Cafe Jacqueline

I can pontificate for hours about why I love this place. This place has no shortage of rave reviews so it certainly doesn’t need mine. But I am a fan and would certainly go back in a heart beat. I went there a few weeks ago with a friend. All the wonderful things I had heard were true. I enjoyed the slow service that allows you to savor every bite and every moment of the meal. The recommendations for wine with dinner were spot on. Our server really knew his wine selection and knew exactly what to pair with the divine seafood soufflé. The chocolate soufflé was rich and sinful. This restaurant is worth every minute of the hour and forty five minute drive into the City.

Really feels like you are in a sweet little French restaurant in Paris. Simply and beautifully decorated. Ordered the Grand Marnier soufflé which was an amazing experience. Wonderful wait staff — knowledgeable about their wines and very accommodating and gracious hosts.
Be sure to bring your appetite, and your wallet. It is a little pricey but worth every cent.
Cannot wait to return here.

Having lived in the Bay area for three years and been visiting San Francisco on vacation and business probably 35 times. We love the North Beach area and have eaten in the neighborhood regularly. We had been walking down Grant Street during the afternoon and spotted this quaint place with multiple awards posted on their door. We loved to atmosphere and called for reservations for that night. 28 seats require reservations any night of the week. The food, incredible, the service, friendly and responsive, the experience, memorable and we will return when back in the city by the bay.

Seriously wonderful souffles, wonderful, quaint ambiance and generally charming! It’s a must-​do experience if you like soufflé. I’ve never had better.

I had great expectations as i went but they were totally unwarranted. The place is really elegant, and might be ideal for a romantic getaway and intimate soirée, though i would not recommend it for big groups since the indoors is not that spacious and it might be a little hard to swing a table for a bigger one as well. Of course the souffles are somehow famed and i wanted to definitely try them.
Onion soup might be your appetizer to go, which also goes well with the french bread they bring at the beginning. They also bring you a tasty butter that is a good accompaniment, but for the pricetag, i am not sure it is that superior or exceptional. I have to give to Jacqueline though, the place feels and tastes genuinely french not somehow americanized and feels definitely old school.
Salads are also a good bet, especially the one with spinach and bacon is really tasty.
Souffles will be your next meals. They are pricy and not that big. You might be a fan of seafood so get the fruits de mer which is one of the best thing they make among the souffles, and it is definitely tasty. Though for the price again, i am not sure it is worth it.
Spinach or tomato souffles might be better for vegeterians and those who don’t enjoy seafood. Chanterelle mushroom one looked good when the next table ordered it but i am definitely skeptic about how the prosciutto complements the taste, cause it kinda seemed a little bit disintegrated/​hanging over the thing just like that.
Dessert. Well that is a lot of soufflé but i still would go with the strawberry or the berry one instead of the acridy lemon soufflé or the mushy chocolate one, which one the biggest disappointment of the night. Beware the plates, they are scorching hot.
They also have nice reds to sip with your meal which i feel is essential as this is a french place that gets as french as it could. But i have to repeat, the place is really squeezed somehow and that romantic atmosphere can be a little too crowded to tolerate, especially when you consider the fame the place has built itself which causes every single table to be filled.
People are not rude, that is a plus, especially when you consider the price! (I am not counting the tips or the drinks and tax, but the price for 2 people might easily exceed 200 before even those.)

Dis cute little café has the most wonderful soufflé in the worlddddddd
We ordered the chocolate soufflé and it took 45 min to get it done. Turned out it totally worth that 45 minutes cuz it’s super fluffy and freaking delicious! Service was friendly. Def will visit again!

Oh geez… I believe I visited Café Jacqueline the beginning of last year. I can’t believe I hadn’t written a review! This place is deserving of one as soon as you walk out the door.
Make a reservation cause this place gets packed. Also, each table takes awhile for peeps to leave because each soufflé is made fresh and with care. Soufflés take at least 30 – 45 minutes. Keep that in mind so you don’t miss a show or something.
We started off with some wine and endives with Roquefort. It was a nice, refreshing way to begin our meal knowing that the main entrée would take a few.
For our main entrée, we ordered prosciutto and mushroom. It was such a tough choice as every soufflé sounded wonderful. Each one feeds 2 people and are greater then $ 30 a pop. Totally worth it. The soufflé was on the saltier side which could be expected from the prosciutto but tasty in all aspects. I’d like to try the seafood one the next time I’m here.
There is absolutely no point in visiting Jacqueline’s if you don’t order dessert. Make sure you order it ahead of time with your entrée to save time. We got the grand marnier. Every drop was gone. Spoons were licked. The soufflé was perfect with the height and the fluffiness. A must when you come here.
Even if you don’t have the need, you must use the restroom. Why? Cause on the way, you pass by Jacqueline, herself, working away with a basket of eggs in front of her. Such a sight to see.
5 absolute stars and a staple in the city.

