BIX

Loved the service and the food. Would definitely go back and highly recommend it.

It always feels like a special occasion when we go here. Fun to get dressed up with high heels (can only wear if there is valet parking which Bix has), drink champagne at the bar, sit in big comfy booth and eat lovely meal to live music. Lovely San Francisco institution!

Great spot! Went here with my girlfriend for my bday. really liked the jazz music and the food was awesome

Cloud 29
Just got home from dinner at Bix for our first date (since son was born 17months ago), and to celebrate our two-​year anniversary. The décor and atmosphere was everything I expected and better. Maybe it was the positive vibes we had going on walking in to the place but this place is now going to be our spot.
Hostess was professional, quick and cute! Atmosphere was ideal and extra smooth thanks to the live band. Server was attentive, knowledgeable and had proper timing throughout the meal, as did our busser. Clean place with sweet décor and a certain quality to its plates. (in comparison to all of our similar favorite joints we have come to know in SF over the last 6 years or so; inc Nopa, Jardinière, Rich Table, etc)
What we dug into: (look at menu for specs pls)
cesar salad
bone marrow
potato pillows
lobster spaghetti
duck breast
bananas foster
crème brûlée
drinks:
kentucky mule
red italian wine
Just get it all and eat it. We both can’t wait for the next time we get to come here, with baby or not. Perfect. Thank you.

I can’t breathe…
Stopped by here for a glass of champagne and an appetizer before our dinner reservations at Kusukabe. Don’t let the ghetto alleyway fool you… the inside of this place is GORGEOUS. Super romantic feel with dim lights and different levels/​floors. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Ordered the POTATO PILLOWS (Crème Fraîche, California Sturgeon Caviar). Seriously, if you love tator tots, this thing will blow your mind… IT WAS AMAZINGGGGG! Best $ 18 I’ve ever spent. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would recommend and ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would order again.
Service at the bar was not your typical casual bartender. They are super polite, professional, and attentive.
I REALLY want to come back here to dine in and try everything on their menu. PERFECT date night spot :)

We made family dinner reservations at Bix after waiting too late to get them at Foreign Cinema. I didn’t realize how big of a step down this would be, and I thought the 30s-​40s theme would make this fun, but it wasn’t enough to make up for mostly lackluster food and service.
DRINKS: Parents ordered three drinks, none were made correctly. We shared a bottle of a decent cab, but prices are either under $ 50 or a couple hundred, range seemed to be inconsistent.
APPETIZERS: The potato pillows were divine, but be aware the portion is very small (4 bite size pieces), bone marrow was decent, and the avocado salad was better than expected. The apps were promising but entrees were a step down.
ENTREES: Pork was juicy but bland and underseasoned, duck breast was a generous portion but unusually tough, lobster spaghetti (split portion) was cooked nicely al dente but featured maybe an ounce of lobster and a mediocre tomato-​heavy sauce. The side of fresh green beans that our server recommended was the highlight of this course, sadly.
DESSERT: We got the chocolate brandied cherries, which was very rich. Coffees were better made than the drinks, surprisingly.
Service was awkward and table for four was a very tight fit. Server brought our wine, dropped it to the table corked, came back and opened it a few minuets later, offered to clear out serving plates between appetizer rounds then didn’t follow through, just not on par with the price point or expectations for this caliber restaurant.

We came to Bix on a Friday night and make sure to have reservations because it definitely gets busy with the service and food was spectacular and the décor was reminiscent of fifties sixties like an old theater or something. The great place to come to celebrate a special occasion or for a date night!

I went to Bix recently to celebrate a special birthday and it was a great experience! Made reservations in advance and had a great table on the 2^nd floor overlooking the jazz band. The place is loud but that was part of our intent going there… to enjoy the music… and boy did we!
The food is also quite tasty. Great selection of wines offered and what appeared to be a full bar too. We ordered a couple of the seasonal cocktails — Strawberry-​infused drink — and it was both refreshing and tastefully made!
Oysters are good but pretty standard. I would definitely recommend the following:
— Skirt Steak
— Avocado Salad
— Chicken Hash (delicious but also needs a kick… maybe a side of pickles?)
I will say fries were disappointing for every member of my party so I would pass on them, especially if you like french fries.
I recommend making reservations at least 1 – 2 weeks before a week-​end dinner plan to ensure you have a table. The place was packed on a Saturday night!

