The Matterhorn Swiss Restaurant

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2323 Van Ness Ave (at at Green)
San Francisco, CA 94109

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(415) 885-6116
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The Matterhorn Swiss Restaurant - San Francisco, CA
The Matterhorn Swiss Restaurant - San Francisco, CA
The Matterhorn Swiss Restaurant - San Francisco, CA
Reviews
( 29 )
( 9 )
( 4 )
( 5 )
( 5 )

Best

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.

Worst

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 ...

Fond-Don't 9/23/2005

Based on other reviews we planned a birthday dinner for a party of four. Our server recommended we order one cheese fondue and one meat fondue. We followed her recommendation and also ordered several extra sides for dipping. We received our cooking oil and some of the sides (one was never served), but we had to ask for the beef that was supposed to come with it and then waited 15 minutes before it was brought to the table. The oil lost its heat quickly and was not able to cook all of the meat that we ordered. They offered to re-heat the oil saying it could only be re-heated once, but once was not enough to heat all of the raw meat. They are generous with the bread and water. I would not recommend this place! Cons: Bad service more
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Dip and Cook! 8/19/2005

When I read all the good reviews I was very excited to go the the Matterhorn. What else to expect than good food and service from the Swiss. Food was just wonderful presented and really fresh. The wine list is superb and so reasonably priced. Well done! The waiter told me that the restaurant is open for 11 years now.. wow.. that means a lot in SF. If you want great food, fun and a little bit of an european experience, that's the place to dine! Pros: location, food, ambience, service more
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Always worth it!!!! 5/13/2005

I've been dining at this restaurant for years now and tried almost every fondue and LOVED almost all of them. This is my favorite restaurant by far in San Francisco because of the food, the full bar, the wonderful wine list that the wait staff are happy to help with, and the service is always wonderful. I would definitely RECOMMEND ordering cheese, meat and chocolate fondue AND all the side dishes to dip AND trying a new wine. It may seem a little more expensive, but if you're going to go you might as well bask in the glory of what they have to offer. On top of that it is a very pleasant, calm, european decor and has VALET PARKING!!!!! usually on weekend nights. this is pretty crucial on van ness. otherwise you can park south a few blocks at a pay lot. Pros: excellent food, valet sometimes, great service Cons: make reservations more
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Great Place to Try Something Different 3/20/2005

This is a really cool place to check out, especially if you want something a little different than the norm. This was our first fondu experience, and it was made easier by a very friendly and helpful waitstaff. We started out with a bread and cheese fodue, then moved to cubes of meat that you dip in the hot oil for 30 seconds or so to cook it. Then you dip it in one of the many sauces they bring out for you. The main course also comes with a few sides. This is a great place for sharing. Pretty good wine list, and the decor is really great. You would never know from the outside. With wine, appetizer, main course and tip I think we spent like $90 for two people. We definitely left full and the quality was well worth it. Next time we'll bring along some friends. Pros: Different, Great Food, Decor Cons: A bit pricey more
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A touch of the Alps 1/21/2005

We bring our nephew and niece here every time they come into town and they love it. This is the place the appreciate a true European experience. Bridgette is the wine expert and can guide you through a fantastic selection of wines to go with both the Cheese and other fondues. Take your time, enjoy the atmosphere, and soak in a bit of Switzerland. Pros: Great service more
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great fondue!! 10/21/2004

What a cool place!! We had the Fondue Original and the Beef Fondue Bacchus. What a treat. I am glad I read all the good reviews. It seems to me that all the cheap people complain about the price! It is totally affordable. $40 per Person including Tip and Tax! Huh... Yes, the Matterhorn is now my favorite Restaurant. Ciao Pros: food, service, ambiance more
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best fondue in town 7/24/2004

If you want good fondue, thats the place to go. Reasonable prices and a great wine list on top. Highly recommended for people who want to try something new. Pros: service, food, ambiance more
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Good to try at least once 7/14/2004

The reviews hit it on the nose. Service is bad, but it's not intentional. They're robots, moving very fast, forgetting the essence of customer service. Nothing was explained to us. You get various condiments and sauces with your meat /cheese fondue. Would be nice if they pointed out some of the different sauces and advice on how to create delicious bites. Meat pot is too small for a group of 6. Colored sticks would be good so to can tell which stick belongs to you. Corkage is too much for the quality of service. No one refilled our waters until the very end when we had to ask. For a group of 6 you can only order Fondue, nothing from the appetizer /entree menu. Having never been to a swiss/german restaurant more options could have warranted a repeat visit. Good to try once, but not a repeat visit. Pros: decent fonue, clean, fast Cons: , corkage fee, menu limitations more
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Wonderful dinner!! 6/1/2004

My partner and I went last Saturday to this splendid Restaurant. We were promptly seated and the service was just great. Nice and swift as it should be.. We will bring our parents soon, tip: it is a safe place to bring your grandma.. We will see you soon Matterhorn! Pros: Service, Food, ambience more
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Great Date place 5/30/2004