Difficult decision on how many stars to assign!
First of all, this is a very intimate place, so you should come with only a few people or significant other. Also make reservations well in advance, and consider taking Über to get here if you are not coming from nearby, because parking is a catastrophe. Every space taken on the tiny roads for at least 15 blocks all around. Just my personal advice — this does not factor into my review of the place.
The atmosphere is very close, the waiters are extremely pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable, making my dining experience with my girlfriend super laid back and relaxing. We knew we were in for a long wait based on the other reviews, so we got the onion soup and a few drinks and just took our time. The french onion soup was amazing — I have been fortunate enough to try french onion soup in Paris while I was on business, and the soup here is about as authentic as it gets! Perfect texture, savouriness, cheesiness, steaming hot… just everything was perfect!
After a long deliberation and help from the waiter (I wish I remember the gentleman’s name, he was so patient with us!), My girlfriend got the prosciutto and mushroom soufflé and I got the seafood soufflé. He told us that even though the portions were large, the soufflés would make excellent leftovers, so we went for sharing two soufflés instead of one. The time went by pretty fast probably from the few drinks we had, and when the soufflés arrived on our table, I was awed by the presentation. I had seen pictures before, but the soufflés are gigantic, and so fluffy and perfectly formed! The soufflés are so fluffy they seem to defy gravity.
The seafood soufflé was light, innovative, and captured the texture of every dessert soufflé I’ve ever tried while being reminiscent of tastes of the sea (first time trying a savory soufflé, and a seafood one at that!). I have never had anything like it before and I probably won’t have the chance to try something like it again unless I go back to Jacquline. It blew my expectations out of the water!
However, I was surprised to find that the prosciutto and mushroom soufflé was extremely salty! I know that prosciutto is salty, but the saltiness was just overpowering, sadly. I couldn’t even taste the mushrooms. This was a real disappointment.
Because of the portions we chose not to get dessert and just take our leftovers with us. When we got the bill… I’ll just say that considering the disappointment of the prosciutto & mushroom soufflé I had mixed feelings about the price, though it’s a classy place that serves huge portions of soufflé so the price wasn’t exactly a surprise.
That being said, the service, presentation, and other items were so good my review would 5 stars MANY times over had it not been for the prosciutto & mushroom soufflé.
So all in all… Highly recommended! The next time me and my girlfriend come back, we’re getting the seafood soufflé again to share, just a different second soufflé

Café Jacqueline is a quaint charming little French restaurant in North Beach with only two waiters, one dishwasher, and Ms. Jacqueline in the kitchen baking one soufflé at a time.
There are only a little over ten tables in the restaurant, so I would make reservations in advance if possible. It’s amazing to find these types of places in cities like this, but I’m all for it. Each soufflé is impeccable in taste. If anything, you have to save room for the strawberry soufflé dessert. You will not be disappointed!

First off, if you read the review from C.K. I can say disregard as its a rubbish review. Location is fine, not loud but subtle. Inside is clean and tidy but not roomy. Service was outstanding.
Food, which is why we went is delicious. Their French bread w/​sweet cream butter let’s say I had 3 baskets myself!
Spinach bacon salad was good.
French onion soup is as hot as a nuclear reactor, broth is to die for w/​flavor and not a dinky bowl at all.
The prosciutto quiche is huge, fluffy and delicious.
We passed on dessert as plans to go to ghiradellis was in store but from What we saw and heard it’s worth while.
We’d def return and do recommend you try.

For the price of a meal for 4 here, you can fly to Paris and have a wonderful dinner instead of in this «hole in the wall», literally.
You will wait a loooong time with no forwarning of the length of time the wait will be. This would for a nice courtesy wouldn’t you say? So much for outstanding service for the outstanding prices, crinkly paper menu, 15 year old dusty fake flowers in the window, a door full of ugly stickers which are such an eyesore (a well-​esteemed eatery in S.F. would never clutter their door or window with these ugly pasties). When you wait for so long you notice the cruddy look of the place such as the dirty worn door frame and unattractive bathroom. The place could really use a do-over…too much competition in S.F.
Prices are a king’s ransom for what you get, (such as well over $ 10. for a little spinch with a few bacon bits and pine nuts) and the food is not as memorable as the high price.

