The Abbot's Cellar

4.5 STARS

I've never Yelped a restaurant with so many mixed reviews as Abbot's Cellar. There are so many 5 star and 1-2 star reviews, kinda like a woman's mood swings. I have my good days where I want to lovingly spend 3 hours after a long day at work making his fav of Kalbi Jim for his lunch for the week, then I have those raging lunatic, screaming banshee days..."WTF, you brought me KFC?!?!...I don't eat KFC, I ONLY eat KFC...[K]orean [F]ried [C]hicken!!!" Of course, he should of known this because men are supposed to be mind readers right? Poor men. *sigh* I apologize to you men, on behalf of all raging lunatic, screaming banshees like myself, when Aunt Flo comes careening through our door.

Thankfully, we went to Abbot Cellar's on one of their good days because we had a fantastic meal and service to boot. It's been over 4 months since we dined here (sorry, I'm behind and have over 50 places to review) but I still remember our dinner there. Initially, I really didn't expect much since I had a terrible experience at their sister gastropub/restaurant, Monk's Kettle. I would have rounded up to 5 stars had dessert been good at Abbot's Cellar.

* ~ * F O O D * ~ *
Abbot's Cellar has a rotating, seasonal menu with about 10-12 items or you can opt to do a 4-course tasting menu for $55 (+$20 for beer pairings). We choose to order a la carte.

*Amuse Bouche: fried gnocchi w/ accompanying beer pairing - 4 STARS
http://bit.ly/1ndeYgn

*Day Boat Scallops w/ celery root purée, brussels sprouts, bacon & roasted pear ($15) - 4.5 STARS
http://bit.ly/1iE1RSq

*Short Ribs w/ polenta, fried torpedo onion & arugula pistou ($13) - 4 STARS
http://bit.ly/1gh3GmL

*Duck Breast w/ shiitake mushroom risotto, broccoli rabe & huckleberry reduction ($27) - 4 STARS
http://bit.ly/1sNeCBh

*Petrale Sole w/ dungeness crab, flageolet beans, heirloom carrots & buddha's hand ($28) - 4.5 STARS
http://bit.ly/1esvPMH

*Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut Pave ($9) - 1 STAR
http://bit.ly/1n1jJMF

Loved the fried and creamy gnocchi amuse bouche to start. I loved it even more that it came with free booze and I got to chug Mr. NSS' share since he doesn't drink. For our shared apps, $15 for two scallops was pricey but they were very well executed; perfectly seared crust with a delicate interior. The shortribs were uber tender and the accompanying fried onions gave it a nice contrasting crunch.

For our entrees, the duck breast was a perfect medium rare but could have been seared at a higher temperature to caramelize and crisp up the skin more. The accompanying creamy mushroom risotto added a nice earthiness to the dish. Cooked more successfully was the petrale sole which was flaky and moist. The crab was fresh and sweet but I wish there was more of it.

The only disappointing part of our meal was the terrible dark chocolate & hazelnut pave. It tasted nothing like chocolate or hazelnut and more like bitter coffee. Oddly, the texture wasn't creamy either. It was also overpriced at $9 for a tiny sliver.

* ~ * S E R V I C E * ~ *
I was a bit concerned that the staff would be like the staff at Monk's Kettle (hipster attitude), however, they weren't. The staff at Abbot's Cellar were professional and refined but super friendly and down-to-earth. Our waiter was attentive and checked in with us multiple times as did the hostess.

Food service was very well-timed.

* ~ * A M B I A N C E / D E C O R * ~ *
I liked the causal, large open space (compared to Monk's Kettle) with an open kitchen, chef's counter seats, and high vaulted wooden ceilings. It's literally like eating inside a cellar. We didn't have an issue with noise nor did we have to scream across the counter/table, so it's a good date place.

* ~ * P A R K I N G * ~ *
Difficult street parking. Valet available after 6 pm. The nearest garage is 4 blocks away on 21st and Bartlett at the corner of Lolinda.

Hopefully, you visit Abbot's Cellar on one of their good days. If not, I guess that's what their extensive beer list (over 100) and huge wine pours are for!

I had a great time here with friends. We ordered drinks at the bar first and were presented with an encyclopedia of beers. Knowing what I felt like drinking, I had a Saison Dupont and another similar saison type beer but from a local brewery (can't remember the name). For dinner, I started with the bone marrow, then had a very good rock cod. The fish was excellent. My friend had an equally good pork chop. I think I would have been happy with either dish, but was drawn to the fish.