I tried Matterhorn for the first time and loved it. While dining there as a group may be the thing to do, dining as a couple works out just as well if not better. We started with a single order of the cheese fondue; it was good but perhaps a little too strong on the taste of wine. We continued to the thin slices of beef and that was excellent. Finally we ended the meal with some fruit dipped in chocolate and some coffee, quite the treat. The service was excellent and very helpful on the whole it was a great experience and we'll defiantly be back. Pros: Great Food, Great Service, Fun more
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fondue, fondue 5/27/2004

just superb! Best dinner experience ever.. Good job Matterhorn. Choose a variety of Cheese Fondue and Beef Fondues. A lot of goodies with it. The Restaurant is good for children over 8 years old. Please do not bring toddlers! we had extra a babysitter, so do the same. Pros: food, service more
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Over rated 5/4/2004

This place is over rated. Although the ambiance was nice, it took forever for the host to get my reservation info from me as soon as I walked in. I'd say I was waiting for a good 10 minutes for the host to come back to the front. (And the restaurant isn't very big).The beef fondue was a bit bland and cheese fondue was so-so. more
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over-rated 4/20/2004

It was an experience but I wouldn't go back. Service was very slow and the food wasn't as impressive as the restaurant was rated in this web site. I believe the quality of cheese could improve taste. Pros: Something unique Cons: , Service, Food more
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Lower quality than expected 2/26/2004

I went to this restaurant with my Swiss boyfriend a couple of years ago and loved the place. We decided to go back a few weeks ago and found the food quality to be a lot lower. We had the traditional fondue and even I agreed it was very runny with too much garlic and alcohol. I decided to try the 'Belle Helene' for dessert and found the presentation to be good but, not impressed with the taste. Too expensive for the quality of food. Pros: Okay Service Cons: , Not worth expense more
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Fun-due 1/15/2004

A group of 8 of us came to give Fondue a go. It was so much fun! We had an abundance of food -- meats, chocolates, fruits, vegetables, etc., and an immense variety of dipping sauces, all for you to prepare for yourself as you please, right in front of you. You could eat for an hour and never have the same bite twice. We brought a bunch of our own wine which was fun. Dinner ran about fifty bucks apiece but in my opinion was completely worth it. It was such a fun, interactive experience. Granted, the ambiance could use a little work, but we were so immersed in our own table it didn't matter. A great place! Pros: Food, Fun Cons: Decor more
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A Bit Expensive...But Yummy!!! 12/4/2003

Overall, the Matterhorn is a wonderful experience with professional waitstaff and a very kind and friendly owner. The food is good but it's a bit on the expensive side for our budget - meaning this is a special occasion rest. for us. Pros: The "experience" Cons: Parking, Expensive more
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Only a tourist could love it! 10/3/2003

I had been hyping up fondue to my fiancee based on my experience at La Fondue in Saratoga. What a huge difference and disappointment! I felt like we were sitting in some fast food chain. The place was clean but had no ambiance. We only saw our waiter once and that was to place our order. He didn't even bother to offer suggestions or to further explain the our options. The food was average at best. I HIGHLY recommend making the trip to Saratoga (about an hour) for La Fondue. So worth it!! Pros: clean Cons: service more
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fondue fondue!! 9/17/2003

The only place for Fondue! wonderful meat and cheese fondues. They all have a hint of Kirschwasser and of course the white wine. just superb. We will be back! Pros: great service, good for groups more
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Fantastic!! 9/13/2003

Having had one of the best dinners of my life, I just wanted to say, that it is a shame, that most of the bad reviews for this Restaurant have to do with the corkage fee. If you can not afford to dine out, stay at home, and leave your cheap bottle of wine there too. Having worked in the industy I feel for the Restaurant. So, disregard all the unfavorable reviews, they are mostly from disgruntled cheap and classless people, who should learn how to dine out!! Good job Matterhorn, you rock.. more
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Don't waste your time. 9/8/2003

I have been to Switzerland many times. I love fondue, and I know how to make it and what most of the Swiss cheeses are. The ""traditional"" fondue at Matterhorn was terrible. It tasted extremely alcoholic, and was the consistency of broth. I honestly didn't even eat it. And the sliced apple was mushy. Obviously there is no quality control here. The corkage is $20--too much in my opinion. Our waiter was very nice, but the hostess (owner?) was unwelcoming. I won't go back. Pros: nice waiter Cons: bad fondue, too hot inside, expensive corkage more
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Menu for The Matterhorn Swiss Restaurant


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Owner Message

  • Fondue

Editorial

  • In Short
    Lodged in the depths of a modern building, this authentically Swiss surprise is nearly entirely paneled in glowing blond wood for a true chalet vibe. Cute waiters roam about the...

  • 9/17/2004 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Tuesday To Sunday From 05:00 PM To 09:00 PM
  • Payments: Discover, Master Card, American Express, Diner's Club, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Pacific Heights, North
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