Birdsong is definitely a great place to celebrate a special day. Their service is outstanding—on par with the best I’ve only experienced in Japan. The open kitchen and locally sourced ingredients are a highlight. The dishes aren’t heavy on spices, allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine. Because of that, don’t expect bold flavors, but it’s still very tasty and well executed.
Presentation is elevated and thoughtful, though nothing truly exceeded my expectations for a Michelin-starred restaurant—until dessert, which surprised me, especially since I’m not even a dessert person.
Overall, Birdsong is a solid choice for special occasions, particularly for someone who appreciates novelty and healthy, ingredient-driven dining.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Suchada Thaensap
We celebrated my husband’s birthday at Birdsong last night, and honestly, we were blown away. We do dine out often, but it’s rare for a restaurant to leave such a lasting impression.
The food was innovative, creative, and deeply thoughtful every dish felt unique and perfectly executed. The staff made us feel so warmly taken care of, with service that was professional yet personal. The ambience was cozy but elegant, and everything flowed seamlessly from start to finish.
We’re not usually the type to chase Michelin stars or fine dining for the sake of it, but Birdsong is different. It’s one of those rare restaurants that truly delivers on every level. Definitely a must-try in San Francisco.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pedro Vicente
I really tried to like this place but you unfortunately it disappointed. I don't normally seek sea food but there have been places (restaurant 212, progress, etc) that have always pleasantly surprised me, so I decided to give this place a chance.
I prefer not to bore you with the details but I think there are many other places to scratch of your list before you try this one. One surprising dish I really enjoyed was the wild antelope.
The service was excellent and it was a true pleasure seating kitchen side watching the staff create art. It was just not for me.
EDIT: both me and my partner woke up stomach sick. I just don't think the whole experience is acceptable at the price point and for a 2-star restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
Joshua Winter
One of my favorite (if not my favorite) Michelin starred experiences of all time even after having been to numerous in SF and NYC (11 Madison, Le Bernardin, etc). This place truly does not get enough recognition.
I ate at the Chefs counter and felt at home. The food is elevated yet there isn't a single bite that isn't delicious and that almost anyone would enjoy. The people aren't pretentious or arrogant but kind and will happily strike up a conversation with you as they're walking around or serving each dish. The head chef (sat right next to where he stands) was soft-spoken and you could tell how much he truly cared about each patron that comes to his restaurant and his team.
Go, do the Journey menu, and escape for three hours to one of the best meals of your life.
10/10
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Leon
Arrogant staff
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Kai Sheng
Expensive food and interesting ambience describes my Friday night tasting.
There were multiple parties that cycled through that came prepared with influencer gear. Throughout the night we counted 3 mini tripods and 2 external lighting devices from influencers dining at the chefs table. Shameless and did not add to our experience in any way.
The food was decent but we found two dishes inedible. One of our quail breasts had a bone embedded in it, and we had to unceremoniously spit the mouthful out. Second the property’s wild boar dish was underwhelming. The boar’s skin was part of the dish and was super dry and hard to chew and swallow. We had to spit this out too.
There were some amazing bites though. The uni bomb was incredible as was the quail broth and fish. The staff was friendly, attentive, and welcoming.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 5
cdiz “make money”
Great restaurant, strong flavors, fun playlist!
Also have a dairy allergy which was not a problem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sea Urchin Cream Puff Caramelized White Miso
Evangelos Akli
I made last minute plans (the day before) with a friendly couple to dine in this place and my friend’s wife got diagnosed with COVID-19, so we felt it was our duty as responsible people to cancel our reservation 6 hours after making it. Sadly enough the restaurant manager did not feel as responsible about a possible spreading of COVID-19 through their restaurant and told us that we had to come or else we would lose $1,200 that we had to pay in advance to dine there. WOW!! Only to think how many hundreds of thousand people died from this only 2 years ago, and here we were being asked to either SPREAD more of the DEADLY VIRUS or waste $1,200 for a reservation that we made 6 hours ago. We asked multiple times for a credit so that we can safely come visit another day and the answer was NO. Of course, it was our duty to stay in and save people from COVID-19 and now we’re left with this. What am I to make of it? Well, so many things to process, and a public review for all to know how money hungry this business is, beyond even thinking of protecting its customers. SO DISTURBING!
Daniel Bankhead
The service at this restaurant was atrocious. The staff was more concerned with disliking each other rather than serving the customers. For example, some staffed stopped what they were doing just to give angry looks at the waiting staff - as if they were expecting them to fail.
