Bistro Yoffi

We miss you, Yoffi’s! Can’t believe this is going to become another Marina pub :(
It was a great run and they ended it by choice, but I’m extremely sad that a place where I could walk in and immediately feel welcome is no more. This was my favorite spot to hear Casey play — the atmosphere and the service was the warmest I’ve found. Plus any place that has books all around the walls gets my approval. Good luck to Sarah, Kevin, James, and Jasmine in their next adventures!

Had such a wonderful time at Yoffi’s! The cajun-​style cuisine, the live jazz music playing in the background, and people that love good food & wine were awesome. So many bars, niteclubs, desserts, and things to do nearby afterwards. My husband & I love this place when we want someplace lively to go without cover. We once stayed until the band stopped playing & mingled w/​some of them… encore!!!

If you haven’t already picked one out, then consider this your new favorite place to take a date. The heated back patio is dimly lit making it very romantic… the music is great, and if you’re an animal lover there seems to be a pooch wandering around back there that will occasionally stop by to see if you’re willing to share.
The live music was good, but you can’t hear it so much from the back patio so I’m not going to comment much on it. We walked in during the musician’s break (which was a long one) so we thought the music had stopped by 10:00 PM… fortunately we were wrong!
Aside from that the food was good, not absurdly overpriced, and the drinks were no disappointment either. I will definitely be returning and strongly recommend the Bistro Yoffi to anyone.

Friday night dinner with no wait, no reservation, decent food (comfort food, really), good wine, awesome service, beautiful outside patio setting, and good company… you can’t really beat that.
I was very pleased with my experience, and will surely come back. The only reason it doesn’t merit a 5Th star is because the live music is inside, not outside. I would have enjoyed jamming to the tunes during my meal, surrounded by vines and plants and flowers. However, I can see myself really enjoying a bottle of vino on a cold rainy night inside, enjoying some live jazz.
If you’re looking for a low key, but charming night out without any hassles with waits and crowding, you’ll be happy you chose Bistro Yoffi.

Once again, this restaurant was great.
I had a bday party here and plan on throwing my best friends 40^th party here in August. The waitstaff is laid back and they are patient with larger crowds. The food is yummy and the service is great.
Live jazz is wonderful as well.

If you can believe it the cab I was riding in got into a an accident on my way here to meet friends, so by the time I arrived I was shaken up and needed a cocktail pronto.
Their vodka gimlet straight up was PERFECT!
We sat outside with the heat lamps on, the chef’s dog at our feet, and a menu I could have looked at all day. Since I was with a group of some of the most fabulous people on the planet we decided to share all the appretizer’s since none of us could make up our minds about anything.
The crab cakes, steak nibbles, and ahi tuna were my stand out faves. Our waiter James was super cute, and let me call him by his first name all night.
So three cheers to Bistro Yoffi, I will be back!

IMPORTANT: DISCLAIMER — PLEASE READ
(I was there in the employ of the restaurant but have made every effort to remain objective)
Like so many Bay Area anti-​snob snobs, I recoil at the thought of setting foot in the Marina district. I have this idea that the Marina is a clash of Palm Springs and spring break at Daytona Beach. Getting there from Oakland requires driving through the most congested, tourist infested areas of an already congested and tourist infested city. But a gig is a gig, and the man that hired me — Casey Cameron — is one of my favorite musical acquaintances on or off stage. So I went to Bistro Yoffi on a Saturday night.
The commute was auspicious — 37 minutes from door to door, adorned with green lights and pedestrians that decided not to get in my way, and ending with a first pass parking spot exactly one block from the club. Was this the real Marina? Once I walked into the bistro my suspicions were confirmed — this was indeed Bizarro Marinaland.
I’ve never been to Spain, but I imagine Yoffi would fit in well along the streets of Seville. High ceilings, columns adorned with yellow and red, open and breezy with a clear view into the kitchen once you enter. Walking into the patio was a bit like walking into Narnia for the first time (only no snow or talking lions). It must be equal in size to the restaurant itself. This is truly a fantastic space.
They are serious about their music, too. They reserved the front left corner of the dining room, easily twice the space you would expect to find. There’s a baby grand piano AND a PA system — you’re lucky to find one or the other in most restaurants. As the band played on, it became clear that the audience was knowledgeable and appreciative — they weren’t here just for the menu.
If they had been, who could blame them? Yoffi is a seafood lover’s haven. I had the seared ahi. It was fresh, simple and perfectly delicious. I eyed half a dozen other dishes which I plan to order on my next visits.
Co-​owner Kevin is a gentleman, pours a stiff drink and appreciates the atmosphere he has helped to create here along Chestnut Street. I hope I will be back to perform, but I will be back as a customer and jazz lover as well. Robert Stewart and Gerald Beckett were just two of the other names on the June lineup. Bistro Yoffi offers some of the best jazz talent in the Bay and a venue in which they may shine.

