The Terrace

Not worth it for the price. Caviar’s not good, not’s not great. Had to sit outside under a tent in cheap chairs.
Perhaps they’re closed for a better come back? :)

Very sad… They are closed… It was the only place I could walk to in the morning and have a glass of champagne and caviar…
I hope they will reopen in the Summer…

Ah Father’s Day. My son Dash is not even two but he sure knows how to do it right. First off, I get to sleep in on Sunday, and then open some nifty gifts, not of the sock and tie variety. But the real excitement came with a bus ride (his favorite song is Wheels on the Bus) to the Ritz, where we had, much to my surprise, brunch reservations on the terrace!
If you’ve ever had the chance to do anything at The Ritz, you know they don’t cut any corners. So outside of the usual brunch buffet with jazz trio, there was a grand bbq taking place, which included jerk shrimp and scallops, a spit-​roasted pig (the kids were in awe!), bourbon-​marinated skirt steak, with plenty of grilled vegetables to accompany them. I also had plenty of caviar, a duck confit pot pie, and about 4 glasses of champagne and 3 cups of coffee, so needless to say it was indulgence exemplified.
We walked into the afternoon sun, and hopped on the cable car, another first for Dashiell, as we set out for home and a nap! Nice work, son, glad to be your Dad.

alright girls, this is definitely a place you want to pull out a dress for. um and not a short one either. otherwise you might look like julia roberts when richard gere takes her to his nice hotel in pretty woman. like a slut who got lost. knee length, all right sister?
you can’t possibly feel more ladylike than when you are perched on one of those beautifully dainty chairs, with a charming balding older gentleman attending your every whim. he was definitely more butler than waiter. but i think that’s what they are going for.
though brunch at the palace hotel is still my favorite for a special occasion, brunch at the ritz nearly measured up for me. i’d go back when the weather is warmer, so i can dine on the terrace. but the dining room we ate in was really pretty, with soft colors and beautiful draped windows looking out onto the terrace. it’s very girly – a little marie antoinette. the few men in the room just looked out of place. but then it’s the ritz.
ladies, take note, there is no way you’ll be able to eat enough here to justify the price. our brunch came to about $ 70 a person. and that included the buffet spread of fresh fruits, pastries, cheeses and seafood, along with an omelette bar and dessert bar, plus the entrée of your choice, and a glass of champagne. a pretty good value i think for $ 55. (it’s really the hotel taxes that kill the price.)
the food is delicious and the presentation beautiful, tho i wouldn’t expect anything less from the ritz. the experience is really well timed. we had plenty of time to chat and enjoy our tea/​cofeee/​champagne and a first pass of the buffet before our entrees arrived. don’t worry about being rushed here. and make sure you allow yourself at least a couple hours, if not 3, to really enjoy the experience. you’re paying for it, so soak it up, baby. you might never be this rich again.

So here’s a quick two-​sentence summary before proceeding with a longer-​winded, full review.
If you compare the brunch now to the lavish fare before, you will be disappointed. HOWEVER, if you go enjoy this brunch for what it is, you will likely enjoy it as they offer a pretty good selection of very good food.
The Ritz, perhaps in light of the difficult economic climate, has reined in the lavish brunch buffet fare. They have also dropped the price per person from $ 75+ to $ 55.
The brunch is set up much like a 3-​course meal.
Course 1: Breakfast buffet. Includes breakfast meats (bacon, sausage, ham), assorted pastries and breads, veggie frittata, pan-​fried potatoes, fruits and berries, smoked salmon and cream cheese, plus an omelet and crêpe made-​to-​order bar.
Course 2: An entrée chosen from a menu handed to you when seated. Many choices on the menu, I opted for the lobster scramble topped with caviar. Heavenly. You also get a glass of champagne with your brunch.
Course 3: A wonderful, gorgeous selection of European inspired desserts. Presentation was excellent. The tiramisu was put into a chocolate teacup – even the handle was chocolate! They also had vanilla crème brûlée, caramel flan, blueberry ganache tarts, fruit tarts, strawberry cream cake, and at least five other desserts that I wasn’t able to sample due to my limited stomach capacity.
Service is very good. Some may complain that it’s a bit lacking, but I’d say give them a bit of a break. It looked like everyone was working as fast and as best they could, and everyone was extremely polite.
I’d go back. In fact, I can’t wait to go back.