Impressive Jazz Trio VS. rude service… all bets are off!
Originally booked this specifically for the Jazz trio, and those cats were amazing (almost wished people in the space were quieter so we could enjoy their seasoned presentation). Be aware this place is LOUD, not the Jazz, the people!
The food was really good, we had a 4 people, 2-​course meal, and they were all hits. The wine list was also a heavy hitter.
Now when it came to the service, it all went downhill unfortunately. The hostess who greeted us was rude, the second hostess that walked us to our table was rude, and our waiter was rude (dude, you could crack a smile once a while you know?)!
Unfortunately, that kind of killed the experience of Bix for us, specially the wait between courses, which was WAY too long.
It’s a shame, because the space itself is fantastic, after all, we are in one of the few San Francisco historical locations, so let shine god damn it!

The service was great and we had an enjoyable meal. I had the black truffle cheeseburger — but they did not put the cheese on it! I realized this later when I looked at their menu again online. Cheese would have made it a lot better. Also, the little salad on the plate was WAY over salted. The chef might have had some memory issues that day — learn to taste and season appropriately!
Also, and I say this about so many restaurants in the US, stop with the lame truffle oil! Truffle oil is not made from truffles. Its an artificially flavored oil. INSTEAD focus on simple great potatoes cooked in good clean oil at the right temperature; possibly blanching them. The biggest problem with fried potatoes in the US is our dependence on our crappy russets. I challenge any chef to go to Europe, and even Cuba, or Ukraine and learn what kind of potatoes they use for fries. They are a 1000x better!

Pork chop was excellent, top 3 I’ve ever had. Potato pillows way overpriced, dont order. Cocktails good. Wine selection respectable. That’s about it. I feel bad for the service pros who work here – they should look for a better place to work due to the management. A place like… Wayfare Tavern, for instance.
Question: whenever you tip, do you tip on the whole, entire bill (including tax), or do you tip on just the amount WITHOUT tax? I’ve worked in the hospitality industry for 12 years and I’ve never seen anyone tip on just the meal (without the tax). The suggested tip percentages on the bottom of the bill are intentionally wrong. They are calculated PRE-​TAX so the wait staff, bartenders, and bus boys are all getting screwed out of 8.75% of their potential earnings when someone follows their recommendation because of a conscious decision of the management. That is absolutely not right. Brought this up to the manager to tell him and was arrogantly told off. The management is atrocious. A damn shame for an otherwise good restaurant.

This place was perfect for dinner night! The ambiance is lovely with live music. I love live music!
Can’t beat their great cocktails and food.
The staff was very attentive and informative.
We ordered Foie Gras Torchon, Marrow Bones, Trout and duck breast.
All dishes were on point with seasoning and the way they were prepared. Delicious!
The Foie Gras came with strawberry rhubarb preserves, balsamic and grilled bread.
It literally melts in your mouth. Also, The marrow is salted and cooked to perfection.
I had so many bone marrows that were TOO salty at other resturants.
Bix know how to keep it consistent
The trout skin was crispy — the way I like my fish. The duck breast was out of this world!
I will be coming back again with my girl friends. Great hidden gem in SF.

I feel compelled to write this review as last night I witnessed a very sad moment that could have been a memory for a lifetime.
I dined with my dad, stepmom, and an old colleague last night. We were there for at least 3 hours. Our bill and tip was well over $ 425. The food was fine. Just fine. My steak was not worth $ 49. I’ve had better ones for $ 25 – 70. Our waitress was very attentive and nice.
A large table was seated next to us. One man was wearing a tux. It was a Monday. After a while I realized that it wasn’t the dress code (which I was told was fancy, but several polo shirts were seen), and it was because he and his new bride just got married earlier in the day probably at city hall. They chose to have their wedding night celebratory dinner with friends and family at Bix of all the 1000 restaurants in the city. They chose to start memories of this day at Bix.
Last night Bix had a Pianist and a Bass player playing great fantastic music. The wedding party was quiet and respectable the entire night. Clearly their meal was over and people were starting to get up. The Bride and groom walked over to the musicians holding hands. Before they could even begin to mutter a word, the hostess comes racing over and I knew she was telling them that they were not allowed to dance. Still being polite, the new couple smiled and walked away.
Bix has maybe 20 tables total. 6 of them were full at this time. It was near 9:30pm on a monday. It was their wedding night and they were denied being able to simply have one dance together. It would not have hurt anyone, and I’m sure every single patron in the restaurant would not have cared less, but actually it really pissed us off. They looked adorable, seemed polite and respectful, chose to drop well over $ 1000 at Bix on their most important day of their lives so far. And Bix denied them this sweet memory.
I can’t and wont go here ever again.

