Lazy Bear — Restaurant in San Francisco

For my annual birthday celebration with my friends, I booked Lazy Bear and it was everything I imagined it to be.

It was a magical 3 hour, well executed, unpretentious, intimate and delicious dining experience I won't forget. The best part was it wasn't one of those expensive meals where you left hungry. My contingency plan was to grab a bacon wrapped hot dog right outside in the Mission if I was still hungry, but I left the restaurant completely satisfied.

Our dinner before drinks was about $280/pp. We opt out of the regular wine pairing which was $95/pp and ordered a $17 signature cocktail instead. Altogether, we spent roughly $300/pp and it was well worth it. Our neighbors had the wine pairing and really enjoyed it, so I might splurge a bit more the next time I return.

Now, let's get to the food!

My ultimate favorite dishes were the lobster, lamb, salmon, kohlrabi, and matsutake respectively.

There were a total of 14 courses. We started with a glass of punch and 5 snacks upstairs. Once we got seated downstairs in the main dining hall, we were served a house roll, 7 more dishes, followed by a platter of 3 desserts.

SNACKS (served upstairs)

Whipped Scrambled Eggs [bacon, maple, hot sauce] - we were instructed to dig deep with our spoons to get to the spicy maple syrup. This was a nice start to whet our palettes.

Canterelle and Goat Cheese Tart [Lisa's "BoDacious", pickled pluot, sunflower] - light and crisp goat cheese over a tart

Modori Gatsuo Tataki [preserved allium pancake, nasturtium flower relish] - fish over a thin pancake

Broiled Shigoku Oyster [smoked pumpkin, wild fennel] - one of my favorite snacks. This was a cooked oyster and I had first pick from a tray. Yay!

Duck Liver Mousse [mountain huckleberry, cornbread] - it looked like a truffle and I popped it in my mouth

DINNER - served in the dining hall (downstairs)

Spelt & Rye parker house roll [cultured butter] - the 7 year old cured butter was the best part. I gobbled every bit of this and seconds were offered. The bread itself was soft and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. It was well balanced and light.

Kohlrabi [smoked sturgeon, vin jaune, Lazy Bear Reserve Caviar by Tsar Nicoulai] - loved the texture of the kohlrabi. It was fresh, with a light crunch and smothered in a creamy caviar sauce.

SF Coast King Salmon [grilled cucumber, buttermilk, coastal greens] - the salmon cut like butter

Fall Squash [lobster bay, carolina gold rice] - the combo of the lobster bisque and gold rice was something special

Matsutake [conifers, shinko pears] - I loved the flavor of mushroom broth and the pears made it

BBQ Rack of Lamb [brassicas, black olives, date barbeque] - this was decadent! The lamb was the perfect temperature and well seasoned. You'll have to pick this up with your hand to get every bit of morsel off the bone. It was paired with a salty butter pie which was rich in flavor and too intense for me to finish with the exquisite lamb. At this point, I was getting full.

Green Goddess [apple, juniper, creme fraiche] - perfectly refreshing after the lamb

Honeynut Squash [chicory, masa, palm sugar] - not very memorable but it could be because I'm full

TREATS Pluot Gummy Bear [olive oil] - one big plum gummy bear Cookies 'N' Cream Bon Bon [white chocolate] - delicious! Black Truffle Cream Puff [honey] - you can definitely taste the truffle

Thank you Lazy Bear for the amazing experience! The staff are pretty awesome...

I don't really know what to say. I know it sounds cliché but words can't do it justice.

I was shocked right away by the hospitality. The moment I entered the staff was so sweet and helpful. We showed up early and they kind of ushered us to a nice bar nearby where I had a great experience. When we came back we were welcomed eagerly and treated like we were old friends. This would be the theme for the night.

The table setting came with a "field guide" and pencil which had a sense of childlike whimsy that followed through the night. We were allowed to write notes (without any pressure!) and as we did throughout the night the staff seemed so delighted in how much fun we were having. The decor was peppered with bears, which as a big fan of the animal I appreciated. This is atmosphere. Every moment of my experience felt rich with an exciting, bubbly energy.

The food told a story. Every ingredient either had rich roots in the bay area or told a tale of collaboration. It felt as though everything on our table had made its home here. The execution on the food was master class, sparing no details but never including things just for the sake of seeming upscale or elaborate. I can say confidently I have not had a better meal.

