The Matterhorn Swiss Restaurant

If you love fondue, this is the place that you must go. The restaurant is kind of hidden in the office building. But their service and food is very good. more

Always a fun place to go with friends. A big group is better so you can try more of the fondues. Do not skip the chocolate dessert fondue! more

Dinner here is an experience, not only do they do fondue but they also have meals, so you can have your choice for a meal if you feel like fondue wont be enough. They specialize in cheese fondue but they have meat oil fondues as well which is like pretty much cooking your own meal. \r Their dessert is a chocolate fondue with an assortment of fruits and marshmellows to dip inside the chocolate. The portions are large and they will fill you up. Love it, go once a year atleast. more

Love this restaurant. Brings back memories of those fondue parties I used to have in the 1970s. Selection is great. more

F.Y.I. I tried to go there yesterday, and the restaurant is currently closed, and not opening until May 26. more

The Matterhorn has the most amazing fondue I have ever tasted. I lived in Switzerland for three years and moved back to the bay area and this fondue is the best I have tasted in the U.S. They provide Valet Parking and the service is great. Highly reccomend!! more

This is one of San Francisco's hidden treasures, created by a charming Swiss couple who strive to bring the authentic flavors of Switzerland to their customers. The service is classic European -- very courteous, but not fawning or intrusive. The austere exterior belies the absolutely gorgeous interior decor -- the hand-carved wood panels, booths, and tables were fully constructed in Switzerland then shipped over to SF and reconstructed here. You'll see Swiss masks, the alpenhorns, and cowbells, and delightful stained glass windows. Pros: Visit this Swiss treasure for a delightful change of pace Cons: Plan extra time to find street parking more

I enjoyed everything about our meal at the Matterhorn. There is a very good selection of wines available. The cheese fondue we had was tasty and fresh (the side of sausage was especially good and the side of apple surprisingly so). Our desserts were nicely decadant. Our waitress happily seated us at a quiet romantic spot when we told her we were celebrating our anniversary and the owner happily engaged with us. Heartily recommended to all - my wife and I are even planning on taking the mother-in-laws here! more

It was nice to find a fondue restaurant in San Francisco. Parking was a little tough, but we were able to find a spot four blocks away. As we walked in, the atmosphere looked inviting--dim lighting with a hint of red glow; wine glasses and the smell of gruyere cheese. We stood at the front, like one usually does, and an older man approached us and asked, ""Reservation?"" ""Uh, no...."" The restaurant was half empty. The man made a huge fuss, as if he would have to go out of his way to get us a table. Well, he picked up the menus and seated us right away--of course. We ordered the cheese fondue, but the meat fondue looked very good as it wafted by. Next time we'll probably get that one. Our neighbors were mostly tourists or marina locals. People were nice enough--I think. In any case, the same man came by to ask us how we were and I asked for another half bottle of wine. He paused as if that wasn't his job and almost didn't acknowledge my request, but then he decided to take our empty bottle and hand it to one of the very nice waitresses. The bill was huge; the food was good and rich; the atmosphere was nice; and the ""vibe"" was not so hot. Pros: It's fondue! Cons: Price more

After having real fondue in Switzerland last year, I can honestly say that this is the best fondue I've had in the states! There were many varieties of cheeses to choose from, but if it's your first time, try ""The Original"", it's made of Swiss and Gruyere cheeses and is superb! A huge basket of baguette bread to dip comes with the order as well. We also tried the meat fondue, where you dip raw meat or fish into boiling oil or veg broth. The meat cooks in 15-30 seconds, I swear! This is also delicious and comes with dipping sauces and sides of veggies, fruit and marinated olives I highly recommend this restuarant if you want authentic Swiss Fondue served in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Enjoy! Pros: Authentic dishes, extensive wine and beer list, great service and decor Cons: parking more