The soufflés were so good that it was worth the very long wait time to receive our appetizers and main dishes. Our total meal time was 3 hours. I would go back, but next time I’d eat a snack before dinner.

Amazing is not the word to describe this experience. Even the water was amazing. The smell alone was enough for a five star review. Matt was super nice. Our table wasn’t ready because the previous table wouldn’t leave. He handled it very well.
Well worth the wait.

Our good friends said they managed to get a last minute reservation here and were very excited. They warned us that this restaurant is a commitment. It’s made to order soufflés. Neither my wife nor I really think much of soufflés, but we trust our friends’ taste.
We absolutely loved it. The restaurant is quaint and reminds you that there are still unique wonderful establishments in this city. They have the best french onion soup any of us have ever had anywhere – including France. The soufflés were marvels to the eye and mouth. Both servers who ran the front of the house were absolute pros. They weren’t syrupy, but genuinely engaging.
Here’s the deal though. It’s a commitment. Don’t come here unless you want to spend time having some wine and chatting with whomever you’re here with. All the food is made from scratch in a tiny kitchen by the owner. So if you have a show to get to, don’t want to talk to the person you’re with, or just otherwise have ants in your pants, there are lots of restaurants that are happy to keep you busy and turn tables. This place is super leisurely and super good.

Came here for dinner at 5:30 pm on a Saturday with friends and we were so excited to try the soufflés after reading the other Unilocal reviews on here.
FOOD:
Our table of 4 ordered quite a few things but here are some notable highlights that make me drool.
–Complimentary Bread: Maybe I was just hungry but that bread hit the spot! Nice crusty exterior with good chew.
–French Onion Soup: Usually not a fan of French onion soup, but this may have converted me. The soup was served piping hot and so delicious. Definitely get this!
–Chanterelle Mushroom & Garlic Soufflé (special that day): First thought: These souffles are huge! It was my first time having a savory soufflé and it was delicious! The texture and flavor of the cheese with every bite kept me wanting more. I can’t wait to try the other savory soufflé options.
–Grand Marnier Soufflé: Also huge but MUST GET. It’s that good.
–Chocolate Soufflé: Really good. Nice chocolate flavor, but if I had to choose just one, I’d go with Grand Marnier.
–House coffee: Both regular and decaf coffee with our dessert soufflés went perfectly together.
SERVICE:
Excellent service. We had a great time with the waiter who helped us.
TIPS:
Definitely get reservations ahead of time since I saw some people turned away at the door when they tried to do a drop in. Seatings are only at 5:30 pm or 8 pm since soufflés take time to prepare! Go with a few friends and take the time to chat and catch-​up while you wait for the soufflés. This also allows you to try many different soufflé flavors! Also, one dessert soufflé serves 2 – 4, but if you order 2 soufflés for 4, you won’t be sorry.

So I have to say that my 3 star review is really is based on the service that we received a few weeks ago while dining at this location on a Friday evening. We had made reservations a month in advance since we were traveling from orange county and my gf really wanted to eat here. Although the wait staff was excellent, what was really disappointing was the time it took to get the food out on the table. We ordered a French onion soup which took about 45 min and then then our entrée soufflé took about 1.5 hrs to arrive on the table. By that time I was so hungry I really didn’t get to enjoy the food. Finally our dessert soufflé took another 45 min after. All in all, dinner lasted about over 3 hrs so we didn’t leave the restaurant until after 11pm since our reservations wasn’t until 8pm. The food was good and probably the best seafood soufflé and grand marnier soufflé I ever had but the food just took too long.

