Solstice

San Francisco, United States

3.8

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 415-359-1222
Website:
www.solsticelounge.com
Address:
2801 California St, San Francisco, CA, 94115
b/t Divisadero St & Broderick St
Pacific Heights, Lower Pacific Heights
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.8 miBig Bus Tours Stop 14, Lombard Street 1
0.9 miBig Bus Tours Stop 13, Palace of Fine Arts
0.9 miSacramento St & Cherry St (Stop 16293)
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner, Late Night
Parking
Street
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Music
DJ
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Full Bar
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Mon, Thu, Fri
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today –
Local time (San Francisco) 5:43 PM Friday, November 29, 2024

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday –
Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Solstice has become a neighborhood legend offering the very best in quality crafted cocktails, eclectic wines, and a seasonally inspired menu that is sure to tantalize any palate. Join us as we aim to make your experience festive and fun. We will always welcome you to Solstice and thank you for being our guest.

History

Established in 2004.

Solstice Restaurant & Lounge has become a neighborhood legend offering the very best in quality crafted cocktails, eclectic wines, and seasonally inspired menu that is sure tantalize any palate. Join us as we aim to make your experience festive and fun. We will always welcome you to Solstice and thank for being our guest.

Meet the Manager

Jorge P.

Manager

Growing up in rural Honduras, preparing meals at his Mother’s side, Jorge developed a voracious interest in food at an early age. It was at this young age Jorge developed aspirations of one day becoming a professional chef. In 1999, when he was given an opportunity to come to the United States, he instantly looked for a job in a restaurant. He began his career at LuLu, where he worked his way up from dishwasher to line cook — learning as much as he could along the way. In 2006 he was hired as a Sous Chef at Solstice. With a strong desire to hone his culinary craft and intense dedication, Jorge was soon after promoted to Head Chef. Eleven years after moving to San Francisco, Jorge is still primarily inspired by the food culture and wonderful produce of his adopted home. The resulting creative energy manifests itself in Solstice’s Seasonal Flavors menu, which weekly acts as a conversation with the diners about his story as a chef.