Saw the neon sign, walked through the doors, and thought wow, this place looks nice.
The décor and artwork transports you to the classy 1920s era. Time-​travel + dinner? I’m in. You may want to dress nicely. Usually, I say any attire is acceptable in SF, because it’s a casual city. But in the ‘20s, gentlemen and ladies were known for being classy, so you probably should try to look classy too.
The cozy, intimate setting was warm, inviting, and just right. If anyone is attempting an intimate, romantic, candlelit setting, they ought to learn a thing or two from Bix. It didn’t feel too cozy or cramped at all. Bix has been around since 1988, so they must be doing something right.
Mr. Joy made reservations and we were led upstairs to the balcony level that was full of booths. Booths are comfy, kind of classy, give you a little privacy, and girls like to have a place to rest their handbags. Am I right?
All the while, the sound of jazz music lightly emanated from downstairs.
I was starting to wonder how the waiters got themselves up and down the stairs all night, but I think they go through some secret elevator.
$ 18 Potato Pillows — Crème Fraîche, California Sturgeon Caviar:
It was the most interesting sounding of the hors d’ouvre choices.
4 delicate potato puffs resting on a napkin, like pillows on bedding … very nice touch.
The first thing that came to my mind: This is one expensive version of MickyD’s hash browns from their breakfast menu. I’m not knocking the dish. I like McD’s hash browns, but I just never get there early enough to order breakfast.
Was it elevated? Certainly.
Crispy & crunchy on the outside, nice and puffed up inside.
Each had a dollop of crème fraîche. The flavor of the salty sturgeon caviar stood out, but was not heavily briny or salty as a lot of caviar is known to be.
I tried to eat them slowly, because they were so small and I wanted to savor them.
$ 24 Chicken Hash a la Bix — Mascarpone Vodka Sauce:
I was attracted to the idea of hash that night, but it seemed more like I ordered two chicken patties over a light cream sauce, adorned with halved cherry tomatoes.
I liked the vodka sauce, but it didn’t have enough flavor. Chicken already doesn’t have much flavor, so I was hoping the sauce would do it.
I did feel like they did something interesting with chicken, but not something I would crave.
$ 28 Black Truffle Cheese Burger — On Rye with Truffle Fries, served open-​faced:
Thick, juicy beef patty cooked just right — medium-​rare, golden brown on the outside, and pink on the inside. The cheese was melted over the patty just the way I like. It was topped with an entire ring of caramelized onions. Great, that’s the only way I’ll eat onions on a burger. None of that annoying raw onion nonsense. It was accompanied with a pile of arugula on the side. I wasn’t all that interested in an open-​faced burger though.
I don’t care for fries, but Mr. Joy, the French fry lover, said the fries were good, but couldn’t really taste the flavor of truffles.
$ 10 Warm Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding:
This was more like a rich chocolate brownie topped with a mound of vanilla ice cream, and drizzled with chocolate sauce. If I didn’t know what it was, I wouldn’t have guessed that this is bread pudding. It doesn’t have the consistency or texture of bread pudding, or the custard flavor of bread pudding.
However it is, of course, delicious. It’s hard not to like chocolate. Hot, gooey, rich, decadent, fudgy chocolate.
This would probably be 5 stars for me if I were more wowed by the food. I should have stuck to my usual favorites and ordered the steak tartare or bone marrow. I’m not sure about the foie gras since it has quinoa in it, but if I come back, I’d be interested in trying it.

