Luce

Great place for a business lunch near the convention center. They switch to a brunch menu on weekends with fewer normal «lunch» options (but still have a couple)

Excellent food and service. Definitely worth checking it out.

Do not eat here. The food is terrible. Charcuterie was lunch meat like you get from Costco. The cheese plate was ok but all low end cheese. The steak in the steak frites was tasteless and chewy. The fries were good but came out cold. The snapper was edible. Drinks were good.

I just realized that I have never reviewed one of my favorite spots — Luce!
I have gone here several times and have always enjoyed myself. This week’s visit was no different.
I had a group of work associates in town and wanted to show them a SF Dining Experience! This was a perfect choice.
I was hoping to have the tasting menu — but one of our diners had to leave a tad early to catch a late flight, so we picked a few items off the menu instead.
Some of our choices included:
Chilled Green Asparagus, Preserved Meyer Lemon was Spring on a plate.
My favorite, the Sweetbread Ravioli was a big hit.
Artisan Foie Gras «Chaud et Froid» — AMAZING!
I can’t remember what else everyone had — but … there were lots of happy noises coming from our diners.
Panna Cotta with the Ice Wine put the exclamation point on a wonderful dining experience. James and Tai served us well.
I cannot wait to have more friends in town so we can go back! AGAIN! and AGAIN!

I’ve been to many many Michelin star restaurant but this probably be the worst service ever. And there s a fly flying around my dessert wine.
Food representation is awesome. Quality is good. But I expect way better services than this.
A fly on my wine glass in a restaurant inside Intercontinental? This probably be the worst location.

We came here for lunch during restaurant week and it was pretty good. I’m shocked that they have a star bc the food didn’t seem all that special. The set menu consisted of
Appetizers:
— Yukon Gold Potato Soup, Poached Egg, Toasted Brioche, Gruyère (yellow cheese)
–Di Setfano Burrata, Mairnated Local Mushrooms, Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Main:
— Scallops, which I cannot find on the menu. Lol
The soup was sooo tasty. Creamy but too heavy or cheesy. Mushroom was good and what Koreans would describe as jjolgit jjolgit (chewy?), and the lamb was pretty satisfying too. There was also nobody here, but granted it was a rainy weekday. I think it might be nice to go here as a runaway
Food presentation and service was A+. The waiter gave my brother a little chocolate cake bc he found out it was his birthday — after we tipped and signed. How nice of him, right?

A good example to take those Michelin stars with a grain of salt, or a heavy dash in this case.
The food came out to be decent at best, an effort in trying too hard. Turning something simple into a larger than life affair. An example, the goat cheese and beet salad, which turned out to be very salty. Or perhaps we’ll use a euphemism and say it had too much flavor.
The salmon is well done, to the point that you can be rest assured no bacteria (good or bad) is present.
The service is also a shame. Our server looked like he was clearly bothered and not wanting to be there. Perhaps a shift he had to pick up against his will? For example, when asked what the specials were, a response was quickly turned back, telling us to refer to the menu. You would have thought I’d asked for his Social Security number or what his weight was.
SF has too many good restaurant options for you to spend your time or money on this place.

Luce has proven to us that it truly deserves its Michelin star. The best 9 course dinner with the right wine pairings!
1. Easy to make reservations
It was so easy to make reservations here. Called, someone actually answers without annoying automated message and everything was swift.
2. Service
When we walked in, service was great from the get go, someone took our coat, we were seated right away in a spot I wanted to sit. Gentleman who served our dinner explained each dish with such passion. Very professional.
3. 9 course dinner
Each and every single one of them were great. See the pics and description of the dish! Simply great! Worth every penny and it costs $ 150.
4. Wine pairing
A separate server brings and explains the wine, it’s origin, brief history of the winery and why it matches well with the dish provided. We had total of 6 glasses of wine.
5. Cost
It’ll cost you $ 150 per person and it’s worth it!
6. Ambience
This is the part they need to do some work. It’s nice and open and very spacious. But cold too. The restaurant is located on the first floor of a hotel. There’s no clear cut entrance to the restaurant, it’s just a continuum of the general lobby.
It feels like a lobby, not a Michelin starred restaurant. I feel like they need to do something to make it more intimate or at least separate it from the general lobby and bar.
All in all, great place to have a fancy dinner, food is great, service is excellent, one of the very few places in San Francisco that offers more than 5 course dinner with no waiting time of 3 months.
Highly recommended.