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20 reviews of Solstice

No registration required
Place rating: 3
South Bay, CA
Man, places are closing faster than I can review them. My queue is too large… I came here back when Blackboard eats had offered a really good deal. Sea scallops, flat iron steak, prosciutto pizzetta, mac and cheese, sliders, and ribs were amongst the eats. Fairly tasty fare. Dimly lit, friendly staff. Though I noticed the patrons, especially the women in this neighborhood all dress the same way. Weird. 3.5 stars
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
I cant believe i never updated my review for this place. Solstice really came a long way since I was last there in 2009. Aside from their delicious bites that adorned their menu, I mostly spent my nights (many a nights) parked on their stools, imbibing in delicious, well-​crafted, original cocktails made by the great bartenders (more like mixologists) that i had the pleasure of knowing. Lucky for me these bartenders are still around so i still get to enjoy their great creations.
I made new friends here. Laughed here. Cried here. Loved here.
Fond memories indeed. You are missed, old friend.
(cant wait to see what the new spot will bring…)
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
What’s the point in reviewing a business that’s already closed?
I don’t know. Why do you keep a diary?
Anyway, they had amazing mini tacos, delicious kobe sliders, and mouthwatering gorgonzola mac and cheese.
I used to come down here with my coworkers after a long day of work for a few brews, and this place never disappointed in the post work de-​stressing ritual.
So long, Soltice, your tenure was too short, just like the shortest day of winter.
Place rating: 1
Los Angeles, CA
CREDIT CARD THEFT, courtesy of SOLSTICE.
Visited here the other day. Good beer, decent mac n’ cheese.
The bartender asked for my credit card when I first ordered. When I was ready to pay, he charged my card, but «lost my card» for a while. Around 5 minutes. Fishy. A different, random employee (other than the bartender — the only one on duty behind the bar) suddenly came up with my card. Fishy.
I turned to my friend and said «Wow. Can’t wait to see if my credit card number gets stolen.» Never really thinking that’d be the case. Haven’t used my credit card since.
…and then today I get a call from Visa asking me why I’m making multiple $ 100 purchases in Kentucky.
Thanks Solstice.
Place rating: 4
Long Beach, CA
Sunday brunch at Solstice is kinda my new thing. I’ve gone twice with friends for bottomless mimosas and once with a friend and all three times have been great! The waiters now recognize my group and treat us all so well– makes us feel pretty special and very welcome.
The food is great. The BEST item you can get off of the brunch menu is the chicken hash. The name and ingredients both sound odd but trust me it is amazing. My first time ordering it was my last time there and I almost regret not getting it all three times. I had my friend try it and he immediately regretted his choice.
I’ve also had the breakfast sandwich and scramble with avocado and bacon. Both were very good but nothing compares to the chicken hash.
The mimosas are yummy since they come in 5(?) different flavors. mmmm. They also do bottomless bloody marys and pbr
My only complaint is the dark bathroom. Not fun after bottomless.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Review is for Brunch. All items $ 10 — which is why they get the extra star, it is a good deal, and it is only 2 blocks away. Be careful thought a cup of coffee will run you $ 3. The menu is not vast about 7 main items (I recall: Huevos rancheros, a pulled pork sandwich, a BLT/​egg sandwich, chicken hash, french toast and maybe 2 others)
The menu features 5 choices of «scrambles» (basically un-​omelets). I got the Huevos scramble, which was good, but not traditional (it was 2 poached eggs in a ramekin with a peppery sauce and tortilla chips mounted on top (there is no cheese or salsa served with this), there was a teeny side of very loose pureed black beans as a side — also some sour cream and plantains (they were the best part). If you are STARVING, go a different direction. Weird too, that you really needed to eat it with a spoon, it was good, not great.
My bf had a bacon scramble, with chorizo sausage on the side, he also got toast, some FANTASTIC potatoes, and fresh avocado on top. His portion was MUCH bigger than mine (sigh) — good news is that he lets me rob his plate.
The french toast looked good (another table had it, but portion also looked kinda small, and for $ 10 with no side that seemed like a lot of $$) — if it were served with bacon included, I would have gotten it.
I think they should ADD 2 things to their brunch menu: their «famous» gorgonzola mac and cheese with apples, and the sliders (2) and potatoes for $ 10 (on their dinner menu 3 sliders are $ 15 — their sliders are FANTASTIC.0
ALSO — please bring back your Lychee martini!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Great spot to meet up with girlfriends or your bf/​husband. Not a place for guys to cut loose.
I ordered a Dark and Stormy and my girlfriend ordered a sangria (with white wine)! Both were awesome– not too strong but nicely flavored.
We ordered 3 dishes– mac and cheese with apple shavings, ahi tuna, and risotto. Surprisingly, they were very filling. We had to box ‘em because we barely dented the dishes.
Next, I liked the service. The waiter was really nice and called us «girls» haha I felt young again. o_​O And as for the «young again» aspect, lighting is dim enough so even though it’s been a good 10 years since I met up with my friend, it didn’t feel like it?
This restaurant is very close to the 1 bus stop– very convenient!
Place rating: 2
San Francisco, CA
Came here after work for my wife’s birthday dinner. While the food was delicious (we’ve eaten here a few times as it’s very local) the service was quite frankly, negligible.