The bone marrow was good, but I've had better. I think it was the presentation. At Marlow's in SF, they cut the bone lengthwise and then broil it. It's cooked a little more and easier to get at. Don't get me wrong, Abbot's bone marrow was good, just not as good. What was excellent, though, were the small cubes of pastrami that was part of the dish. Those could have been an entree themselves. Soft, flavorful pieces of beef.

The service was attentive and our waitress was very knowledgeable. She recommended beers to pair with our food, and was always nearby without being intrusive.

As a visitor, SF has lots of good competition for food. I would happily come back to Abbot's Cellar for dinner and drinks.

Situation
- Sunday dinner with a friend
- Ordered a Pork Chop

Pros
- Excellent beer
- The Pork Chop was pretty good
- The service was really good
- They take credit cards

Cons
- A little pricey

OVERALL: I'd always walked by and wanted to come here. Turns out they're a fancy gastropub with this huge beer menu (that's built into the table and slides right out!). The food is all great and I loved all the autumn hints in the dishes, but they were a little pricey, as are the beers (though everyone loved what they were recommended).

AMBIANCE: Really nicely laid out - a long room with really high ceilings. Sleek, smooth lines, naturally stained wood. Romantic and a nice place for a date or a relaxing catch up dinner with friends.

THE WAIT: They weren't too busy at all on a Sunday night. Their OpenTable might not show too much available, but I called at 6:30pm to put us down for a table for 3 at 7:15pm. It was pretty quiet and there were plenty of tables open all night.

THE SERVICE: Great, professional, friendly, prompt. Very knowledgeable about beers, and my guy friends both LOVED what they got. The first sour beer our server brought out though was $39! He did warn us before opening it and was completely understanding that my friend didn't want it anymore. But for a nice beer you're more than like to spend $15-$20 for a bottle. Our server was also very up for the challenge of finding me, someone who's never liked beers, something I might enjoy. He was close with the Trappistes Rochefort (and was willing to take it off our bill if I didn't like it!), but I still gave it to my bf to finish. He thought it was amazing.

DRINKS
* Hawaiian Madamia Nut mead (Heidrun Meadery, Point Reyes Station, Ca. macadamia nuts, orange peel, honey) - 3.5 stars
Smells amazing - the honey definitely comes through strongly! But taste-wise, it's not as complex and is still a little on the sour side (I'm really picky though). I made sure to enhale deeply as I drank more and that made the honey even stronger, so I enjoyed this more and more as I went.

STARTERS
* Day boat scallops, delicata squash, jimmy nardello peppers, vanilla gastrique ($16) - 4 stars
pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-abbots-cellar-san-francisco?select=5xVXx7n6aUeyrzXde6-cIw#O-UffaRA9kLxPRsheK7jIg
Really nice, and complemented well by the autumn flavors! I liked the squash (though my bf thought it was a weird pairing), and the scallops seemed fresh and were seared just right.

ENTREES
* Pork loin, sweet potato puree, braised collard greens, fresno peppers, roasted apple ($26) - 4 stars
pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-abbots-cellar-san-francisco?select=5xVXx7n6aUeyrzXde6-cIw#kzz-I6UmaRZFqwhsM3OQyA
Two big chunks of juicy, tasty pork, with layers of fat that contributed well to the overall texture. The greens didn't have too much pepper, I was surprised at how spicy the peppers were, and the roasted apples were once again a nice autumn touch. The sweet potato puree was amazing!

* Duck breast, duck fast roasted potato, trumpet mushrooms, braised cabbage, mustard ($31) - 4 stars
pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-abbots-cellar-san-francisco?select=5xVXx7n6aUeyrzXde6-cIw#vjqAnBJudCJDe4ThHzX-VA
Also really great, but this was expensive! The duck was very tender - the suggested we get it pink and this was the way to go. The potatoes were soft but roasted just enough, and

Dinner menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-abbots-cellar-san-francisco?select=5xVXx7n6aUeyrzXde6-cIw#8Nhu6LD3FdPK51WGjF_DjQ

DESSERT: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-abbots-cellar-san-francisco?select=5xVXx7n6aUeyrzXde6-cIw#5xVXx7n6aUeyrzXde6-cIw
* Sticky toffee pudding, marcona almond shortbread ($9) - 4 stars
pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-abbots-cellar-san-francisco?select=5xVXx7n6aUeyrzXde6-cIw#tGNEnnu9vQD9nuEIv5fvpg
Very nice! The shortbread comes out in a small cast iron pot, surrounded by (still boiling!) toffee. As you dig in, the toffee seeps into the shortbread. It's sweet and rich and really impressive. However, I wished there was more toffee, as it all soaked in really quickly and the latter half of the dessert was a bit dry!

(See pics) Review #1316. More of 3.5 stars.