I need money. Or as kids are saying these days, I need to bake my cheese and let my money grow. And grow. And grow. And then grow a little bit more.
Brunch here was pretty awesome. I just wish I could afford it myself rather than waiting till rich folks feel bad for me and decide to drag me along.
I got Lobster and eggs topped with caviar and crème fraîche. Basically the most extravagant breakfast I’ve ever had. If that wasn’t enough for you there was also made to order crepes & omelettes, huge selection of fresh fruit, and an enormous dessert table.
Also came with complimentary champagne followed up by a few mighty fine bloody mary’s. Nothing like getting your drink on with high society before noon on a sunday…

best place in the city to have afternoon tea!
loved the chocolate tea! yummy!
it’s relaxing. quiet. and friendly service.
afternoon tea back home in Hong Kong is the best…
and this place is the best in CA I say!

We took our family there last Sunday before seeing the 2p Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum, and I was really disappointed.
They had warned me ahead of time that they no longer did the lavish buffet and that it was a la carte, but it turns out that it is actually some bizarre amalgam of the two different types of brunches for $ 55 pp.
The food was truly marginal, and the service was awful. We got out of there for just under $ 400 for our group of 5, and it was the only part of the day that was less than perfect.
I cannot recommend it at this point.

Went to the Ritz-​Carlton Terrace Room for Sunday Brunch the other day.
Service and food were exceptionally nice.
Live (somewhat mellow of course) jazz band outside on the terrace.
Priced accordingly of course i.e. super expensive, but worth it.
Will definitely go back some time. Huge selection of food on the buffet inc. crab, caviar, glass of champagne included, eggs benedict or however you wanted them cooked, crepes cooked to order, all kinds of fruit and seafood,
amazing desserts, etc. etc.
Very polite and friendly hostess and waiter. Can’t praise it enough.

Well, definitely the most expensive brunch I’ve experienced in quite some time, if not ever. Great, sophisticated atmosphere in the lower level of the Ritz, just below street level. A live jazz band plays amidst cloth-​covered tables and waiters with champagne, coffee and orange juice.
The food was everything to be expected. Fresh muffins, croissants and pastries, omelettes and waffles made to order, warming trays full of sausages, bacon, home fries and different hashes, cocktail shrimp galore, lobster shooters, sushi, roast beef and… you get the picture. Everything was delicious, and there is really not much room to enjoy the two dozen or so tarts, cookies, cakes and pies when all is consumed. A big splurge for sure. I am really in the wrong profession when I glance across the dining room to see families treating their young ones to such expensive meals, when an Egg McMuffin would really be enough to rock their world.
Again, a big splurge deeply rooted in the special-​occasion category. Dress nicely, and angle your nose up just a bit.

* This review is for lunch *
I finally went for lunch last Saturday at the Terrace.
My husband had onion soup and an arctic char dish, and I got a french toast as I wanted something sweet.
I don’t know. I can certainly eat there everyday if I have to, but they are not the kind of dishes I expected.
esp the onion soup, which was very bland. (yes, I want a salty and fatty onion soup)
the room itself felt a bit scattered and old and dark.
Service was ok, but the waiter was a bit hesitant when I asked for breakfast menu at noon.
I surely enjoyed the french press coffee. That I can enjoy anytime of the day, month, or year.

From the moment the valet opens the door for you, the Ritz makes you feel like royalty. Since this review is Terrace-​specific, I will not go on and on about my love for this hotel, though I will say there is nothing more luxurious or more lovely than a stay at the Ritz.
The holiday season makes me want to plan grand lunches and brunches and dinners and desserts and the Ritz is not short of holiday cheer. The Terrace is a perfect restaurant to plan a holiday meal at– you really can’t go wrong.
First of all, the food is excellent. The French onion soup is like no soup I have ever season. It is so beautifully prepared, which is impressive considering soup is pretty difficult to make pretty.
The service is absolutely impeccable. The staff is incredibly polite and attentive to what you might need or «prefer.»
The atmosphere is certainly reminiscent of tea time rather than modern swank, but it’s lovely really. Though you can dress casually, I’d opt for something a bit nice and on the conservative side. I accidentally ended up here in rainboots and a lowcut top one time and felt really out of place. I also had an awful cough and, let me tell you, the Terrace doesn’t DO COUGHS.
Everyone is so polite and accomodating, leading you to the bathroom, opening doors for you and making sure your water is the right temperature even if you could care less. While it’s not the way I’d want to spend every meal, once in a while (or esp. at holiday season) it certainly feels very special.