Wednesday nights are special here.
There is a lovely community vibe. Great musicians.
Its open mic and people got up to sing, tell poetry, or flow to the jazz music.
We ordered dinner and it was a tad slow, but we were there to socialize and groove. The food was good. We ordered some delicious bruchetta for appetizer and I got a decadent sun dried tomato pasta.
I will be back here for the music very soon.

We were a large group of 7 and were surprised that Bistro Yoffi could seat us immediately when every place in the Marina had 45 min to a 2 hour wait. To top it all, there was live Jazz!
The food was average good.

Wandered in here on a Friday night… not much else was open in the Marina. However, we heard live music! No cover! and it was GREAT!
The cider beer was tasty, drinks were strong, super friendly staff, and great atmosphere… i’ll be back for the food and the patio :)

I had gotten two positive recommendations from friends but hadn’t tried Bistro Yoffi for myself until last weekend. My in-​laws were in town and staying at the Four Seasons. They asked me to make reservations «somewhere nice to eat.» Since it was too short of notice to make reservations at someplace like Zuni I called up Bistro Yoffi based on my friends opinion of it.
When I first walked in and saw my in-​laws sitting there I thought, «Oh, darn. What have I done?» The place was shabby and looked like it hadn’t been painted or decorated in ages. The chairs were all mismatched with paint chipped off, old records haphazardly hung on the wall, CDs dangling from ribbon above the «stage».
But then, as I sat down I began to notice a few things. The vibe was very laid back and bohemian, there were plants and candles everywhere, there were rows and rows of books, and the back patio was definitely cozy and romantic as my friends had described it. Our group sat indoors right next to the stage and we arrived just before the band set up.
The live jazz that night was excellent. Experiencing the music made the whole night magical. I started to feel at ease and realized that this restaurant has so much more to offer than at first glance.
We ordered raw oysters and bruschetta as an appetizer. Both were excellent although my mother-​in-​law did comment that the bruschetta had spinach in it (she hates spinach.) We all ordered cocktails and they were super-​strong.
Our entrees were pretty good. Keep in mind that the food at Yoffi’s is not gourmet or haute cuisine or anything. The portions are modest, not huge but also not the typical dollop with splattered multi-​colored sauces and sprouts balanced on top on a huge square dish. Everyone ordered the sea bass and I got the garlic prawns and we were all happy with our food. Mine was a little cold, but I don’t hold it against them. They only had one cook in the kitchen and we could see her at work from where we were sitting. She was «working her little butt off» as my father-​in-​law commented.
The service was great. A little slow at times, but the server’s kindness, patience and great attitude more than made up for it. I got the fruit cobbler for dessert and it was very hearty and home-​made tasting. I would definitely recommend Bistro Yoffi. It is a charming little place, full of history (one of the owners claims to be the third illegitimate son of Lynrd Skynrd), character, good food and GREAT live jazz.

I came to Bistro Yoffi on New Year’s Eve for dinner. I even made reservations and requested to sit out in their garden patio. i was thinking «yay, my luck. i was able to make reservations here so easily» (since i had called like 2 other restaurants prior to bistro yoffi and they either told me that they were all booked or that the only available time to eat was like a 5pm!).
So when i arrived at Bistro Yoffi for my 6:30pm reservation, i was surprised to find that it was fairly empty. i panicked! –thinking. ok maybe this place sucks or we’re just very early for dinner. prior to being escorted all the way to the back of the restaurant, behind these curtains and sliding door to this beautifully lit heated garden patio, the waiter asked if i’ve ever meet «the beast»? WTF, umm no i responded back. then behind the doors to the garden, we were greeted by a huge dog by the name of Liz (i think, actually i forgot. but something like that). which startled me at first, but she was very gentle.
5 stars for the ambiance here– it was very romantic, especially since we were the only 2 people in the entire patio area. the food is very average/​mediocre, but reasonably priced for a bistro place. i got the pancetta wrapped pork tenderlion. and it was a bit on the dry side and not as uniquely in taste as if sounded.
one of the main reasons i wanted to come here was when i heard they have live jazz music, unfortuately i didn’t know that it doesn’t start till 8pm. when i was leaving the restaurant i saw the band setting up. =(

I Love Bistro Yoffi. Here’s why:
*I can come here on a Friday night for dinner, and find a lovely seat on the patio without the insanity of a place like Mamacita’s. Three cheers for the unpretentious!
*I love raw food and their oysters and Carpaccio are awesome.
* The bartender there makes some of the best drinks (Bloody Mary, especially) and his service with a smile always feel genuine and professional. This man deserves huge tips.
*The music: Jazz and Blues are the foundations of my heart and soul. Either live or on the stereo, the mood is always perfect (at least for me).
Bottom line: The bohemian and relaxed feeling here make me very comfortable. I can spend my time enjoying great food, conversation and music, and the service I have experienced here is down to earth and friendly.