My new favorite spot! Came here with my boyfriend for his birthday. Delicious food, excellent ambience and service. Our server was a very attentive and friendly male. There was live music which created a fresh and classy vibe. The dessert was out of this world!!! –the banana foster was not only delicious but beautifully displayed. This place is definitely one of a kind I would definitely return on an occasion– a bit pricey but worth every penny.

Celebrated my best friends birthday here and the food was excellent!!! Perfect ambiance! Will be going back.

I am amazed by this place. I am so glad I found BIX in San Francisco.
The place is just perfect, the classic decoration, live music, great atmosphere, service on point. The fact that people dress up to go out to BIX is already a star alone for me (not easy to find a «dress-​up» place in SFO).
My dishes were just great. I had a devil eggs and Slow Cooked Lamb. What a choice. The wine was also great. Had a bottle of Duckhorn. The first bottle was completely off, a second bottle was given as a replacement.
The reason why I didn’t give a full 5-​stars is because I felt the service very «pushy». I understand quality service, but one thing is been fast the other is to «quick» you outside your table. That is exactly the feeling I had while eating at BIX. I actually felt very anxious at a point when the waiter would just be filling up my glass of wine above the «usual» mark and gave me the bill without me asking or even before asking if I wanted any desert.
Apart from it, I had a nice evening and will probably return.

I am amazed by this place. I am so glad I found BIX in San Francisco.
The place is just perfect, the classic decoration, live music, great atmosphere, service on point. The fact that people dress up to go out to BIX is already a star alone for me (not easy to find a «dress-​up» place in SFO).
My dishes were just great. I had the devil eggs and Slow Cooked Lamb. What a choice. The wine was also great. Had a bottle of Duckhorn. The first bottle was completely off, a second bottle was given as a replacement.
The reason why I didn’t give a full 5-​stars is because I felt the service very «pushy». I understand quality service, but one thing is been fast, the other is to «rush» you outside your table. That is exactly the feeling I had while eating at BIX. I felt very anxious at a point when the waiter would just be filling up my glass of wine above the «etiquette» mark and gave me the bill without me asking or even before asking if I wanted any dessert.
Apart from it, I had a nice evening and will probably return.

I wish I knew about this tavern years ago because this is MY type of bar/​resto. This is the very place I can really destress after work. Deviled eggs, potato pillows, cocktail meatballs with Keenan Cab Sauv is my formula for chillin’. Cap this with bananas foster and you will sleep with a smile on your face. Thank you Peter for being a sweet, efficient and friendly bartender. I heart BIX!

For us, this place is semi-​fancy: it’s not some place we’d need a fancy reason to go to, but it’s also not terribly common for us to spend $ 150 on dinner for two on a regular old weeknight. My husband wanted steak tartar and I read this was a great place to get it.
We had reservations, which we booked just a night or two before we went.
The cocktails were great– especially the Manhattan. It was an incredibly smooth, very strong drink, that went down a little too easy. The Mister gave the tartar rave reviews. I also thought it was great– rich and tender-​textured, with just the right amount of mustard, shallot, and capers. This was my first time having tartar, though, so take that with a grain of salt.
Everything else was just meh. Not bad, nothing was bad. But everything was just sorta okay or maybe even pretty good. The caesar was alright, with nice chunky cheese slivers. But for $ 13, I could go for more than six little lettuce leaves. And, this is a pet peeve of mine that might not bother you: I don’t love chopping up lettuce and mixing and tossing on that flat little plate. It’s not like I’m going to pick up these leaves with my hands in this setting. When I’m eating out, I like when my meal comes ready to eat. The potato pillows tasted only of oil and potato. I mean, it was good potato flavor, but that’s not why people are ordering this dish. I could see the caviar, but I couldn’t taste it or feel it in the bite. And the oil flavor tasted a little burnt. That was a bummer. The chicken hash need some acidity and was just kinda weird. Giant crab-​cake like things made out of chicken.
But even then, everything was pretty okay. Except our server, who had been great, got all snippy out of the blue. We were ready to ask for our check, and she approached the table speaking to us. Before we could say anything, she tried to clear the table and, with a pretty epic side-​eye, spoke to us in a way that made it clear she thought we were taking too long over our dessert/​after dinner drink. And not only did she think we overstayed. She seemed like she wanted us to know she thought that, too. We actually didn’t even get to ask her for the check at that point, because we were caught so off guard by the mood change and then she was gone faster than she walked up. To be fair, we’d been there for just over an hour and a half at that point. But, like I said, we were looking for our check already and we would’ve have gotten it sooner if we could have asked for it then.
So that’s how the whole meal was. Things started out pretty nice. Then the parts that were a bit off congealed and made things a little sour.

