Greens Restaurant — Restaurant in San Francisco

I never leave any reviews but I want to share my experience so others know what to expect.

I came here with my partner for our anniversary dinner and we had a bad experience.

I made a reservation weeks in advance and we arrived right on time. I told the host when we arrived that we had a reservation and he told us to sit off to the side to wait because they were 'waiting for some tables to open up'.

We sat in the waiting area off to the side along with about a dozen other people (several different parties) with reservations. Some of them were parties of two like us and we noticed that right in front of us there were multiple open two top tables that the host wasn't seating anyone at.

After about 10 minutes, we see another couple arrive as a walk-in and get seated immediately at one of the open two tops right in front of us.

Seeing this made me think that the host must just be waiting to give us a window seat, as I wrote a note requesting that on my reservation. I asked him if he was waiting for a window seat for us, and said if that was the case, it wasn't necessary and we'd be happy to sit at one of the other open tables.

He simply said 'window seats are first come first serve' and that he was 'seating people in the order they arrived'.

We could plainly see the second statement wasn't true as we saw the walk-in couple come in after us and be seated immediately, but I didn't say anything about that - I said ok, and kept waiting.

After a few more minutes the host comes over and says we can sit at the open table right in front of us, which has been available since we arrived. He gives us menus and tells us someone will come to take our order.

About ten minutes go by and no one comes to take our order. My partner noticed that the table has a QR code to scan to order (which seemed odd because it's an expensive restaurant and part of that cost is for table service) but I scan the code and start to order since no one came to take the order.

Right before I'm about to place the order on my phone, the host comes back and asks if someone has come to take our order, and I say no - I point out the QR code ordering sign on the table and ask if that's how we were actually supposed to order.

Only at this point does he finally explain to us that we were seated at one of their tables that are reserved for walk-ins, where you order with a QR code, rather than a 'normal' table where you are waited on. He told us they would have a waiter take our order at this table 'because it's a special occasion' for us (implying that it's being done as a favor when in reality we reserved a table normally and being waited on is the most basic expectation). I realize that this is why those tables were empty the whole time we and multiple other parties were waiting for a table.

This was our first time visiting Greens and we had no way of knowing this was how things worked - there were no signs that the area we ended up being seated in was walk-in only apart from the QR code signs not being on other tables which was not immediately obvious.

We noticed that this system, and the lack of explanation from the host, was confusing other people too. We heard others people with reservations who were waiting whispering and grumbling about the seating situation, and saw one other couple with a reservation leave after waiting a long time without being seated.

All it would've taken to prevent this is for the host to explain when we first arrived that some of the seating was reserved for walk-ins, say there may be a wait for a 'normal' table, but also offer us one of the walk-in tables. This way we'd have know what to expect upfront and he would've been able to seat us sooner.

The lack of communication which led to this bad first impression ruined the experience for us and we don't plan to come back.

It's a shame because the food was actually very good.

If you do go to Greens, walk-in rather than making a reservation as you will be...

Of my 35 years on this planet this is the absolutely worst service I have ever experienced. I came the evening of Wednesday 2/28 a little before 6 PM with a friend who was visiting and had never been to San Francisco before. We wanted drinks to watch the sunset and maybe order a plate or two share. I told the host (there were 2, seemed like one was training), that we were looking to have drinks only with maybe appetizers. That was possibly my mistake for saying that (I did not realize they did not have bar seating), and the host refused to put us at a normal table and instead told is to sit in a waiting area around that large wooden sculpture and order with the QR code. Menu was VERY limited, we would have preferred ordering from the real menu to share something rather than what was available with the QR code. We ordered 2 drinks, never were checked on or given water. One drink came about 25 minutes later only after I flagged someone down to check. They eventually brought one drink back and it was incorrect. At that point I told the host the problem, who insured me that the correct drink would be on the way - waited another 15 minutes without anything. Asked the host 2 more times (now 45 minutes without anything - everyone around at tables are being served and hearing shaking/cocktail making from the bar), and they ensure us ticket is in and will be a moment. After spending almost an hour without anything we ask them to take the cocktails off our QR tab and leave without having been served anything.

Not sure what this was about… never had been so poorly treated. We both look young and maybe a our hair was a little disheveled from sight seeing/walking in the wind but we are both medical professionals and never have been refused to be served like this. This is not how a restaurant should be run. It’s too bad as the restaurant came highly recommended from several friends, but I definitely would not be coming back and it’s unfortunate that my friend who is not from here had such a...

I recently went to greens that I had previously enjoyed, but I was left utterly disappointed by the declining quality. This establishment, once known for its excellent vegan options, seems to have let their standards slip while continuing to charge premium prices.

The first thing I noticed was the significant decrease in portion sizes. What used to be a satisfying and filling meal has now been reduced to a mere appetizer-like portion. It's disheartening to see such a noticeable change in quantity without a corresponding adjustment in pricing.

Moreover, the quality of ingredients seemed to have taken a nosedive. Previously, their dishes were bursting with fresh vegetables, flavorful sauces, and thoughtfully crafted vegan alternatives. However, during my recent visit, I ordered a $32 mushroom dish which was mushrooms with some blant curry topped with mashed potatoes.

The service was also subpar compared to previous experiences. The staff seemed disinterested and inattentive, I asked fora heater since i was sitting outside, despite aaking 3 times . This lack of engagement further added to my disappointment.

While I understand that prices can rise over time, especially with the increasing popularity of vegan cuisine, the decline in quality does not justify the exorbitant costs. It's frustrating to pay a premium price for a meal that used to be exceptional but now falls far short of expectations.

In summary, I can no longer recommend this once-favorite vegan resturant. The noticeable decline in portion sizes, the diminished quality of ingredients, and the lackluster service are all major concerns. With the plethora of other vegan options available in the area, it's hard to justify spending hard-earned money at a place that fails to deliver on its promises. I hope that the management takes note of these issues and makes the necessary improvements to regain the trust of their previously...