I should probably write this while I still have my mimosa buzz. Yes, I know it’s 10AM. Shut up.
Anyway, I just paid $ 115 for brunch for 2 people. Yeah. And we didn’t even binge eat or anything. 4 mimosas, one lobster scramble (classy!) and one smoked salmon benedict. Oh. We ordered 2 soft boiled eggs too, but they hard boiled them so we refused to eat or pay for them. My, aren’t we fancy!
This place is filled with rich white people. And rich Asian people. The females are all anorexic and sit around talking about being anorexic. I’m not kidding. There were actually some corny rich bitches sitting next to us talking about their anorexia. I couldn’t wait to stab them.
Yet I digress. My smoked salmon benedict rocked the house! Wait. There wasn’t any benedict sauce on it. How did I not realize that? Oh, shit I think those mimosas fucked me up. But it was still really good! Oh, and the potatoes were AWESOME. This town is known for unacceptable breakfast potatoes, but these were all crispy golden on the outside. Deeeelishus. They were much like the breakfast potatoes at Magnolia, FYI.
Anyway, I was clearly overcharged for a lack of benedict sauce, but breakfast still ruled and I’m kinda drunk, so I’m gonna go watch cable and be fat now.
Jealous?

78 bones/​person.
For those without a slang dictionary: $ 78.
Wasn’t impressed with the facilities, marble, ugly wallpaper, gaudy gold, and just plain dated.
Service spectacular. From the valet to the Terrace staff. The bf asked for our wobbly table to be fixed and someone came immediately to balance it out. Napkins were always folded in a fan shape and never once did we wonder where our server was.
The goodies we sampled today:
Sashimi: toro, ahi, hamachi, comes with sliced radishes & seaweed salad.
Caviar of three kinds.
Cocktail shrimp.
Lobster claws.
Dim sum.
Sushi rolls: Unagi, spicy hamachi, salmon
Veal medallions with brussel sprouts. Very dry.
Seafood grill. Flavorful, similar to the flavors of paella.
Beef Carpaccio.
Grilled scallop.
Nickel sized pancakes.
Haricot vert & asparagus.
Savory Crêpe made-​to-​order.
Omelette made-​to-​order.
Fresh fruit.
Comes with FREE sparkling wine, harsh aftertaste.
Overall good but pricey for a buffet. Stick with the items on the exposed plates.

The Terrace at the Ritz is definitely one of my favorite places to go for brunch on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon when the weather is gorgeous outside.
The food is great (and reasonably priced!), although I prefer ordering off the menu a-​la-​carte over committing to their massive buffet, which they serve on Sundays.
They make yummy eggs benedict; their scrambled eggs with lobster is really good, and they also have delicious pancakes with lemon /​risotto! I usually order some combination of that with a drink and come out around $ 20 — $ 25 (which I think is a great deal, especially considering the outdoor venue).
Highly recommend sitting outside on the patio — almost feels like an escape from the city — definitely a great way to recuperate over a hearty breakfast after a weekend of partying!

This place was fabulous! They have everything your heart desires for a good brunch experience:
Mountains of:
smoked seafood
shellfish
caviar
cheeses and fruits
assorted dim sum– and it is fresh and good
carved beef stations
omelette bars
waffle bars
eggs benedict
bacon and sausages
several entrees to choose from
a million pastries and cakes
salads
I am sure I am missing something– it was overwhelming how much they had– it is a fixed price– like around 75./ or so per person, but it is worth it– good service, and a nice atmosphere. I will definitely go back!

Had a very enjoyable Saturday lunch here a few weeks back… lunch was delicious, but it was soooo quiet and dim in the restaurant my friends and I felt guilty for laughing too loud (we have a bawdy sense of humour and didn’t want to freak out the other patrons)… also, since the lighting was low inside we all got so sleeeepy towards the end and needed a few cups of coffee to wake up.
**Also, if you are planning on hosting a special event do get the projected price upfront– I had requested a special prix fixe menu for our lunch that turned out $ 20 more per person than originally anticipated… I would have been totally fine shelling out the extra cash, however in my opinion I felt the restaurant offered a half hearted justification for the price increase.
So overall I definitely recommend, but try your best to go on a sunny day so perhaps they will have outdoor seating.