Great vibe on a Wednesday night.
Good food, good cocktails, good wine.
Front of house staff are on point here.
Great find in the hidden alley way.

Let me start of by saying a little something about Bix.
The service is on point, the food is of superior quality, the drinks are perfectly made, the music is fantastic at a perfect volume and the ambience is exquisite. Casual chic at its best.
I am writing this review because the negative reviews on Unilocal of this restaurant have zero validity. I can say they are pretty much just ridiculous «I am entitled, hear me complain» load of garbage comments.
I am a SF native and have been dining in MY city that I was RAISED in for over 3 decades, which regretfully has been taken over by a bunch of self-​righteous, entitled, spoiled, rude and oblivious group of tyrants that think the world owes them something. The only thing you are owed is a swift kick in the pants!
First of all. Anyone who has given this place a bad review clearly lacks attention and was neglected as a child! if you look at the type of people who left the bad reviews, you will see on their entire profile, it seems as though it is their duty to leave bad reviews. Maybe this makes them feel important. I say you are TRAGIC!
Here are some responses for all the negative feedback left:
Yes, the place is hectic and busy but it’s called being successful. Yes you need to order your food and carry on with your dinner because there are other people waiting to eat with their guest, family and so on. The «other people waiting for a table» could be YOU waiting to eat so don’t freakin’ linger and have some respect so other people waiting for their reservation can have the chance to enjoy dinner as well. Maybe you can try a bit of humanity or humility and go have drinks or listen to music at the bar if you are done. STOP being a spoiled and entitled tyrant. It is basic Restaurant 101 and BTW: you are a complete P.O.S. if your entitled, self absorbed mentally is «I have a reservation and I have the table all night». NO YOU DONT! NO YOU DONT because others have reservations too!!!
For those who «think» they are sneaky and don’t get the reservation time they want and show up with half of their party: YOUR TABLE IS GOING TO BE GIVEN AWAY. Why should another reservation or guest have to suffer because of you? What makes you more important?! YOU are being SELFISH & RUDE! How if someone did that to you. made you wait an extra 45 minutes before you were sat because their party showed up at their convenience? Yeah I didn’t think you’d like it! Have some RESPECT!
For the whiners who want a quiet or private place. go eat elsewhere, it’s a supper club HELLOOOOOO!
Yes the tables are close but once again «supper club». not «it’s my date and I don’t want anyone to hear me talk»…Whaaaaaaaaaaahhhh. go cry to someone who cares!
Supper clubs are know for their tables to be quaint and close, where people sit to have food/​cocktails, listen music and socialized with their friends they are dining with.
I know social skills and manners are a rarity in the 21^st century but try to make an effort to be aware of reality and others around you. NO ONE CARES HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE. Put the shoe on the other foot and remember Karma has NO EXPIRATION!
MOST IMPORTANTLY. This place is a hidden gem! I am glad not every random knows about it! The best part is that this beautiful establishment isn’t infested with a bunch of tourist with zero manners who stroll into a place with zip ups, hats, jeans, shorts and tennis shoes. Seriously people, dress accordingly to a nice restaurant. It disturbs the groove, the vibe and ambience of the restaurant. It’s so tacky. AND YES TAKE YOUR HATS OFF! Since when is it okay to wear a hat in a nice restaurant. Who raised you?
Another good fact: This is NOT A PLACE FOR CHILDREN! So please leave them at home for the love of GOD. and yes I have children who are extremely well behaved and seasoned to dine out but yet this is NOT the place for them. If you are offended by this: get over yourselves!
Every time I have dined here I have seen every single staff person in this restaurant trying to do the best they possibly can to make sure guests are having a great night with the people they came with (like taking 10 photos when they are busy as hell) and making sure all of the guests are properly taken care of throughout the entire time they are giving their service.
What makes me cringe is that, in the 21^st Century, using being NOT FROM THE USA OR CALIFORNIA to not to leave a proper 18%-25% tip as an excuse is basically A LIE and UNACCEPTABLE! If you have never worked in a restaurant you have no say?! ZERO!
FYI: the money left for the server goes to the busser, the bar, the hostess, the people who bring the food out and the people in the kitchen, so don’t think it all goes to the server. every single person in any restaurant gets paid minimum wage and lives on their tips. Yes that means no tip equals no food to feed their family, clothe children or pay rent.
On that note I leave you hopefully educated and little less entitle