Came here on a Thursday night, a bit before 10PM. not too busy, and it took a good while standing by the Host stand to get a table. Then another lengthy wait to get served. We almost walked out by the time the waitress felt like wandering over — a good 15 minutes after we sat down.
Orders were taken — and eventually my wife’s dish came out. After she was almost done eating, mine came out — and both lacked sides we had ordered. The waitress hadn’t been around to check on her customers, and when (what I guess was) the manager came around we let her know that our dishes hadn’t materialised, and we just wanted our check sans sides.
As we left, we saw the waitress had been glad-​handling and joking with another table for several minutes while her colleague had to endure our complaints. She totally deserved the .75c tip I left and was lucky I didn’t short the bill.
While I regret not sticking around for their tasty desserts, and service as crap as this was is not the norm, this is going to lead us to find another choice for late evening dining.
To sum up — tasty food; unusually shitty, shitty service.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
I’ve been here 3 times now, once for a friend’s engagement party in their private area, once for New Years Eve, and once for brunch. After bruncht today I decided it needed a review. The brunch menu is awesome, because everything is the same price, $ 10, and for an extra $ 10 you can get all you can drink mimosas. For $ 15 you can get all you can drink bloody maries, PBR (yuck) and some other drinks.
I opted for the «Kobe» burger (I use quotes because there is no actual Japanese imported beef in this country), while my friends got a variety of breakfast scrambles and salads. Everybody was really happy and they kept their mimosa glasses full. The burger was actually incredibly tasty and the meat was very very good quality and despite being a little overcooked was still quite soft. For $ 10 I don’t think you can get a similar burger anywhere (with gruyère cheese, yum).
Overall the staff is super friendly and the place is reliably consistent.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
This is one restaurant in my neighborhood that I’ve walked and driven by many of times and was always dying to try it. What better time to try it than with my roommates on a Saturday night? We walked there and put our name in. We had a round by the bar while we waited. It was packed so we were standing. The vibe was fun. The waiters were busy and we felt like we were in their way some of the time.
After a 40 minute wait (no reservations) we were seated luckily in the booth seats by the window. These seats were worth the wait because we could look outside and we were near the DJ that started at like 8. We had a late dinner. I remember the selection of beer being fairly unique, which I like.
The place serves food tapas-​style so we got 2 of the skewers plates to share for all and then split up other plates. We shared the ahi tuna tar tar which was good. We ran out of chips and the busser replenished them on request.
I tried one of the fish tacos and it was delicious. I believe it was Tilapia and the flavors were amazing. Everyone like the pulled pork sliders that I ordered. I can’t remember what the other dish was that we ordered but it was good.
I can’t remember the bill but it was at least 25 – 30 bucks each which wasn’t too bad. The atmosphere and food was great all in all. I would come here again, it seems like a good place to bring a date. I think next time I will make a reservation. I’m glad there is quality like this in my neighborhood (NOPA).
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Went to Solstice for a Girls’ Night Out/​Catch Up Sesh with one of my good friends. We went after a grueling day of work and were in need of some alcoholic therapy to wash away the day.
They have daily specials posted above the bar and we came on the night of 50% off a bottle of wine, so why not! We shared a bottle of the Malbec and glad that we did. The Malbec has a fuller taste with a sweet finsh to it and good for those that do enjoy a good, red wine.
For bites, we shared the ahi tuna tartare and the pork sliders. The tartare was deliciously paired with wonton chips to scoop up every bite of yummy tuna mixed with chunks of avocado. The pork sliders were pretty good as well but did favor the tartare over the sliders.
The ambience overall is very warm and the music isn’t too loud to where you don’t have to yell at eachother to just hear one another. It is definitely a more intimate atmosphere that is a good place for friends to catch up or for couples to have a nice date night out with eachother.
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
Pretty damn good lads!
I only went here because of a $ 40 GiltCity coupon I managed to nab for a measly $ 12, but I’m glad I did because the food and drink are top-​notch. It doesn’t get packed until after 8pm, but at that point you may have to wait for a table.
The waitress mentioned that most couples could order 3 – 5 dishes (small plates) but my girlfriend and I found ourselves stuffed with only 3 plates. Both the fries and sliders are among the best I’ve ever had. The fries are a 50⁄50 split of normal and sweet potato, with accompanying sauces. The sliders come with Tillamook cheddar and are meaty perfection.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
I had only been to Solstice late night… err morning… so when I had the chance to come here for dinner and finally try the crab cakes, which I had heard so much about, I didn’t hesitate.
Solstice has a very laid-​back feel and it’s dimly lit. It would be perfect for a date if it weren’t for the crowds that come in during HH. Once my friend arrived, we ordered:
— Crab cakes with citrus gastrique: this was my favorite, by far! The crab cakes were really delicate and melt-​in-​your-​mouth status. Loved the spicy red pepper inside.
