Upscale Californian-European restaurant in a polished, bi-level space decked in white & slate.
At a glance
#31 of 111 Restaurants in San FranciscoLocalGuideWorld score: 4.49
Rating breakdown
-
5 ★67%
-
4 ★20%
-
3 ★8%
-
2 ★3%
-
1 ★3%
Quick facts
- What is the rating of Lord Stanley?
- Lord Stanley is rated 4.5 out of 5 based on 338 reviews.
- How does Lord Stanley rank in San Francisco?
- Lord Stanley is #31 of 111 Restaurants in San Francisco by LocalGuideWorld score (rating weighted by number of reviews).
- Where is Lord Stanley located?
- 2065 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109 — 1.3 km from the center of San Francisco.
- How can I contact Lord Stanley?
- Phone: (415) 518-2624 · Website: lordstanleysf.com
This was such an unimpressive dining experience. The venue is in a cute location and the atmosphere had a lot of promise (it’s small with an intimate ambience) - except we were seated next to the kitchen hearing staff shout out the window, and the restaurant was very chilly. Another table was full of raucous businessmen who didn’t know how to use indoor voices. Our server was not very personable and kind of coarse, and almost none of the dishes were balanced. I am the type of person that can be delighted by a $15 dinner or a $150 dinner, and I would have been happier going many less fancy places, than coming here. Here’s my beef with the food:
Almost none of the food was visually pleasing, at all. It wasn’t colorful, or interesting, just extremely blah (except for dessert). All of the sauces were too tart and paired badly with the dishes. To make wagyu super boring is very hard, but it was very overcooked. The sorbet dessert while beautiful had a gritty texture and tasted like a cheap Italian ice; although refreshing, it tasted like a palate cleanser, not a course, and it was not nearly as interesting or complex as my friend’s beautiful pastry. Out of more than five courses, the only things that were really excellent were: a bite of mushroom, the fish and chips course, and an after dessert bon bon.
Courses were extremely slow to come out despite the restaurant being only half full, and my drink was much too sour to really enjoy.
If you aren’t picky and want a slow, pretentious experience that costs a lot, give it a shot. But otherwise, SF is full of great food. Go find someplace that has soul.
Almost none of the food was visually pleasing, at all. It wasn’t colorful, or interesting, just extremely blah (except for dessert). All of the sauces were too tart and paired badly with the dishes. To make wagyu super boring is very hard, but it was very overcooked. The sorbet dessert while beautiful had a gritty texture and tasted like a cheap Italian ice; although refreshing, it tasted like a palate cleanser, not a course, and it was not nearly as interesting or complex as my friend’s beautiful pastry. Out of more than five courses, the only things that were really excellent were: a bite of mushroom, the fish and chips course, and an after dessert bon bon.
Courses were extremely slow to come out despite the restaurant being only half full, and my drink was much too sour to really enjoy.
If you aren’t picky and want a slow, pretentious experience that costs a lot, give it a shot. But otherwise, SF is full of great food. Go find someplace that has soul.
It's hard to express how disappointing the food was at Lord Stanley. I had dinner with my partner on Friday night to celebrate a special occasion, and we both opted for the prix fixe menu. All seven dishes were presented nicely, however the flavor and texture of every dish was mediocre at best. Two of the dishes my partner could not even eat, and there were none that either of us would say we actually enjoyed. They were just... okay. The two desserts were had were the best part of the meal and each of them we would rate as "pretty good." Also, the tap water had an unpleasant taste to it, which we think was probably dish soap. Once we swapped glasses and replaced still water with sparkling, it tasted fine.
On the plus side, we found the service to be stellar. Everyone we interacted wits knowledgeable and attentive and cool. And the ambiance is nice.
Between the food, two glasses of wine, and service charge, we paid almost $400, which seems crazy for a meal that was so blah. We both left hungry and had some snacks at home which we enjoyed more than the meal. There are some top notch restaurants in SF at that price point, and sadly I cannot imagine returning to Lord Stanley or recommending it to others.
On the plus side, we found the service to be stellar. Everyone we interacted wits knowledgeable and attentive and cool. And the ambiance is nice.
Between the food, two glasses of wine, and service charge, we paid almost $400, which seems crazy for a meal that was so blah. We both left hungry and had some snacks at home which we enjoyed more than the meal. There are some top notch restaurants in SF at that price point, and sadly I cannot imagine returning to Lord Stanley or recommending it to others.