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST. The soufflé was huge but it was soooo tasty and airy and just full of goodness ! It was our first time there and the waiter was right. It wouldn’t be our last ! We will come back for this. I want to come back already and try the rest of their soufflé !!!
We came on a Saturday night around 530 and really just wanted dessert. They were a bit hesitant to take us bc they were fully booked but bc we only dessert. They let us in … Soo glad they did cuz they changed my whole world on soufflé … Nothing else will ever come close …

Delicious little restaurant, where soufflés are an art form — Jacqueline is a culinary genius! I’ve been there several times and have sampled a number of the soufflés: the garlic and the leek savory soufflés are subtle, foamy and delicious. The chocolate and Grand Marnier dessert soufflés are equally amazing and unique.
The setting is nice and lends itself to a romantic dinner. Even if the note ends up a bit pricey, the experience is every bit worth it :)

Excellent souffles! I came here based on a recommendation from a coworker, and loved it! They basically only serve souffles, and my sister and I stopped by Sunday evening for dessert souffles.
We had a tough time deciding between chocolate, white chocolate, seasonal fruit (strawberry), or grand marnier soufflé, and decided to go with chocolate ($ 35). We ordered, and ~40 minutes later, it came out piping hot and gooey in the center. It was really delicious! But one dessert soufflé definitely feeds 3 – 4 people. We couldn’t finish ours so had to take the rest home, but would have been nice to share with some more friends.

Savory souffles? What?
That’s right. the most unique dinner I think I’ve had in SF yet. This place wowed us with their savory selections. I have only tried grand marnier souffles, and although theirs was unREAL… I want to go back to try the other dessert options as well.
I’ll keep this one short and sweet– just go here… it’s worth it. And take someone special :)

Jacqueline is the sweetest, cutest, little old French grandma I’ve ever met! She lovingly hand makes every soufflé that come out of her kitchen, often meaning that there really is only probably one seating per night here. You can say bonjour to her as you walk through the kitchen on your way to the bathroom, and she will greet with you a beautiful smile and a nod and a wave.
My friends and I came here for a birthday dinner (three of our birthdays are within 13 days of each other). Café Jacqueline is a small and romantic restaurant tucked into a crowded street in North Beach with no street sign — only the name written across its windows.
We ordered the following:
— soup du jour — leek and celery soup — perfectly seasoned with a nice thick texture
— French onion soup — the absolute BEST French onion soup I’ve ever had… I barely even have words to describe it, but I could barely stop eating it!
— fruits de mer soufflé — with scallops and shrimp — just perfect. Perfect. Whole pieces of shrimp and large pieces of scallops littered this soufflé so that every bite had at least one piece of seafood. The soufflé itself tasted amazing and came out piping hot, fresh from the oven.
— lobster soufflé — LOTS of lobster in here… oh man… and the soufflé was just as good as the fruits de mer.
— chocolate soufflé — I nearly choked on the first bite from the inhalation of the thick dusting of powdered sugar on top, but once we passed that, it was absolute heaven! The soufflé was almost custard-​like inside and the chocolate flavor was so aromatic throughout every bite.
— strawberry soufflé (seasonal) — oh man… this may have been my favorite one of the night. It was piled high with strawberries on top and had such wonderful strawberry flavor throughout the entire soufflé!
The best combination was actually eating both the chocolate and strawberry soufflés together… OMG…I’m drooling just thinking about these again!
It should also be noted that the bread that was served with the meal was incredible! Talk about real rustic French bread… the crust and crunch in this baby was so perfect, and the inside was like warm, pillowy clouds.
Finally, the service for the night was absolutely amazing. Our server, Scott, did a great job making sure that we were satisfied with our food, consistently made sure our water glasses were full, and just made friendly conversation with us in genera. He made an already– delicious night even more enjoyable!
Also, just a note to people who may be looking for a quick meal — this is a place to really sit down and take your time. Jacqueline makes each soufflé from scratch and as ordered, so, yes, it will take time. Our entire meal took us about 3.5 hours, so plan accordingly!
This restaurant is great for special occasions — the prices are not so conducive to eating here often — but I will be sure to make my way back!

Best onion soup, impressive soufflés!
Jacqueline’s work really demands respect, knowing how hard it is the create soufflés in the first place. She offers a variety of savory soufflés as well as some dessert soufflés. We ordered the white corn, ginger, garlic soufflé and the chocolate soufflé. I think they were strong choices, and I was just so excited to have them arrive at the table (takes about forty min for a soufflé to come out from the kitchen)
This is definitely a quaint restaurant and should be a place you come to to have an intimate dinner since you WILL be sitting and talking to whoever accompanies you for at least an hour (assuming you order a soufflé). You will be provided baskets of bread and butter to entertain yourselves before the entrees come out ;) Those were quite delicious as well.