This place is criminally bad. Lets cover the one good thing first; the view. Nothing else is good. The food was not terrible, but I would rate it as 3 stars if it had been a $30 bill. It was a... More

This place is criminally bad. Lets cover the one good thing first; the view. Nothing else is good. The food was not terrible, but I would rate it as 3 stars if it had been a $30 bill. It was a $300 bill. Furthermore, 20% of that bill was a service charge that they tacked on to my party of 2. I think they do this because no one was giving them tips because the service is horrible. For a $300 meal, we did not have a single person ask how anything was, we had to constantly ask to have glasses refilled, and they just were generally bumbling. San Francisco has too many good restaurants to let guys like this stay in business. Take your money elsewhere. Pros: View Cons: Bad food, bad service, bad ambience
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Without a doubt the worst dining experience ever, anywhere! The service was mediocre at best. The cloak room had no attendant. The hostess was dressed in plain casual clothes. The Maitre D'... More

Without a doubt the worst dining experience ever, anywhere! The service was mediocre at best. The cloak room had no attendant. The hostess was dressed in plain casual clothes. The Maitre D' didn't ask to take our coats and when we finally arranged for our coats to be hung, we found them later stacked carelessly one on top of the other on a single hanger. The wine we ordered was not the wine we were served. The appetizers were not prepared in the way they were described on the menu. My consomme was cold on arrival and I had to send it back only to have it returned to me cold again. Our main courses (all meat) were tough and unpalatable and came with cold and clammy polenta and not the garnishes described in the menu. Our bus boy reached across the table to serve water out of a cheap plastic pitcher and missed our son's glass. He didn't wipe it, let alone apologize. Our desserts were literally uneatable. The chef's menu which I had chosen called for a grapefruit sorbet to be followed by a pumpkin cake. The two were brought together on the same plate as though to speed things up. The sorbet was substituted with a lavender one and the pumpkin cake was so tough, I would have challenged any lumberjack to cut through it! My daughter's chocolate souffle was made with cheap chocolate and arrived cold and deflated! At no point, throughout the evening did our main waiter ask how things were. We didn't want to create a scene and we felt quite sure that either there was no one in charge and possibly even no formal chef attending the kitchen. It seemed as though everything was prepared ahead of time and reheated. This was not our first visit to the Carnelian Room and in the past we had quite a stylish and pleasant culinary experience. It used to be a classy, San Franciscan establishment. No more! Stay away and spend your money wisely somewhere else. This is a ridiculously overpriced tourist trap!
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Remarkably bad all around... in nearly 15 years of regular (and many, many wonderful) meals in SF, this was easily my worst dining experience. That in and of itself is noteworthy I suppose - so if... More

Remarkably bad all around... in nearly 15 years of regular (and many, many wonderful) meals in SF, this was easily my worst dining experience. That in and of itself is noteworthy I suppose - so if you want to be amazed at how bad it is then give it a try. We were seated in a corner window spot which had a wonderful view. It looked like one of the two best tables in the restaurant. That is the end of the positives except a competent bus-staff. When the bad food and poor waitstaff becomes the only topic of discussion over a view like that during what was supposed to be a romantic dinner, that is a bad sign indeed eh? The waiter was unfamiliar with standard courtesy (I suppose when a dish has had three bites consumed total and you don't find it surprising the guest wants it removed, that must mean it is a common occurrence). I have had more informed, intelligent and personable service at Jack in the Box. The fish that I ordered was so overcooked that it literally crumbled when cut!! I have never seen or heard that was even possible before for salmon. They tried to compensate by drowning it in a generous pool of vinegared sauce... I liked the menu I saw online and in spite of a number of bad reviews decided that since I love food I would likely find something redeeming. Shockingly I did not. At all. Starters, drinks, desserts... nothing was at all enjoyable and when we left my companion was complaining that she was still hungry (not surprising since she couldn't bring herself to eat much of her food either!) Many have said it here and on yelp but it is fundamentally true: avoid this place at all costs! Pros: view (but you can do better!) Cons: food and service
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I made the reservation a month in advance requesting a table with a good view because it was a special occasion. However, not only did we get a table in the middle of the restaurant, the host was... More

I made the reservation a month in advance requesting a table with a good view because it was a special occasion. However, not only did we get a table in the middle of the restaurant, the host was very rude. There are very few tables in the restaurant with a view and their regulars are preferred. It is only worth it to pay for the mediocre but outrageously expensive food if you're sitting by the window. Instead, go an hour before the time of sunset, grab a table by the bar (first come first served), order a drink or two and enjoy the view. Would not recommend eating there. Pros: Great View Cons: Food not worth it
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While I wouldn't recommend the Carnelian Room for a party, I would certainly recommend it for a nice outing. The food is really good and the view at night is wonderful. I really don't recommend... More