Five star service with five star food which deserves my five Unilocal stars.
I’m very picky and annoying when it comes to fine dinning because not many restaurants comes with the service is should have. This one definitely is one of the Michelin star restaurant with well awarded customer service. I was very satisfied with my server this evening. He was very helpful with the menu and offer dishes that might be suitable for our tastebuds after we told him what kind of food we are allergic to. He was very patient and even asked the chef to change to a different kind of meat when we saw a style of food that we liked but was allergic to that type of meat.
The food was flavorful and I enjoyed every tiny bit of it. The meat was juicy, not too raw and not too cooked. The chef did a great job and I’m amazed. The desserts is always my favorite part and the chocolate cake was my absolute fave! The prices here will not be cheap since it is located in a 4 star hotel. Will come back to Luce for dinning. Keep going with those Michelin stars!

It’s the second year in a row that I’ve come here to play baller on a budget, thanks to SF restaurant week (FKA «Dine About Town»). This year I wanted to see the changes on their DAT menu, so I recently went again during lunch hour.
Situated inside the swanky Intercontinental hotel, Luce (pronounced «LOO-​chay») boasts a very sleek and modern interior design and offers unparalleled service. When I walked in, I was greeted by a warm and friendly staff. The lovely décor and the floor to ceiling glass windows caught my eye. I loved how they illuminated the entire restaurant and made it appear more spacious. The futuristic disco ball-​like chandeliers were also cool.
1^st Course*
Di Stefano burrata, marinated local mushrooms, hazelnut vinaigrette
–UH-​mazing, unique flavors and were intricately prepared (pictures don’t really do justice). The burrata was simply divine.
Entrée*
Seared scallops, cauliflower and potato, shellfish bouillon
–all ingredients were very fresh, and the scallops in particular were delectable.
This restaurant is definitely deserving of its Michelin star. If you want to splurge with friends on good New American food or impress a date, I highly recommend Luce.

Fine dining, very poor service. We were researching Michelin star restaurants for an upcoming group dining event, and Luce was near the top of our list. But based on our experience, we will not be back.
FOOD was quite good, as reinforced by other reviews.
But our WAITER immediately destroyed any idea we had that this would be a «fine dining» experience, by treating us as if we had actually walked into a neighborhood pub. His attitude was rushed and snarky, with virtually no introduction or orientation, etc. Examples included unusual comments about food choices and literally tossing menus on the table without comment. When he returned for our dessert order, he again said not a word, but instead just stared and tapped on the menu as if «you know what I need now.»)
I would also note that the noise level is high (especially when bar patrons hoot and holler at a ball game on TV), and that the tables are close enough to hear other conversations. Perhaps not the best choice if you are looking for a romantic fine dining experience.