I ate here last night with four of my friends. We sat outside on the heated patio, which was fantastic and pretty much the highlight of the experience, along with the excellent glass of cab sauv.
Not only was our waiter a sweaty college kid but it took 30 min to order our drinks, 10 minutes to receive them, an additional 15 to order food, then the appetizers (steak nibbles were GREAT and oysters) came out at different times (big pet peeve). After our appetizers the boys ordered another round of drinks and, big surprise, they took at least 15 minutes to arrive and the place wasn’t even that busy.
For our entrees we had 3 main courses and then others ordered a salad or appetizer for their meal… the 3 main courses came out a good 10 minutes before our actual waiter appeared to let us know that the salad and appetizer were «on their way». five minutes later we were eating cold entrees.
The place is cute, great location, parking wasn’t actually that bad but the service was totally unacceptable.

Can’t judge the food, but I will give four stars for the open & friendly service.
James, you are awesome!

CUTE little restaurant bar. The restaurant is cute and quaint and the bar is the same. The thing that stood out in here was someone’s love for plants! Plants were everywhere here in the décor, and it played well with the overall feel.
What I fell in love with was the outdoor back patio… So cute, so quaint, so intimate and the perfect place to hang out with friends, wine and appetizers. We munched on mini crab cakes, calamari, chicken skewers, bite size marinated steaks, cheese, and fries. All of it was good and hit the spot. Our server was slightly unfriendly but I think she was just overwhelmed with a large party next to us. The bartenders were both awesome though.
I’ll be back!

Warning: mushy review alert. If you consider yourself a «confirmed bachelor» or read nothing but the most unbiased of reviews, just stop now. Cat ladies, you may proceed.
Bistro Yoffi was the site of D’s and my first date 2+ years ago, and for our two year anniversary, we decided to re-​visit the place. The circumstances back then were very different: I wasn’t living in SF at the time, we both had different jobs, and D was sweating like a man under extreme duress. Seriously, I had never seen someone who wasn’t trying to decide between cutting the red or the blue wire sweat so profusely.
Bistro Yoffi, on the other hand, remained much the same. The outdoor patio is like a little oasis in the city, quiet and enclosed by flora (and, it should be noted, dog-​friendly). Staff is sweet and helpful, and though they don’t ordinarily serve champagne, were apparently quite amenable to procuring a bottle for us when D called in advance. Food is very solid with flashes of greatness… I wasn’t bowled over by my teriyaki steak, but our crabcake appetizer was really tasty. Oh, and good live music in the lounge area is pretty much a given.
Is it my favorite place or favorite food in SF? No. But the atmosphere is wonderful, and there are some very worthy dishes. And really, how could I give the place that introduced me to my Duda anything less than five stars?

Outdoor seating, a friendly dog on the patio, great food (including some nice desserts) and a nice scotch selection all help earn this place a four star rating. I can imaging this place becoming a frequent dinner destination for me at the weekends. The service was great and my friends and I all enjoyed a nice meal on the patio.
In terms of desserts; get the apple crumble…“droooooool“
If I was to list something to be improved I’d recommend better seats in the patio area; since that’s the only improvement I’m suggesting you can tell this place is good.

I’ve been going to Bistro Yoffi for six years. The bartender, Kevin, is fantastic and will mix up just about anything you heart desires. He also knows wine and beer like no one I’ve ever met. The food is lovely, the live music is great, and the patio is divinely relaxing in such a bustling city.
The restaurant décor was designed by the chef, who owns the place with her two cronies, the bartender and the bookkeeper. Go on a day when you can catch Jesse Foster, vocal virtuoso, or check their website to see who’s playing.
Parking isn’t always easy, but it’s worth the trouble.

Slow service, kinda pricey. Those are the only bad things I can say. The food is actually REALLY good. The steak bites are a must. I was also pleasently suprised with the Anglo Enchilada. It was f*in good!
The back patio is awesome when it’s a nice night, and on the not so nice nights they have heat lamps. They also have organic beer!