We’ve waited 4 hours and paid nearly $1300 for a mediocre meal for 3 people. The head chef was aware and didn’t seem to care for our concerns.
I would avoid this place, there are plenty of other Michelin and non-Michelin-rated restaurants that offer far more value and substantially better service. Way to ruin a birthday.
Extremely disappointing service. I made a reservation (for the following day) that i had to cancel 6 hours after making it because of Covid and the restaurant refused to reschedule it because it was within the cancelation window. It took more than a month to get someone to respond that they cant do anything and they are keeping the deposit and cant use it against a future reservation. Honestly it was the most wasteful $1200 I’ve spent but most importantly it showcases their philosophy around customer service and the fact that instead of accommodating a future customer eager to come back they would rather keep $1200. Extremely short sighted and lacking ethos. Disappointed
Service: 1
Yuxin “lightman-A-”
It was an amazing experience. I love every dishes from the menu. 5/5 no doubt. The experience worth $400 per person price tag I would say.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Colleen
A positive first— the service was incredible. Unfortunately the flavors were incredibly bland relative to other Michelins we’ve been to. And in the case of one dish— we almost had to let the food out of our mouths into a napkin. I hate leaving negative reviews, but this was the most tasteless food I’ve eaten in a long time at any restaurant. I’m hopeful we just were present at a night where the seasoning was off, but wanted to share so others don’t regret spending their money.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
Mayank Gupta
Was at Birdsong for a private event. We went through a seven course meal, paired with wines and drinks. The great thing was that although I was not having alcohol that day, they found good non-alcoholic options to pair with drinks. I’ve often found that food at very upscale places is less tasteful and more pretentious. This was not the case at Birdsong. The food was really delicious, and as you can see the plating and the service were excellent. We got to tour the kitchen in the end for desserts, which was definitely the highlight of the day. Highly recommended
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sea Urchin Cream Puff Caramelized White Miso, Aged Lamb with Sausage Stuffed Morel
Zarina Mamoukhova
Celebrated my birthday here back in March and had a great time!!! The service was excellent and if you’re dining alone they’ll seat you at the bar where you can see the staff in the kitchen which I really enjoyed. Standouts for me were the lacquered quail and sea urchin cream puff.
Staff also went above and beyond for me—the strap of one of my heels very unfortunately broke on my way home from the bathroom at the end of the meal, so I was served tape as the final course ???? Thank you, Birdsong!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sea Urchin Cream Puff Caramelized White Miso
Amazing place. So creative and delicious!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Birdsong is definitely a great place to celebrate a special day. Their service is outstanding—on par with the best I’ve only experienced in Japan. The open kitchen and locally sourced ingredients are a highlight. The dishes aren’t heavy on spices, allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine. Because of that, don’t expect bold flavors, but it’s still very tasty and well executed.
Presentation is elevated and thoughtful, though nothing truly exceeded my expectations for a Michelin-starred restaurant—until dessert, which surprised me, especially since I’m not even a dessert person.
Overall, Birdsong is a solid choice for special occasions, particularly for someone who appreciates novelty and healthy, ingredient-driven dining.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We celebrated my husband’s birthday at Birdsong last night, and honestly, we were blown away. We do dine out often, but it’s rare for a restaurant to leave such a lasting impression.
The food was innovative, creative, and deeply thoughtful every dish felt unique and perfectly executed. The staff made us feel so warmly taken care of, with service that was professional yet personal. The ambience was cozy but elegant, and everything flowed seamlessly from start to finish.
We’re not usually the type to chase Michelin stars or fine dining for the sake of it, but Birdsong is different. It’s one of those rare restaurants that truly delivers on every level. Definitely a must-try in San Francisco.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I really tried to like this place but you unfortunately it disappointed. I don't normally seek sea food but there have been places (restaurant 212, progress, etc) that have always pleasantly surprised me, so I decided to give this place a chance.
I prefer not to bore you with the details but I think there are many other places to scratch of your list before you try this one. One surprising dish I really enjoyed was the wild antelope.
The service was excellent and it was a true pleasure seating kitchen side watching the staff create art. It was just not for me.
EDIT: both me and my partner woke up stomach sick. I just don't think the whole experience is acceptable at the price point and for a 2-star restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 4
One of my favorite (if not my favorite) Michelin starred experiences of all time even after having been to numerous in SF and NYC (11 Madison, Le Bernardin, etc). This place truly does not get enough recognition.
I ate at the Chefs counter and felt at home. The food is elevated yet there isn't a single bite that isn't delicious and that almost anyone would enjoy. The people aren't pretentious or arrogant but kind and will happily strike up a conversation with you as they're walking around or serving each dish. The head chef (sat right next to where he stands) was soft-spoken and you could tell how much he truly cared about each patron that comes to his restaurant and his team.