Enjoyed Sunday brunch here after a long night of festivities the evening before. Strolled in at 12:00pm for our dining reservations and luckily there was one table remaining by the window. If you haven’t noticed, I love my food photography and lighting is essential when it comes to that.
As soon as we were seated, we were kindly greeted by our server Enrique who was very kind, cordial and professional. He offered coffee, juice and water upon request of course (mind the drought) coffee had a robust flavor and widened my eyes in an instant.
After some perusing of the brunch menu, we decided to order the brioche French toast, short rib hash with root vegetables and grilled chicken breast club on a baguette.
The breads came out soon after and I’d recommend you do not bypass their enticing breads. The selections were offered via ACME bread, which is apparently one of the best bread resources in the city and I must concur. The breads were served warm, soft and had a fantastic bite to them. Namely the sourdough that I had the opportunity to enjoy. Easily one of my favorite slices of sourdough at the moment.
Our dishes came out soon after and they were tremendous. The short rib hash was piled high with rustic root vegetables and two beautifully poached eggs crowned on top. The short rib exhibited an incredibly tender texture that gave way with the slightest nudge of my fork. The flavors were rich, deep and permeating yet subtle and comforting. A soothing homespun dish that made me want to sink into my chair and eat it really slow, enjoying every bite.
The grilled chicken club with thick slices of crispy bacon and basil aioli was very good. The baguette was warm and crunchy which added some great texture to the juicy grilled chicken breast. Surprisingly, it was not dry at all. Perhaps the fragrant aioli and buttery avocado slices played a big role in regards to that. Overall, a very satiating sandwich.
Last but definitely not least was the irresistible brioche French toast. This was OMG good! Thick slices of warm golden brioche French toast served with fresh banana slices and dusted with fine powdered sugar. The crispy crunch covering a warm soft and fluffy buttery center was what had me drooling as soon as it hit the table. Slather on some warm maple syrup and its heaven in every bite. I guarantee it.
To wrap thing up, I’d say I had a great brunch experience here. For a Michelin star restaurant, it didn’t exhibit the fussy and stuffy atmosphere I’ve come to expect from restaurants of this caliber, which was nice. It’s all about the food and the service and IMO both were spot on when I dined here. It’s safe to say when I return to the bay, I’d gladly come back. Perhaps next time I’ll sample the dinner menu.
Until then…
Happy Eats!

despite the mediocre rating they have on Unilocal,this is truly an underrated Michelin star restaurant! the food was delicious and the desserts were even better! I’ve tried more than a dozen Michelin star restaurants (ranged from 1 to 3 stars), and this one definitely meets Michelin standard! I saw people gave bad reviews on Unilocal so I didn’t expect much when I first walked in. However, after finishing all the courses, I didn’t find myself disappointed but much pleased by their food. I truly appreciate their food, especially their desserts! Servers were friendly and humor too. Yet, there’d still be places for them to improve. For example, butter was right out of fridge and it was hard to spread. Also, the busboy had smoke odor on his body when he cleaned table, which made me feel unpleasant. The outside (look out from Windows is a ghetto place) doesn’t match the restaurant either.
***I’m giving a 5-​star on its food and a 4-​star on its service***

We landed at Luce for a special occasion prix fix feast. I appreciated that the hostess made sure our champagne, brought from home, was perfectly chilled, while we killed time and had cocktails at 888. Our waiter James, and all servers were attentive. Here’s what we indulged in: amuse bouche of pear and ginger, spices, salmon, ABSOLUTE BEST, veloute, (sun choke), foie gras, intermezzo of melon soda, duck, :(- pre dessert sorbet, and finally the dessert of chocolate heaven. Everything was 5 star with the exception of the duck course. I chewed, then needed to politely deposit into napkin. The duck was rubber bandy in texture, and inedible. The skin was mush. Not tender, and crispy as it should be. One busboy hovered while we finished the soup of sun choke, as if rushing us because he was in the neighborhood. Besides that minor annoyance, everything was wonderful.

Came here for my birthday and the food and champagne were absolutely delicious! Definitely a worthwhile Michelin experience :)
— pacific amberjack
— prime steak
— chicken breast
— smores dessert

I had to comment on our wonderful prix fix dinner with the wine paring that we enjoyed last night. Somewhere down the line of comments a person said they used the same wine glass all night. This did not happen to us, the sommelier was there with each new wine while the table attendant whisked away the previous glasses and presented fresh glasses appropriate for the wine being poured. If it had happened, I certainly would have spoken up about it, but at this kind of restaurant, that seems very unlikely.
Our server was warm and friendly and each course was delicious. We went after a show at the Golden Gate Theater and hope to return soon!

Came to Luce for dinner since they always delivered when it comes to food, drinks, and/​or services. We ordered duck breasts for entrée and coffee semifreddo for dessert. Fantastic!
Out of curiosity for the dehydrated milk in the coffee semifreddo, we asked one of the five servers that served us that evening to check on the process of making such tasty dessert. Wow, who could have thought she brought out Marvin, the pastry chef!
Marvin, an amazing pastry chef at Luce, came to greet us that evening and described the process of making the coffee semifreddo, such honor!
Coffee semifreddo was good, but let’s not forget the S’mores that came out next. The complexity of this dessert was on a different scale. The artwork presented was beautiful, and the taste was luxuriously captivating.
The process may sound easy when Marvin described it, but we can definitely tell lots of patient and delicate maneuvers were involved in making the S’mores. By the way, this sounds strange for someone growing up in the USA, but this is our first S’mores ever. Lol, we may never eat any S’mores without making comparisons to Marvin’s creation.