Crazy good. OMG Fabulous dinner. Great service. Yeah AJ. Terrific ambiance. We are planning our next trip back.

BIX was just okay, the tables are way too close together so this is not a private place. A waiter knocked into my purse that was hanging off my chair, he apologized and encouraged me to «go check it in». My purse? With my wallet, cash, credit cards, etc? WTF? No thank you.
About half way through my glass of wine, I felt a sharp edge, there was a huge crack in the glass rim. I told the waitress and she dumped my remaining wine in a new glass, that was it. The support staff took my girlfriends plate while I was still eating, numerous employees were eyeballing our plates at all times, are you done yet, are you done yet, are you done yet, are you done now?
I would go back to BIX for a drink at the bar, but that would be it. The food was good, the bathrooms were very clean and the live music was delightful.

Came here for a romantic night out with a recent person I was dating. We had a fantastic time. The first thing you notice is that it is on a random, unassuming ally which gives it a cool mystique.
The ambiance is romantic and chill. Has a vintage and vibe without being too stuffy or pretentious. maybe 60% of the men were wearing a suit or sport coat. Others collared shirts and sweaters or something to that degree.
I looked at the menu ahead of time and was not too impressed because there was almost nothing vegetarian. It really is much note omnivore friendly, so I would sincerely recommend looking at the menu if steak is your thing. The steak tartare. It looked fantastic.
When the waitress came over (who was amazing) she said there were several veg options they could make. We ordered a few apps and drinks. The drinks were good but not amazing. The food was fantastic. Definitely did not disappoint. We said what the hell and got two desserts as well and again, fantastic.
The only bummer was the pianist was not there that night. That really would have made it perfect.

I really really enjoyed my meal here. It’s off the main road in an alley, but the inside is spacious with a great dark and lively atmosphere. We were there for my grandmother’s birthday — they had a table of 12, and we were placed next to them at a table of 4 since we were added on. They could’ve made a bigger table, but then everyone would have to do the prix fixe menu.
The food and service was spectacular. We started with the potato pillows and crab rolls which were delicious. Then we got a dozen oysters — 2 types split even. For entrees, I had the lobster spaghetti which was good but a little small for the price I was paying. My family members had the sea bass and pork chop which were very good as well.
Would definitely return! Highly satisfied with my experience.

How do I love thee, Bix? Let me count the ways.
I love thee for the secret alleyway
I love thee for the service beyond compare
I love thee for the cooking. Ah, the cooking.
I love thee… okay, enough of that.
Ever have a love affair with a restaurant? Pour moi, it all started with Mark Stock’s painting — The Butler in Love — that hangs over the piano next to the bar. And it continues every time I set foot in Bix and order a vodka martini…

BF and I came here for our anniversary, and we had a PHENOMENAL meal. The highlights of the meal were the foie gras, which was absolutely heavenly, and the lamb, which was so tender you didn’t need a knife to cut it off the bone. I also really enjoyed the steak tartare — the flavor was pretty subtle, but so tasty.
I would pass on the bone marrow next time — it was a bit too oily for my taste.
The busboys were awesome — so polite, constantly refilling our water and clearing plates. Our waiter (though polite) could have been more attentive — service was by no means bad though.
Bonus touches were the warm bread they bring you and the fact that they kept telling us Happy Anniversary! They even gave us a card! Also, there was complimentary coat check, and we were seated nearly a half hour early for our reservation.
I would come back to Bix in a heartbeat!