Go, do the Journey menu, and escape for three hours to one of the best meals of your life.
10/10
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Arrogant staff
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Expensive food and interesting ambience describes my Friday night tasting.
There were multiple parties that cycled through that came prepared with influencer gear. Throughout the night we counted 3 mini tripods and 2 external lighting devices from influencers dining at the chefs table. Shameless and did not add to our experience in any way.
The food was decent but we found two dishes inedible. One of our quail breasts had a bone embedded in it, and we had to unceremoniously spit the mouthful out. Second the property’s wild boar dish was underwhelming. The boar’s skin was part of the dish and was super dry and hard to chew and swallow. We had to spit this out too.
There were some amazing bites though. The uni bomb was incredible as was the quail broth and fish. The staff was friendly, attentive, and welcoming.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great restaurant, strong flavors, fun playlist!
Also have a dairy allergy which was not a problem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sea Urchin Cream Puff Caramelized White Miso
I made last minute plans (the day before) with a friendly couple to dine in this place and my friend’s wife got diagnosed with COVID-19, so we felt it was our duty as responsible people to cancel our reservation 6 hours after making it. Sadly enough the restaurant manager did not feel as responsible about a possible spreading of COVID-19 through their restaurant and told us that we had to come or else we would lose $1,200 that we had to pay in advance to dine there. WOW!! Only to think how many hundreds of thousand people died from this only 2 years ago, and here we were being asked to either SPREAD more of the DEADLY VIRUS or waste $1,200 for a reservation that we made 6 hours ago. We asked multiple times for a credit so that we can safely come visit another day and the answer was NO. Of course, it was our duty to stay in and save people from COVID-19 and now we’re left with this. What am I to make of it? Well, so many things to process, and a public review for all to know how money hungry this business is, beyond even thinking of protecting its customers. SO DISTURBING!
The service at this restaurant was atrocious. The staff was more concerned with disliking each other rather than serving the customers. For example, some staffed stopped what they were doing just to give angry looks at the waiting staff - as if they were expecting them to fail.
We’ve waited 4 hours and paid nearly $1300 for a mediocre meal for 3 people. The head chef was aware and didn’t seem to care for our concerns.
I would avoid this place, there are plenty of other Michelin and non-Michelin-rated restaurants that offer far more value and substantially better service. Way to ruin a birthday.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Extremely disappointing service. I made a reservation (for the following day) that i had to cancel 6 hours after making it because of Covid and the restaurant refused to reschedule it because it was within the cancelation window.
It took more than a month to get someone to respond that they cant do anything and they are keeping the deposit and cant use it against a future reservation.
Honestly it was the most wasteful $1200 I’ve spent but most importantly it showcases their philosophy around customer service and the fact that instead of accommodating a future customer eager to come back they would rather keep $1200. Extremely short sighted and lacking ethos.
Disappointed
Service: 1
It was an amazing experience. I love every dishes from the menu. 5/5 no doubt. The experience worth $400 per person price tag I would say.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A positive first— the service was incredible. Unfortunately the flavors were incredibly bland relative to other Michelins we’ve been to. And in the case of one dish— we almost had to let the food out of our mouths into a napkin. I hate leaving negative reviews, but this was the most tasteless food I’ve eaten in a long time at any restaurant. I’m hopeful we just were present at a night where the seasoning was off, but wanted to share so others don’t regret spending their money.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 5
Was at Birdsong for a private event. We went through a seven course meal, paired with wines and drinks. The great thing was that although I was not having alcohol that day, they found good non-alcoholic options to pair with drinks. I’ve often found that food at very upscale places is less tasteful and more pretentious.
This was not the case at Birdsong. The food was really delicious, and as you can see the plating and the service were excellent. We got to tour the kitchen in the end for desserts, which was definitely the highlight of the day.
Highly recommended
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sea Urchin Cream Puff Caramelized White Miso, Aged Lamb with Sausage Stuffed Morel
Celebrated my birthday here back in March and had a great time!!! The service was excellent and if you’re dining alone they’ll seat you at the bar where you can see the staff in the kitchen which I really enjoyed. Standouts for me were the lacquered quail and sea urchin cream puff.
Staff also went above and beyond for me—the strap of one of my heels very unfortunately broke on my way home from the bathroom at the end of the meal, so I was served tape as the final course ???? Thank you, Birdsong!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sea Urchin Cream Puff Caramelized White Miso
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