If I can pick one word to describe both Luce’s customer service and the quality of food, it would be Excellent. They have all reasons to be awarded Michelin star rating for many consecutive years. Not being overhyped like State Bird Provision, you can get a great meal, great food presentation and most important, a 5– stars Restaurant treatment you deserve (for spending all your hard earned money for one meal). No more leg cramping in a tiny table, or waiting endlessly for your waiter (to bring you a little piece of paper to check all your food choices like State Bird Provision’s Dim Sum Style). At Luce, it is all about being professional and treating yourself like A King/​Queen To impress your date, to celebrate your anniversary or just simply a night out with friends, Luce can provides you and your compadre a wonderful & memorable evening.

Came here on a Thursday night for some work event. We were looking for a classy dinner atmosphere with good food. I remembered hearing about Luce during SFRW but never got the chance to give it a shot – when I saw that Open Table was giving 1,000 point reservations for dinner… I had to go for it.
We arrived right when they opened at 5:30 and were a party of six. Service was super attentive throughout the course of the night. They were great about refilling water/​drinks, offering bread, etc. Our party was also super slow about getting there on time but our waiter was really great about not pressuring us to order soon, it was wonderful.
I got the amberjack, lobster, and panna cotta for my meal. The amberjack was quite good, but I wish there was more yuzu sauce flavor on it since it seemed a bit dry. The avocado did complement it really well though. The lobster portion was super generous which was lovely – it was a bit tough and not as flavorful as it could have been. I actually enjoyed the fennel and the strawberries on the side a lot more. It was a really generous portion though – you can check out my photos, but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten such a large portion of lobster. The panna cotta was coconut flavored and quite good, but I felt like the lime sauce on the side was a bit too tart for my liking.
Other highlights from my friends include the foie gras which is back on California menus now yay as well as the duck breast.
All in all, I think where Luce really stands out is it’s service and presentation. You’ll notice from my photos that the food is so well presented. It’s really a work of art at the end of the day. I don’t see a lot of places that do more traditional days with gorgeous plating… but Luce really takes the cake here. Each dish was so elegantly presented and so gorgeous. I think the taste was really more of a 4 star – it was quite good, but not outstanding. The service was lovely though and I appreciated that. I think they also have a pretty swanky wine menu though I don’t appreciate wine that much so can’t comment too much there.
Was surprised to see this place virtually empty though… such a pity – it’s really an underrated and wonderful restaurant
tldr; great place for a business dinner or even a nice night out. The food is good but the plating is it’s true forte

We came from dinner and wanted some Champagne and Desert to relax for our last day at the Intercontinental hotel (where Luce is). Our waitress Julie was offensively impolite and ill-​mannered! Way to ruin my last day here bitch!
Luce Closes at 10:30 on Sundays, and like I said we just arrived from our last dinner in San Francisco so we came into Luce at 9:45.
We were sat literally a table next to where the wait staff was. Julie Ignored us when we wanted to order, and looked THROUGH us as if we did not exist in her puny little world she lived in.
We ordered the Coconut Milk Panna Cotta with some Champagne for starters and when we wanted to order the Almond Financier, she politely rolled her eyes and got our order then immediately went to her little stand post and blatantly shouted out «I cannot fucking believe they ordered The Almond Financier, I mean who the hell do they think they are?»
She did not take care of us, therefore she got no tip!
The reason I gave 2 stars instead of 1 was because the deserts were pretty good actually.
I would not come back though if I ever saw that server again though! Ruined my entire weekend!

Super Essen und guter Service. Ansprechende Weinauswahl. Lohnt sich auf jeden Fall. Der Michelinstern ist verdient.