Prelude — Restaurant in San Francisco

We had an unforgettable evening at Prelude — a southern fine dining experience that’s as warm and welcoming as it is elegant and composed.

From the moment we sat down, it was clear this place is dialed in. The space feels intentional — intimate lighting, soft textures, and a calm, collected energy that lets the food take center stage.

Every dish we tried was thoughtful and memorable. The stuffed chicken wing was one of the most visually striking plates of the night, and just as delicious as it looked. The biscuits were flaky, rich, and gone in seconds. The grits, though — those were a standout. Creamy, comforting, perfectly seasoned. Easily one of the best renditions we’ve ever had, especially with the playful mix of accompaniments on the side.

For mains, the pork chop was beautifully cooked and sliced — simple, bold, and confident. The red snapper was light and balanced, rounding out the meal with ease.

We closed with two desserts — the ambrosia salad and the banana upside-down cake — both nostalgic and elevated in just the right ways.

A special moment was when Michaela, the GM, stopped by our table. Her warmth and care were palpable and made the experience feel even more personal. You can tell this place is led with heart.

Prelude delivers on all fronts — food, service, atmosphere — and still manages to feel effortless. Can’t wait...

Took a weekend trip with the husband to SF and lived in the Jay, saw that Prelude was inside the hotel so decided to give it a try.

Food is AMAZING - every dish was creative, delicious, and gorgeous. What more can you ask for in a fine dining experience? It was the perfect blend of southern American cuisine with a mix of Japanese fusion. Not surprising considering the chef came from Niku.

Drinks - I tried three drinks: Tempest, Magnolia Fizz and the Martini. My husband had the old fashion and manhattan. All were decent, but not extraordinary. Does NOT match the food. Would highly recommend the bartender to rethink his drink making strategy.

Service - I deducted one star because the entire meal took 3 hours and 15 minutes. That is two star Michelin speed….. please try to keep it under 2 and half hours for an 8 course tasting menu. But the service itself was actually very good.

Anyways, the chef is amazing. The ingredients he uses are very basic, but the flavor is … superb!!! I’ve dined at Niku, Joel Robuchan, pineapple and pearl, countless Michelin restaurants in Washington DC, New York, and France, but this one actually surprised me. That’s why im leaving a review, I rarely do. And Prelude doesn’t even have a star yet!! I think the star will come, so I plan to come back and dine more before the...

Overall not a place I'd return. The drinks and bar tenders were great. The stuffed chicken leg was fantastic, the pork chop good and the asparagus salad was really good. Catfish dumplings were solid. We also ended up ordering the ham/cornbread which wasn't great and the mussels also fine but nothing special.

After putting in our order for basically every shared plate except the caviar (for two people)We asked if we were over ordering as it seemed like a lot of food and were encouraged to keep ordering so we ultimately ordered the pork chop. Way too much food so we tried to cancel the chop. Rather than going back to the kitchen right away our server spent the next 15 minutes checking on other tables etc. coming back later we were informed it was too late. So be it, but between that, having to flag them down multiple times for help, getting pushed to over order and then ending up with a pork chop we could barely eat the service left a lot to be desired.

If you're looking for southern food head to Wayfare tavern right down the street (RIP Farmer browns ) for better southern food (I grew up in Georgia). Better service, food and...