This is a long overdue review. While the dishes are probably different now, the skills of the chefs do not change.

Love the 100 and then some selections of beer, just a few fewer than its original Monk's Kettle! I don't know much about beer pairing but trusted and was pleased with their recommendation.

The food was decent, not mindblowing but great on a night out where you want solid Californian cuisine with a slight rich touch, in addition to the more relaxing atmosphere that is in the air of Valencia Street.

Beers:Quintine Blond, Glass Noir de Dottignies, Tilburg's Dutch Brown, Moonlight Change of Heart and Reinaert Flemish Wild Ale.

Food: albacore, bone marrow (great mustard seeds but not too much bone marrow), quail, gnocchi and pork chop (very good.)

For desserts, Devil's food cake was very pretty with a sugar crystal decoration in the middle. It's also my favorite rich chocolate taste dish. Galette was just okay.

For after dinner drinks, we had the always great 4 Barrel serving in the All stainless pot that keeps the coffee fairly hot for a good while, and a glass of Deus.

Seriously, you can come here and just do a beer tasting as your liquid dinner.

1000th review! Yippee!

4.5 stars

Why the 1 and 2 star ratings?! Complaining that food is expensive? The menu's on the wall *BEFORE* you walk in. No excuse to be shocked. BFF & I knew the tasting menu with beer pairings was $75 & that the vegetarian pasta I wanted was upwards of $21.

Seriously, BFF & I were so feeling the love from their staff. Waiter was effortlessly cool, really friendly. Guy who we think is the owner took the time to speak to us regarding a future reservation that they may not be able to accommodate (as our party is too large.)

With a flourish, we were shown the extensive, extensive (it bears repeating) beer menu. I won't tell you where it's located; go & be thrilled. Being a sweet tooth, I went for a stout called Aphrodite with cocoa & vanilla beans & he went for Obsidian (another stout from Oregon, I believe.)

I loved my asparagus & cream soup & the baked ricotta dish. Perfect amounts of greens, asparagus, shallots, & orange segments.

Space is incredibly pretty. Kind of masculine. Illuminated wall calls attention to the bar. Wood, wood, & wood. Trendy & streamlined design. We kept commenting on how the restaurant made us feel...

Here's to another 1000 reviews! *cheers*

Let me just say this is a very nice modern urban like restaurant. Very specious! This place is chic. From what I hear, this place is popular for their beer and beer pairing. Unfortunately, I don't drink beer so I can't give a fair assessment on the experience.

What I did try are these:
-Little farm lettuces and greens, toby's tomatoes, creamy ewe's blue vinaigrette
-Yellow finn potato gnocchi, cranberry beans, oyster mushrooms
-Pork chop, spring onion, caraway spaetzle, peaches, tarragon

Everything was very pricy and small portions. It was just me and my girlfriend and we were still hungry after dinner. So I think the experience would have been better if we were beer drinkers and did the beer pairing.

My buddy(aka the connoisseur and savant of beer in our group) wanted to have his mid week birthday celebration here so I went along even though the Yelp reviews for the food were tepid at best. Compared to the Monk's Kettle, this place is more upscale and spacious. This joint has an amazing, expansive selection of craft brews and the bartenders as well as our waitress possessed a fantastic depth of knowledge of the brews they were selling(at least the ones we asked about). However, the food truly left much to be desired. My pork chop was decent but not worth $25. Hello, this is SF...Even worse, another friend's game hen entree was the size of an appetizer and left him immediately desiring for a burrito(he was literally talking about seeking out a burrito as he was half way through plate). Yes, the Mission doth provideth abundant taqueria options within earshot.
Would I come back for their brews? Absolutely Yes, but I'll be sure to munch on a burrito as I head over.

If you enjoy flavorful beer beer, like nice wooden ambience, and in the mood for a higher-than-average-class dining, this place is for you. They got lots of different beers for sophisticated taste buds and those people who can appreciate the work that goes into beer. Get something on the hand pump tap just because not many places serve their brew like this.

I only came for the drinks. I wouldn't mind trying out food the sometime. I'd say this is a nice bar-hopping stop, among the many treasures in the Mission district.

Despite a frosty welcome at the greeting station (including a lecture on various rules), this place proved to be rather delightful once we were seated. Though later on a second visit, the same frosty reception put us off so much that we just walked out. Very strange vibe from this place--or maybe it's me?

The food especially was delicious and well paired with the beer, if you like the sort of obscure Belgian selection they have on tap/hand. We tried nearly a dozen and my date had a hard time finding something she liked. But I was pretty happy with nearly everything.

So this is a good one to try, but I don't think I'll be a regular. The vibe at the Monk's Kettle is so much better, check it out!