When the roommate’s in SF, we normally keep it simple and get delivery or takeout. Last Tuesday, November 3^rd, the roommate realized we hadn’t gone out for dinner in a while and told me to pick a restaurant. Scrolling through OpenTable (
), I saw an opening for Bix at 6pm and decided to take it. I’ve had it bookmarked forever. Plus, I’ve never had any luck making same day reservations for a 6pm dinner, so I thought it was meant to be.
Drinks:
*PERFECT MANHATTAN: George Dickel Rye, Dolin Dry & Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouths Bitters ($ 13)
*2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Duckhorn, Napa Valley, CA ($ 15)
*2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Pied à Terre, Sonoma County, CA ($ 18)
Their cocktails are delish. I definitely enjoyed my Manhattan. The wines by the glass are a little pricey in my opinion. I thought they should have offered some glasses priced closer to $ 10. There were a few, but no Sauvignon Blancs or Cabs in that price range. I picked the cheapest ones.
Food:
*Dungeness Crab Rolls: Meyer Lemon Aioli ($ 18)
*Deviled Eggs: Truffles, Radish ($ 12)
*Foie Gras Torchon: Pears, Walnut and Pear Coulis, Candied Walnuts ($ 23)
*Marrow Bones: Parsley & Shallot Salad, Grilled Durum Batard ($ 18)
*Compart Farms Pork Chop: Warm Autumn Salad, Squash, Radicchio, Apples, Maitake Mushrooms, Pomegranate Vinaigrette ($ 29)
*Black Truffle Cheese Burger: On Rye with Truffle Fries, served open-​faced ($ 28)
*Bananas Foster: Dark Rum & Vanilla Ice Cream ($ 10)
My favorite dish was the bone marrow. Three very generous bone halves filled with rich fatty marrow. Yum! The crab rolls and deviled eggs were good small bites to start off our meal. My coworker raves about the truffle burger and the bananas foster. I thought they were good, but not mind blowing. I ordered the burger medium rare which was a mistake on my part. I should have asked for it medium as the flavors and textures would have melded together better. The bananas foster was just eh in my opinion. I’m not a huge fan of melting ice cream, but I liked the bananas and rum sauce. I didn’t eat much of the duck, but the roommate finished the whole dish. The one thing that was disappointing was the torchon. It didn’t have much of the decadent foie flavor that I love.
I didn’t really notice anything off about service, but the roommate mentioned that our server wasn’t very attentive. Our water glasses were empty most of the night and plates took a while to be cleared. When I mentioned we’re in a drought, he said he saw the older couple next to us getting water refills and plates cleared promptly all night long. Yes, there was a lag in between courses for us, but I didn’t really mind. We did have an incredibly long dinner though.
After spending a little over $ 200 on dinner for two before tax and tip, I wanted the food to better. Overall, everything was just okay. Glad I finally tried Bix, but other than checking a restaurant off my list, I didn’t really walk away with much.

Fantastic place — quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in SF.
My faves:
Steak tartare — just like what I used to have in Paris. Phenomenal balance of flavor and great quality meat. I try to get this each time when I am here.
Lobster spaghetti — I was a bit hesitant given the I have always thought of the restaurant to be more meat heavy but this seafood pasta is perfectly cooked. The pasta al dente. The lobster In the just the right sizes without being over cooked. The tomato bursting with flavor without garlic overwhelming the dish which often happens in NY traditional Italian places.
This place also had a great list of wine by the glass. I had a glass of graves (white Bordeaux) and Pinot Gris from willamette valley and they never disappoint.