The atmosphere was nice and our waiter was enthusiastic yet the food was nothing special. I did the tasting menu - it was fine but wouldn't actively recommend
We had an incredible dinner at Lord Stanley! We did the tasting menu and tried seven dishes that had both French and Korean flavors and influence. Every bite was an experience in itself…. Savoring what each unique flavor had to bring. Would absolutely return and highly recommend. Service was top notch from Alex and the entire staff. Thank you!
Incredible meal. Andy R was such a lovely and warm server. The atmosphere and décor were inviting. The star of the meal was the mushrooms on butter - trumpet, button, and hen of the woods. The oysters were great. The bone marrow didn't have the umami flavor I was looking for but was rich. The beet ravioli with ricotta, pumpkin, and pine nuts was full of unusual flavors. The desserts were all tempting, but we both had "La Sueur" -the chef's creation - with an intriguing combination of textures and flavors: a tart with lime, strawberry, Turkish delight, & meringue. A great night out!
Got the infamous Pecking House fried chicken and it was superb! The sides were amazing too! I tried to go whole in NYC in November, but timing was off and I could not make it out there while in NYC. I'll definitely get some more while in NYC next time!
I’ve been a huge fan of this restaurant since pre-pandemic. Compared to other Michelin starred restaurants, it is fairly affordable for a phenomenal food and service. The vibe here is super down to earth and not pretentious at all. They do such a great job in cooking duck and vegetables. I’m a duck lover so whenever I see duck dish in their tasting menu, I immediately book a reservation here.
HIGHLY recommend this place for people who’d like to experience Michelin starred fine dining since it does not have an intimidating vibe and the food is Michelin worthy.
HIGHLY recommend this place for people who’d like to experience Michelin starred fine dining since it does not have an intimidating vibe and the food is Michelin worthy.
Turntable at Lord Stanley is important to know about, especially if you dine out frequently. This is easily one of the most interesting restaurants in San Francisco. In its previous incarnation, the Michelin starred Lord Stanley was already a touchstone of good food and a neighborhood icon but they have taken a risk with Turntable and managed to level up in unexpected ways.
Lord Stanley was always good at feeding you several vegan courses without you realizing it. They were always at the critical point of creativity and good taste. They were always serving up satisfying meals that were somehow the right balance of light, healthy, and knock-out flavor. And they were always at the expert intersection of traditional fine dining and reimagination. Now their stellar kitchen and affably adept service team continue all that, but now swapping out the head chef each month with a new rising star from around the world.
Two months into this new project, we have managed to catch both guest chefs so far, with resoundingly satisfying results. If there has not yet been a Michelin starred pop-up, this may end up being the first one. If you’re tired of feeling heavy from too much dining out; if you find yourself wondering which of your favorite restaurants (whose menus you know back to front) to go to yet again; if you are lamenting the reduction in in overseas travel – then Turntable at Lord Stanley might belong in your regular rotation.
Engage warmly and openly with their service team, explore their wine program (and trust the experts behind it), exploit the economical week-night options, and, in between visits, remember to occasionally elevate your day by stopping by their unbelievable street counter window. Turntable at Lord Stanley are good neighbors (both for San Francisco and the rest of the world) and are a crucible of creativity and superior food.
Lord Stanley was always good at feeding you several vegan courses without you realizing it. They were always at the critical point of creativity and good taste. They were always serving up satisfying meals that were somehow the right balance of light, healthy, and knock-out flavor. And they were always at the expert intersection of traditional fine dining and reimagination. Now their stellar kitchen and affably adept service team continue all that, but now swapping out the head chef each month with a new rising star from around the world.
Two months into this new project, we have managed to catch both guest chefs so far, with resoundingly satisfying results. If there has not yet been a Michelin starred pop-up, this may end up being the first one. If you’re tired of feeling heavy from too much dining out; if you find yourself wondering which of your favorite restaurants (whose menus you know back to front) to go to yet again; if you are lamenting the reduction in in overseas travel – then Turntable at Lord Stanley might belong in your regular rotation.
Engage warmly and openly with their service team, explore their wine program (and trust the experts behind it), exploit the economical week-night options, and, in between visits, remember to occasionally elevate your day by stopping by their unbelievable street counter window. Turntable at Lord Stanley are good neighbors (both for San Francisco and the rest of the world) and are a crucible of creativity and superior food.
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