody mary, great outdoors area, funky in a good way
Bar Jules - one of the best brunches in town, beer & wine only, possible line
Liberty Cafe - also beer and wine only, sadly
Momo - good bloody mary, nice outdoor area, average food
Cafe Flore, I think they have a brunch
Fog City Diner - I always liked the place, bar is better than you think
Delancy Street - classic place, better food than you would think, surprised they have a full bar
Pork Store Cafe - mission, didn't know they have a bar but it looks like they do
Beretta - it's open, no obvious brunch menu, well known great bar
Andalou - only been a few times, bad parking
Cafe Bastile - never been
Tupelo - southern, could be good, a little sports-bar-ish though
Brick Yard - marina, at least, probably too frat boy
Pier 23 - sure looks like full bar & brunch, in your geo range, probably not what you're looking for
Parkside (out by the zoo - may do a "bottomless bloody", far from your geo area)
Pier 40 - looks like it's between restaurants, sadly
Sycamore - I dream about the pork belly doughnuts, but beer only, they have something called a "bloody murdy" on the brunch menu (soju?)
Zeitgeist - also known for a good bloody, may be serving burgers early - not what you're looking for, likely too biker and rock n roll
Reaction - what is this?
Top of the Mark - seems to have a brunch, could be fun

Just about everywhere in Fisherman's Wharf, like Scoma's

If brunch starts at 11-ish, there are a lot of places - just not open at 10 -
Moss room, La Mar, Dosa, Campton Place, Chaya, Tropisenuo, Lulu, Betelnut, Catch, Skool, Bluestem (yerba buena), Alembic (noon),

Even more ---
Farmerbrown, R & G lounge, Cha Cha Cha, Yank Sing, Waterbar, Hillstone

Don't say you're out of brunch places in SF!!!!

[grayelf]

Sycamore also has bottomless mimosas at brunch IIRC. Didn't love the pork belly doughnuts alas (maybe we got an off batch?), but the carnitas benedictos were pretty awesome. The scramble was nice too and they serve a lovely wee fruit salad with each plate. Hidden patio in the back as well.

[tripit]

After taking a look at bbulkow's list, I just wanted to put in a good word for Sweet Maple. They have an extensive menu that reminds me more of an East Coast diner than a San Francisco brunch spot. We got mimosas, pizza, and french toast, and all were executed well--not the best in SF by any means, but impressive given the lengthy menu. Although it was crowded when we were there, it seems to be a popular choice for larger groups and families. I believe they have beer and wine only.

Starbelly doesn't have a full bar, but does have a beer and fortified wine cocktail menu that is more thoughtful than those you typically see. We went there this afternoon for an impromptu reunion with some friends. I was very happy that I was able to call at 7 PM last night and make a brunch reservation for six people at noon--wasn't in the mood to deal with a line this morning!

Outerlands has really, really excellent toast, but also had a 90-minute wait when we got there at 10 AM a few months ago. We got young coconuts from the coffee shop next door and took them down to the beach. It was a longer brunch outing than we expected, but an enjoyable one.

[bbulkow]

Starbelly: I was fooled by the fact that they have a drinks menu, and an 21+ section in that menu, but looking closely no entry has hard liquor.

Sycamore: yes to mimosas, no to full bar. Sorry the pork belly didn't float your boat - you'll agree that it's a fun little place if you like that kind of thing.

[grayelf]

Something about brunch in a bar on a Sunday morning, for sure. We sat in the sunny window and watched the Mission denizens go by. Plus they had some great beers on tap.

[ML8000]

Looks like you got them all, or most.

Not the cutting edge but I like Lulu because I've never experienced a line or a wait, ever and in the day it's nice airy space, full bar, kid friendly. Some interesting seasonal dishes, like corn on the cob with truffle butter.

[bbulkow]

Nova - second street - I loved it when it was infusion and had the jazz loft, haven't been since
(specializes in infused vodkas, should do a great hot pepper bloody mary)
Empress of China - not really brunch
Paragon - looks like AYCE buffet w/ bloody mary
Hotel Utah - pleasant bar, kitchen opens at 11am, mostly burgers
Butterfly - brunch menu, cocktails, water view
Citizen's Band - wine & beer only, but good food
Mars Bar - open @ 12, solid bar
Universal Cafe - wine & beer only, great food
Tempest - they have food, they have alcohol, they're open Sundays - "free food on Sundays with the football game" according to SFgate - but "brunch"?
21st Amendment - nice basic brunch menu, and heck, looks like they have Bloody Marys after all!
Triptych - wine only, but a nice looking menu - "artists and hens are raised without cages"
Fang - open at noon, full bar
The Chieftain - beer, full bar, sports, brunch menu, bloody mary noted in many yelp reviews, irish
Osha Thai - various - open at 11am, full bar
Max's Opera Cafe - huge dinner-style menu, fairly sure full bar
Annabelle's - open at noon, nice looking bar, no brunch-specific things
Garden Court - hotel brunch, hotel bar, but really old
Mission Bowling Club - 11am, brunch menu, full bar
Tommy's Joynt - I detest, but it's open and has a full bar
Hi Dive - actual brunch menu, full bar, better location than food
Straits - brunch menu, signature cocktails
Americano at Hotel Vitale - full bar, hotel breakfast menu, might be OK

I bet there's more

[CarrieWas218]

Check out 1300 Fillmore - they have Gospel Brunches which are pretty good AND musical.

[Robert Lauriston]

AQ.

[grayelf]

Wanted to thank you for the heads up on Canteen not serving Sunday brunch anymore. I am very sad but understand as it was a "lifestyle decision" apparently. It always floored me to see Chef Leary there cooking on a Sunday morning, when he is so frequently there for dinner service as well.

Obviously different than the Elite (which looks beautiful) Cotogna has brunch (check out the Colazione) and a full bar. If their lunch offerings are any indication of the brunch calibre, I'd be trying it. Full bar with interesting cocktails.