— Hand-​cut frites two-​ways: you can never go wrong with french fries! This comes with regular potato french fries and sweet potato fries. Ketchup and a jalapeño aioli sauce on the side.
— Grilled skewers: these were a close second to the crab cakes! This dish comes with chicken and steak skewers that are topped with a chimmichurri sauce. It also came with huge wedge-​cut fries!
— Green apple cheesecake: really sweet and you can definitely taste the green apple and the salted caramel. Perfect ending to a great dinner!
Dinner, dessert, and two drinks came out to ~$ 50. This is a great spot for sharing and the plates are comparable to tapas. It looked like, no matter what you ordered, that you would enjoy it. Everything looked delicious!
Overall, Solstice is a great spot for HH (they have a HH and late night menu) and also a solid spot for dinner. The crab cakes alone are enough to make me come back ;)
Place rating: 4
Roseville, CA
Review for bar not restaurant
Pros: Quieter and more intimate then Fish Bowl and Lion Pub on Divsiadero. Never overly crowded and they had a DJ playing late 90’s music which was pretty cool.
Cons: Older, laid back crowd so if you’re looking for a rowdier group not your place.
Overall: If you’re on Divisadero and need a bar to charm that special someone, Solstice is it.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Cool spot for a date, with the romantic ambiance.
Very good drinks and the food I’ve had was tasty.
Happy hour specials change daily.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
I’m pleasantly surprised by the romantic ambiance here at Solstice.
Red walls. Airy feel from the high ceilings. Lively bar scene. Intimate lounge type seating in the back.
Sounds like a great date spot, maybe not for a first date, as the noise levels in here crack a few decibels. But definitely a classy neighborhood resto.
Their menu leans more towards small plates with a few entrée sized dishes. The Ahi tuna tartare was good although I didn’t like that it was too creamy, almost like it had too much of achiote oil on it. The spiced wonton chips were light and crispy.
I had the Tilapia beer battered tacos topped with red cabbage slaw which are wonderful with the tomatillo sauce; and for $ 10 you get three tacos.
The wild mushroom pizzetta had asparagus, arugula and gruyère cheese. This is definitely a cheesy pizza! But having the peppery arugula on it tones down the saltiness of the gruyère a bit.
Do not skip the cocktails here! nothing frou-​frou, no organic this or house infused liquor that. Think familiar cocktails such as margaritas and cosmos, fairly priced at $ 8. I had the French 75 — Solstice uses prosecco instead of a traditional brut champagne, but I think the lemon dominates in this drink, but not in a bad way. (read: potentially dangerous if you’ve had a couple! I only had one if you MUST know)
With the nice ambiance and good food, I’m coming back for happy hour or late night eats (serves food til 12am!) Just remember, if you go at peak dinner time, prepare to raise your voice to make yourself heard. I was glad to be outta there and even ten minutes later, my ears were still ringing.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
I came here on a Thursday with some family and friends for my birthday dinner after the Valentines Day Wine Walk in the Marina District.
It was the perfect atmosphere for cocktails and casual appetizers.
I had the mushroom pizzetta and ahi tuna tartare. So delicious! It’s definitely a tapas style bar, so no big plates, which I prefer trying a little bit of everything… The guys ordered more as the night went on to fill up a little more, but two was enough for me with a couple very yummy cocktails!
The music wasn’t loud, and I never felt like I was shouting over anyone at dinner, thankfully. We had originally requested a booth by the window for our reservation, which the hostess said were reserved for other parties, which took some convincing, but we eventually got our way:) The entire time we were there, the other two booths stayed empty, go figure, which is why it loses a star…
Overall, great experience, and I will definitely go back!
Place rating: 4
Denver, CO
Here is the Tiff’s notes version of my meal at Solstice (thanks to Olivia L for coining this hilarious phrase):
Likes: Gorgonzola mac and cheese (thank you jeeve’s bus for inventing this), tacos two ways (this is a ménage a trois I can get with, I mean me and these two tacos), refreshingly delicious cucumber cocktails, cool jazzy music, even cooler atmosphere
Dislikes: prosciutto pizza (I know, I feel like I might get struck down for typing this, but it was waaayyy too salty, even for this kind of meat), risotto cakes (how can something that should be so good be so bland?)
Would I go back and/​or recommend it to other? For shizzle.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
My bar.
This is a pretty neat place. Romantic-​lively setting and the dark, red-​light bathroom that gave me the creeps that was supposed to give the vibe of a sunset.
Food was great. I ordered the chicken prosciutto that was tasty-​o! The chicken was wrapped with prosciutto and there were about 3 or 4 of them sitting on mashed potatoes and dressed with onion rings and carrots. And in the center of the chicken was spinach, I think? Whatever it was, the meal was delicious and worth every dollar spent.
But what I remember about Solstice is the over-​powering alcoholic drink I ordered. I got the peach sidecar and I don’t remember what was in it but I tasted about 95% alcohol and 5% peachy-​something. One of these, will get anyone slightly red in the cheeks and for an Asian girl like me, I was full-​on blushing. First sip of this drink, I felt like I swallowed flavored rubbing alcohol. I tried to finish the drink but after 5 to 6 sips, I felt the influence already.