For $15-20 a plate, a SF restaurant should meet this standard: all the dishes should be tasty, carefully done, and artfully presented. At least one dish in the meal should offer a pleasant... More

For $15-20 a plate, a SF restaurant should meet this standard: all the dishes should be tasty, carefully done, and artfully presented. At least one dish in the meal should offer a pleasant surprise that makes you think about what your tasting or how the chef managed to achieve it. Sauce fell short of this standard. By a mile. We tried the dishes most highly recommended by the reviewers on this site. Our entree (which we could barely stomach) and dessert could have come from from a can. Even in the relatively tasty appetizers, none of the flavors were elaborated in a meaningful way. And Sauce has a major problem with texture: everything is mushy. Even the crab wontons (otherwise quite nice) weren't crispy. And all the accompanying namesake sauces were bland or completely predictable. Pros: good service
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Gus and I decided to check this place out because of the high rating herre. We both thought it earned a high rating. Very tasty. We began with mushroom fries and crab wontons. The preparation for... More

Gus and I decided to check this place out because of the high rating herre. We both thought it earned a high rating. Very tasty. We began with mushroom fries and crab wontons. The preparation for these didn't obliterate the quality of the ingredients--they had a nice level of spicing. Simple, light, not overbearing in any way. You could really get crab out of the crab wonton, for example, and you could taste the smokiness of the portabello mushrooms. For entrees, I had a Hawaiian fish on pumpkin risotto with broccoli rabe. The broccoli rabe wasn't anything to write home about, but I liked the fish and loved the risotto. (But I'm a sucker for pumpkin risotto.) If you have a really discerning fussiness about fish you might have wanted a little lighter buttering/oiling, but I thought it tasted good. Gus had the pork and beans, which is really a misnomer since it is very fine pork tenderloin. He was happy with it and shared a bit. Yum. For dessert we had the little donut holes with cinnamon dipping sauce. We couldn't finish them, but they were pretty yummy. Pretty heavy, though, but still probably among the lightest things on the dessert menu. They recommend the sampler, but I'm too skeptical of the PB&J dessert. I like strawberry preserves a lot, but I don't think they belong in desserts. I could be wrong on this, but I wasn't feeling adventurous last night. Gus gives them 3-4 stars on wine selection, btw. And we note that they didn't do the fashionable (and kinda rude) thing of taking one person's plate away while the other is still working. Good show. Cons: Way too many quotation marks on the menu
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We were pleasantly surprise to have high-end version of originals such as fried mushrooms and Mac and Cheese.. yummi!!! Great wine (try the Vacqueras which is about $38 a bottle)... I can't wait to... More

We were pleasantly surprise to have high-end version of originals such as fried mushrooms and Mac and Cheese.. yummi!!! Great wine (try the Vacqueras which is about $38 a bottle)... I can't wait to go back.
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Sauce is the perfect friendly neighborhood restaurant. Casual enough to stop in after work for a cocktail & chat with the friendly bartenders and .... nice enough to impress a first date without... More

Sauce is the perfect friendly neighborhood restaurant. Casual enough to stop in after work for a cocktail & chat with the friendly bartenders and .... nice enough to impress a first date without killing your wallet. Chef Ben rocks the kitchen with his maverick spin on reliable favorites. The mushroom fries will knock your knickers off - YUM!!! Pros: mushroom fries, donut desert, friendly staff Cons: parking at times
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Was very impressed by the American Classics such as Mac N Cheese and Meat Loaf. Beautiful decor makes this a great place for dates and the friendly owners and bartenders make this a great place for... More

Was very impressed by the American Classics such as Mac N Cheese and Meat Loaf. Beautiful decor makes this a great place for dates and the friendly owners and bartenders make this a great place for dinner with friends. The folks are friendly and treat you like an honored guest. Chef Ben is a genius with steaks and seafood. I plan to make this my "Family Resturant". Pros: Food, Atmosphere, Wine List Cons: Parking is OK
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We had our wedding rehearsal at Sauce and could not have been more pleased. The owners were very easy to work with during the planning process and showed a level of flexibility and enthusiasm that... More

We had our wedding rehearsal at Sauce and could not have been more pleased. The owners were very easy to work with during the planning process and showed a level of flexibility and enthusiasm that I wish I could have seen from all of our vendors. We had about 30 people so we used the "Supper Club" back room for our greeting, which was perfect in size and decor. Service was prompt, efficient, friendly, and extremely attentive. The apppetizers were a hit but did not outshine the entrees, which were served all at the same time and just as everyone had ordered. The quality of the food was very, very good. Since the wedding we've gotten many, many compliments on our choice, and have been referring people to Sauce for a great dining experience. Pros: Food!, Service, Decor Cons: Parking
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We took a friend here for a birthday on a recommendation from a friend and were pleasantly surprised at what a gem this place was!!! The food was unique and interesting. The Beggar's Purse and... More

We took a friend here for a birthday on a recommendation from a friend and were pleasantly surprised at what a gem this place was!!! The food was unique and interesting. The Beggar's Purse and Sesame Shrimp apetizers were stellar. The Mac and cheese was delicious! And as the waiter put it, "Everyone orders the dessert sampler!" For good reason. The service was even more impressive. The owners of the restaurant personally attended to us, as did the chef. And we were served complimentary port for my friend's birthday! What a refreshing restaurant! I will definitely go back to try more of the wonderful meal offerings! Everyone should go! Pros: Service, Fun dishes
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Three of us went to Sauce after reading in San Francisco magazine that it was one of the three best new restaraunts of 04-05. We went early and had no problem being seated. Ana , our server was... More

Three of us went to Sauce after reading in San Francisco magazine that it was one of the three best new restaraunts of 04-05. We went early and had no problem being seated. Ana , our server was attentive and knowledgeable. The place has a nice feel to it and the room in back would be great for cocktail parties. The food however, was disappointing. The portabello mushroom fries were drab but the crab wontons were good. The Mac and Cheese was more like an alfredo and the chicken was dry. The truffle grilled cheese with the tomato bisque was by far the best thing we tasted. The diver scallop salad looked great coming out but , for me the scallops were far overdone. We ordered the cookie dough dessert and were again less than impressed. Really surprised about the best new restaraunt monniker. Pros: decor, service Cons: food
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The food was alright. Except for the Guiness Milk Shake... Yummy! It seemed like they were going too far with the fancy "comfort food". The bar scene was much more interesting. It was kind of... More

The food was alright. Except for the Guiness Milk Shake... Yummy! It seemed like they were going too far with the fancy "comfort food". The bar scene was much more interesting. It was kind of nice in that the dining area was pretty chill. Not real noisy or bustling. You could enjoy a conversation without yelling. Pros: Chill Ambience, Bar, Open Late
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I live in Chicago and came into town for the weekend not knowing where to go and found Sauce after the symphony. I have to say that what makes this place so special is not only is the food... More

I live in Chicago and came into town for the weekend not knowing where to go and found Sauce after the symphony. I have to say that what makes this place so special is not only is the food fantastic but the people that run this place rock. I felt like I was home in Chitown. I will be back!
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