For those who may not know ‘Bix’ takes its name from the nickname of its proprietor, Doug Biederbeck, who took the moniker ‘Bix’ from the legendary jazz cornetist Leon Bismark «Bix» Beiderbecke, a contemporary of Louis Armstrong. That era and jazz are foundations of Bix, and a big part of what makes the restaurant a San Francisco treasure.
Just walking in hearkens to a supper club experience from the 30’s and 40’s — you enter from an alley tucked away in the Jackson Square historic district, once inside the rich interior makes you feel like Bogie will be sitting at a corner table all tux-​ed out and running the show. The bartenders know classic cocktails and serve them — along with copious knowledge and a few jokes — while donned in classic white bartender jackets from behind a huge (read ‘real’) bar. For a treat try a Boxcar — a scotch-​based drink made with honey and smoked ice…
The bar is also one of the best bars/​counters in town at which to have dinner, for which I always start with the Deviled Eggs with Truffle. Tough to beat shaved truffle on anything but on these deviled eggs it is especially a treat. I have friends who swear by their pork chop, but I am a bigger fan of their duck — served with duck sausage, greens, relish, and a wine reduction. The lobster spaghetti is amazing as well; you really can’t go wrong with anything on their menu.
Bix is also a prime «A» date /​night-​out place, if that’s your plan be sure to ask for a booth upstairs when you make your reservation. And try to make it on a night when jazz legend Mary Stallings is performing there, which she does now often — hearing her at all is a thrill, at Bix it is magic…
Don’t let the fact that this place has been around so long — and has been so well received — dampen your ‘cool meter.’ Bix is a unique SF experience that hearkens back to another time on many levels: environment, ambiance, food, and service. Bix is «all that»…

This is a very good restaurant.
If the bartender was a little more chatty and pleasant I would have given them 5 stars.
The food was excellent, I started with the foie gras and it was delicious. We moved to the bone marrow and that was equally as good. We ended with the meatballs as an appetizer and they were fantastic. We skip the salads and went right to the main course and I got the lobster spaghetti which I ate every bite, which is rare, and my buddy got the duck breast which was equally as good. We finished with the desserts which were fairly good

Tucked away in an unassuming alley, BIX is an impressive restaurant in a beautiful space with high ceilings, live piano music, and a classy old school vibe. Don’t eat too much of the delicious warm bread and order the amazing foie gras and truffled deviled eggs as appetizers.
The salmon entrée is also must-​try, cooked perfectly melt-​in-​your mouth medium-​rare while nice and crispy on the outside – pairs well with the Duckhorn sauvignon blanc.
I would avoid the rather bland lobster spaghetti entirely – there are definitely better entrees, like the burger and the sea bass special.
Try the raspberry parfait for dessert!

Bix was one of those restaurants that have been in my bookmarks forever where I didn’t feel the need or want to try right away. And… I was right. I wasn’t missing out for not trying Bix any earlier. The food was just OK, in my opinion. My friends and I came here on a Sunday night with reservations. And surprisingly when we had arrived, the restaurant wasn’t even that full to be needing reservations.
Food–
Foie Gras Torchon — Very tasty and smooth. Went perfect with the toasted bread. Probably my favorite dish of the night.
Potato Pillows — Pretty disappointed as it was nothing special. Bite size portions. It reminded me of the small hash browns that you can get from Burger King’s breakfast menu, except it has caviar on top.
Duck Breast — Not the best duck breast I’ve had, but it was still delicious. It was pretty tender and the flavor was just right. I wished the skin was just a bit crispier though.
Warm Chocolate Cookies with Whiskey Cream — These cookies came out fast after we ordered. A bit sweet with a hint of whiskey taste. Not too memorable, in my opinion.

After I finished grad school a few years ago, I built a strong network of grad school friends. We promised to meet at least once a month to catch up on our lives, careers etc. For the first year, we did pretty well and kept that promise. Then our lives took over and one of us moved further down the Peninsula. So this once a month affair turned into a once year affair with all of the changes that happened in our lives.
After settling on a date and time, I checked out our options and decided to go for Bix. I’ve had Bix on my radar for years and for some reason never had the chance to make reservations until recently. I was excited. This place has been raved about from many of my friends and I’ve read several articles about it. It’s been in the SF restaurant industry for quite some time.
The place has an old school club vibe to it. Not too stuffy and the service was amazing. Our waiter was wonderful and he never skipped a beat. I ordered a bellini (get it — it’s delicious!) and we shared the following dishes:
fried chicken (lite crispy bites of fried chicken — my friends loved it)
burrata with tomatoes (they dress it at your table; my expectations of this were high so I thought it could be better but definitely still good)
ceasar salad (it was ok)
spaghetti with lobster (delicious!)
For dessert, we ordered the bananas foster and another dish. Definitely get the bananas foster! It’s sweet but delicious. We all loved it.
It can get a bit loud in there so if you want a quieter area, request the upstairs. I will definitely be back for drinks and happy hour soon. This can be a nice place for a date or a business dinner.