When you are looking for a nice Sunday Champagne Brunch — AND you want it to be special (not just good food but an experience in itself kind of special) — AND you’re not in a money-​valuing mood (don’t you hate those, I avoid it at all costs hahaha) — — then The Terrace is hard to beat.
I love the Ritz Carlton.
My favorite, thus far anyhow, has been the Half Moon Bay location, but this one in SF is also nice. Impeccable service throughout — — though my second to last visit was better than this last one. Other RC’s have always been AMAZING as far as excellent service throughout the hotel, starting with the valets to waiters, customer service, etc.
When eating at the RC — you expect to pay big bucks, and this one is no different. $ 82 per person for the Sunday Brunch — — that’s nowhere near cheap but what The Terrace does is ensure that you walk away feeling like it wasn’t TOO MUCH to pay.
The idea is that you have unlimited drinks and ONE glass of champagne per person during brunch. Our waiter offered us more and we took it, thinking we’d be charged, but we weren’t. The champagne was also good quality — yummy stuff. Unlimited caviar, and fresh oysters… carving station with good lamb and beef — a decent array of sushi /​rolls, and a mini-​selection of dim sum, and the lox, herrings, sardines, etc. This is all in addition to other dishes, including the typical breakfast fare, and a crêpe-​type of station which I have never tried. I’m too busy with the oysters and caviar to try much else.
They also have an outstanding dessert selection — though many of the items look better than they taste.
This is not a Vegas-​style «show them enormous portions of everything and have them stuff themselves to gluttony» type of buffet. It’s more dainty than that — but good stuff!
They have elegant indoor seating with really cushy seats — but they also have really nice outdoor seating. For the brunch, you will usually have to request it while making your reservation. For good weather, this seating outdoors can’t be beat — — some in open air, and others under canopies. While you eat, you have a live jazz band playing — — really good music for the background without overwhelming you or requiring hollering at your dining companions.
This last time, we were there for a Father’s Day Brunch (but the week BEFORE father’s day) and I had mentioned this was the occasion when making the reservation. The waiters brought out a little chocolate thingie in remembrance of that — — and while it wasn’t much, it was better than nothing, especially since it wasn’t actually Father’s Day.
Attire is business casual, though you will find some people underdressed and some others who are way overdressed. Just don’t go in workout clothes or something — they may not let you in.
On this last visit — — I was totally underimpressed with the hostess. It took a lot of patience on my part to not have a word or two with that one. Asian girls can be such bitches to other Asian girls… and I am on Asian girl you don’t usually want to be bitchy with when I am stone cold sober. Since it was a special day — — I did hold back and grind my teeth to keep my mouth shut, but she alone brought down the RC service I am accustomed to, and always expecting.
But the waiters and busboys were very good or damn near excellent, on average.
So… if you have a special day coming up, or want to give someone a nice breakfast experience — do try The Terrace. I know the Half Moon Bay RC also has what is a comparable champagne brunch — and that is next on my list.

On short notice I called the Ritz to see if we could make reservations for 16 people for Sunday Brunch. The earliest they could seat our group was at 2pm. To be honest… I was a little surprised they took us at all.
When we arrived the place was almost empty, which seemed odd at first, but was a blessing in disguise since our toddler wasn’t in the mood to sit and «do brunch».
I was a bit worried that the food would be stale or picked over by this point but it wasn’t. In fact it was pretty darn good. Their selection was indeed impressive with everything from lamb and prime rib, to stone crab, freshly shucked oysters, uni, caviar and shrimp. Not to mention the obligatory omelet/​crêpe/​waffle bar and more traditional breakfast fare. They also had a nice spread of pates, various cheeses, salads and breads. They really had it all.
I was a tad underwhelmed by their dessert bar. But after a huge meal like brunch who really has room for dessert anyhow. The mango mousse was good, not out of this world and to be honest I didn’t try anything else.
The only draw back to the experience was that the wait staff. While pleasant, they seemed a tad distracted and weren’t quite as attentive as I’d hoped they’d be for the price we paid. We had to flag them several times to clear a plate, ask for more coffee etc. Hey… it’s the Ritz. — you expect perfection right?
Overall a very nice experience. And if you don’t want to battle a crowd, book your reservation later in the afternoon (1 or 1:30). Unless it’s a special occasion weekend, you’ll most likely find yourself in a very relaxed and comfortable environment.

As soon as you emerge from the elevator, the air of sophistication captures you. Ladies who lunch and important (or so they think themselves to be) men in suits glide by as you wait for your lunch companion. The hostess speaks frantically to a server about the «10 top» they have yet to seat as they’re still swilling martinis at the bar.
Your companion arrives and immediately you are shown to a well-​appointed table. Likely, you are the only person under 30 in the entire room.
It’s January, which means a Dine About Town menu is on offer. What will you choose to start? Perhaps the soup? Or the salad which is comprised of Crisp Greens with Ricotta Salata, Fresh Apple, Walnut Crisp, Dried Fruit, Myer Lemon Vinaigrette? You’ll take the salad, but pronounce it a bit boring.
And your entrée? Will it be the Wild Mushroom and Butternut Squash Risotto with Chive Oil? Or the Pan Roasted Chicken Breast Flageolet and Chestnut Cassoulet and Hazelnut Pistou? In the end you’ll take the risotto, your companion the chicken, and you’ll get to sample both.
And do not forget dessert. You will have the Pear «Boudaloue» with Almond, Caramel Ice Cream.
As the meal finishes, and you continue sipping your mint tea (just as you like to end a meal, and with honey that you didn’t have to request) you will think, «I could get used to this.»
And while not the most creative lunch you’ve ever had, it was delicious, and you never felt rushed. You think you’ll be back, especially when you anticipate a long lunch with lots of conversation.