While I wouldn't recommend the Carnelian Room for a party, I would certainly recommend it for a nice outing. The food is really good and the view at night is wonderful. I really don't recommend taking young children, but otherwise its a great place.
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What a joke! This place has rested on its one laurel [52nd floor view of the City] for far too long! The host add hostess were rude and snooty. The rest of the wait staff were worse. We dressed... More

What a joke! This place has rested on its one laurel [52nd floor view of the City] for far too long! The host add hostess were rude and snooty. The rest of the wait staff were worse. We dressed up for the occasion, too bad the restaurant did not. It is truly in a 1970s time warp. Everything about it reaks of the 70s. The dress code in the lounge was a bunch of tourists in shorts. We ordered drinks as we waited for our reserved table that was not ready. We waited 15 minutes and never did get our drinks. We finaly got them after we got seated in the dining room for another 10 minutes. The menu is the most un-imaginitive I have ever seen. The food was not okay, or even weak, it was poor. Even the bread was lousy [day old?] and they even managed to ruin a chocolate dessert. This place is for the senior crowd that think it is "Top Drawer". Trust me, it is not. For the money, you can do far, far better. As noted in several other reviews, this is a poorly run, tired, restaurant. Do not waste your time and money. This place needs to close. Pros: View Cons: Everything else!!
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We had reservations for a bday. we were sat promptly but w/out even a smile from the hostess. We brought a botel of champagne which they promptly iced, but never came back to serve. it was a good 20... More

We had reservations for a bday. we were sat promptly but w/out even a smile from the hostess. We brought a botel of champagne which they promptly iced, but never came back to serve. it was a good 20 mins before our waiter approached and quickly left to get the glasses for champagne. we requested the wine menu many times before we got it, and were only approached by the wine stuard to tell us if we order a bottle he would waive our very expensive corkage for the champ. the ceviche was wonderful...I had the veggie entree which was very good but the rest of my table faired just OK. the souffle is pushed on you at seating for the desert, our table ordered 5...and we were very disappointed with them. if the service was up to par it would of been an ok experience...but it was far from what you would expect for fine dining...I wouldn't even expect it from a diner. the view is amazing...but that is it! Pros: parking garage Cons: service
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Perhaps it was Valentines so they decided to play a trick on those who wanted to have a special dinner. Perhaps all the employees simply were exhausted. Whatever their reasons, their waiters,... More

Perhaps it was Valentines so they decided to play a trick on those who wanted to have a special dinner. Perhaps all the employees simply were exhausted. Whatever their reasons, their waiters, their hostesses, and their food failed to give any satisfaction. When I walked in the hostess asked me to wait for my date. Didn't explain anything to me or let me know there was a lounge where I could wait. They were snooty and simply rude. When we were seated, the room was so bright I had to shield my eyes. We were not seated at the window, the whole reason for the reservation, so we couldn't even enjoy the view. The waiters neglected to expain anything abou the menu and simply began to throw plates on our table and walked away without an explanation. The shrimp appetizer was edible but the salad was barely palatable. The filet mignon came over cooked and we realized the waiter didn't even ask how we liked it. My date's was medium which is how I like mine. We switched plates but the filet mignon tasted like uncooked meat and the lobster was simply overcooked tire with no flavor. The dessert was cute but nothing to write home about. I am still reeling from the wait staff. They were so rude, unprofessional and non-service oriented, I wondered how they could call this a fine dining establishment. I kept my mouth shut because my date put so much effort into the evening but inside, my wrath was building at such poor service, poor food for outlandish price. I hate chain restaurants but the Carnelian Room doesn't have anything on Red Lobster or Denny's. Go there instead and save your money. The view is lovely but no need to fork over $300-$400 for it. STAY AWAY FROM THIS POORLY RUN RESTAURANT. IT IS NOT FINE DINING BUT RATHER DENNY'S WITH A VIEW. Pros: view Cons: food, service, ambiance
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Absolutely terrible food and service. The menu is the worst in the city and besides the view there is nothing going for this place. The worst place in the city from high end restaurants.

Absolutely terrible food and service. The menu is the worst in the city and besides the view there is nothing going for this place. The worst place in the city from high end restaurants.
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Disregard the old reviews. The Carnelian Room has improved dramatically. Our last two visits were wonderful. The food matched the view and the service was efficient and friendly. There seems to be... More

Disregard the old reviews. The Carnelian Room has improved dramatically. Our last two visits were wonderful. The food matched the view and the service was efficient and friendly. There seems to be a new sense of creativity in the kitchen. Everyone in our party loved it! The best salad dressing I've ever tasted. Also, don't miss the souffles for dessert. Pros: Spectaculae view, excellent food Cons: It's not cheap
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