But to call it a meal feels silly. Really, it was an experience. A trip to Disney World feels cheap and boring by comparison, and I can't stress that enough. We asked so many questions and we were encouraged to (I cook quite a bit so it was an honor) and the chef himself even answered a few, merely a few feet from where I was sitting as the kitchen was right next to us!

For the dessert course we were brought upstairs and as a couple it was nice to get a little quiet time in a dimly lit mezzanine, served on a coffee table. It was the wind down of the evening with dessert wines and treats. But even still everything came packed with such fascinating stories and everyone we asked could answer every single question we had. Magical.

On our way out we were given a cute little bag of breakfast coffee and an apple cider loaf. I was then ushered around because I was peeking at all the bears (I'm a bit obsessed with bears) and they encouraged me to find the one in the mural! At most places I would feel awkward but by then the staff felt like friends. It never felt like an imposition to look and talk or to do anything. I won't tell you where the bear is, though.

We were given a card congratulating us on our 11th anniversary and I made a joke to my boyfriend at the time that if he popped the question now I'd say yes. Joke was on me because I came home to an array of lights and flowers in my back yard, and a man on one knee holding a ring.

I couldn't imagine a more perfect night. Even the music playing was rich with musicians like Belle and Sebastian, which I am a big fan of. And yes, Dear Catastrophe Waitress is the best album.

There isn't enough thanks I could give to the incredible staff and to the chef for creating such a magical experience. I cannot possibly imagine a better night to have.

Please just go and bring a friend or loved one. Ask questions. Make friends. It's an experience like no other. Get the wine pairing. Get dessert. Spare no cost, let go of your shyness or your seriousness,...

Lazy bear has been the best meal and experience of my life thus far. Some of it had to do with my recent taking to Chef's table on Netflix, but this restaurant's tasting menu is amazing. My wife planned this as a surprise for our anniversary and I was blown away as the courses kept coming in.

The entire experience lasts about 2.5 to 3 hrs.

When my wife made the reservations, she specified that we were vegetarians and she didn't have eggs (eggs were ok for me). The staff was really accomodative with the request and as we saw later, none of the dishes were compromised in taste, quality and presentation. The setting is casual and mirrors a picnic theme in the Sierras. Everyone sits together around a picnic table for the main course and are encouraged to chat with each other and the chefs in the kitchen.

Before the main course, groups "lounge" around invidual tables where you are served with drinks and appetizers. We were served with 5 appetizers. I have included pictures of all items for appetizers, main course and desert for your reference. Whipped scrambled eggs 10/10: This was my favorite appetizer and apparently is a "constant" for all seasons when you go to lazy bear. For my wife, the eggs were substituted by potatoes. The taste was insane, and the texture frothy. I really wish they could have served more of this. Savory Custard 6/10 Grilled celery (smoked) 9/10: I could have never imagined celery can taste this good. Cauliflower + cheese toast on sourdough bread: 8/10 Crispy mushroom of the woods with sour cream and Alliums dip 9/10

Except for the savory custard, all the other appetizers were outstanding.

We then proceeded to the main hall for the main course: Bread and butter 8/10: The butter is a house made cultured butter that is very savory and tart. It pairs really nicely with the bread and you can ask for as many servings of butter and bread as you desire. Kohlrabi and its roe 6/10: For me, I didn't like the taste of this dish. It felt a bit too bland. Sunflower 9/10: Phenomenal dish. I loved the crunch, the mushroom flavor and the excellent presentation Barley broth with egg yolk 8/10: I really liked this dish, the egg yolk was quite dense and the barley was quite cruncy. The broth was rich and very complex Artichoke chips and black truffle 8.5/10: The artichoke was really creamy and rich and paired well with the hollaindaise sauce. Cheese with barley grain 7.5/10: I rally liked the crispy leaves on this dish. Overall the barley was cheesy, creamy and savory Rhubarb 6/10: This was a cold dish with a sorbet and coconut ice cream. It was sweet and sour. Candy Cap 8/10: This is a special mushroom that was shaped as a donut and is naturally sweet with a maple syrup flavor. Loved it. Treats: These were an assortment of treats at the end. I liked the banana bread with brownbutter jam the most followed by beet...