I was very disappointed with this restaurant. The ambience and the decor was very nice and cozy, but the cheese fondue was not good at all! You can't even taste the cheese in the fondue and it was extremely bitter and overcooked. It tasted like cheap white wine with burnt cheese. YUCK!!! On top of that it is way overpriced. Here is an idea for you fondue lovers. Go to your local grocery store, buy some good quality cheeses (look for the fondue recommended label), a bottle of white wine, a baguette and some garlic. Go home and make fondue yourself cause trust me it will taste much better than this restaurant. Pros: Decor, Cozy Cons: Cheese fondue, Long wait for fondue, Parking more

My boyfrend & I return again and again to Matterhorn. The decor & ambiance make us feel like we've travelled to a cozy lodge in Switzerland for dinner! The service is fabulous- everyone is very friendly and warm. They have a large variety of fondues and everything we've tried has been delicious! The wine list offers a large variety of wines, including some great Swiss wines. Pros: Fondue, Service, Ambiance Cons: Parking can be tough more

I dined at Matterhorn this evening, and had a horrible experience. We probably saw the waitress, all of 3 times at our table. She forgot part of our order and was nowhere to be found most of the night. We ordered the fondue for 2, and a bottle of wine... total was about $120, and definitely not worth the price. I don't mind paying for good food, but this was straight out of a dorm cafeteria. Worst of all, the place smells of old oil from everyone cooking at the table. My clothes and jacket have that burnt oil smell even hours later. Very gross. VERY DISSAPOINTED... spend your money elsewhere.. more

The food was over cooked. When we mentioned about it , we were treated badly. Cons: Bad Food, Bad Service more

My husband and I love this restaurant! The food is excellent and there is plenty of it. It can get a little pricey with the ""add ons"" like chicken and shrimp but overall it's a pretty good value for the amount and quality of food. Pros: variety of food Cons: parking, parking, parking more

I'm very surprised at some of the bad reviews. This is definitely not a place ""just for tourists."" My husband and I have both been to the Alps and we found this restaurant charming and authentic and reminiscent of our visit. The fondue was delicious, the service attentive, and the atmosphere adorable. Even my snobbiest of foodie friends swear by this place for fondue. Go and enjoy! Pros: delicious, great ambiance, nice service Cons: no dessert-only, ick on the outside more

Just came back from Switzerland. The Matterhorn SF gives you a wonderful swiss experience. We always come with my 2-year old and the owner adores him. She actually walks around with him while me and my husband are eating. We just love it. Pros: great food, excellent service more

As it is, I was at the Matterhorn last Sunday night. I saw only one small toddler in the Restaurant which was bothering everybody else, crying and trying to get out on the dining room floor. The parents seemed completely stressed out and did not bring anything to play for the kid. What a shame to pin your miserable planing on the Restaurant. I saw a bowl falling from the table and the mess under the table, oh my god!! Sorry people but you should take full responsibilty for your actions! I got annoyed about this toddler myself and can not blame the Restaurant to protect their property when it is eaten at or spit over. Sorry, no.. By the way, the food and service was great as usual. Well, hopefully other parents read this and plan ahead for a nice night out. Pros: great food, great service more

We just came home from the Matterhorn very upset. Our food was actually decent, however, it was not worth the treatment. We made reservations at the Matterhorn with my young daughter based soley on the comment listed under the title to the resturant ""Specializes in Family."" The service was sub-par anyways, but when the manager came to our table and jerked a dessert menu from my daughter's hand and told her ""NO"" we asked for our check....only to be charged for dessert that had yet to be brought to our table. The waiter came out shortly after with the dessert and said ""sorry, she doesn't like kids."" Needless to say I would NOT reccomend this to anyone...family or not they are not professional or courteous and the food doesn't make up for it. Cons: service, service, service more

The food was well, but it is not so authentic as in Switzerland, also the waiters. The most negative points are firstly: it is too expensive. I'd expected for this price more quantity and better service. Secondly, the Service from the chief is very unfriendly. This could be really improved. more