Chez Julien

Chez Julien is a quick, affordable and satisfying option for lunch in the FiDi. There is never a long line! The food tastes like it was made by a friend who is good at cooking. The majority of the items on the menu has simple ingredients that are always fresh. They also serve breakfast all day.
I recommend the **smoked chicken salad sandwich** and their **latte** is surprisingly very good too.
There is a $ 1 off soup of the day coupon if you check in on Unilocal

I really love this little place. The breakfast sandwiches are delicious. I have only come here for breakfast, but I hear good things about their lunch. It’s also very clean and pleasant to sit and enjoy your food.
The staff are all really nice as well. The owner is always popping out of the kitchen to offer a taste of his latest soup creation.

The Tuna Sandwish is a killer! Everything taste fresh and these Frenchies are super nice. Really liked it!

Chez Julien is 3.5 stars for me but I am rounding up to 4 to support small local business. The food is good and simple — soups, salads and sandwiches, and the place is clean. I had a tuna sandwich which was recommended by the staff member — it’s on the specials board. It didn’t taste extraordinary or special to me and it was a special. At least I didn’t get sick from it and it filled me up so no complaints. Staff is friendly. It’s reasonable and nice to add to the lunch rotation, but not in my top 10 SF lunch spots.

I eat here 2 – 3 times a week and everything is outstanding from the soups, salads, sandwiches, breakfast burritos etc. I’ve never had anything I didn’t love– all the staff is extremely friendly as well and food comes quickly!

Small little cute french café in the financial district. This place is right next to my work so super convenient to grab a quick breakfast + quick bite. They have a lot of different kinds of sandwiches (cold/​hot), soups, salads (premade or DIY), and small pastries/​drinks.
Sandwiches, my favorite is the kimchee one, I like a little kick of asian :) Soups I would say their carrot curry or tomato bisque is pretty good. I enjoy their breakfast the most! Their eggs are cooked super fluffy and smooth. You can eat a cup/​bowl of eggs and can add avocado or salmon so forth. Went with my boss today, and I got the breakfast burrito (something new on the menu) with pesto, it has a good amount pesto, sausage, salsa, jalapeños, cheese and eggs. My boss got the egg and cheese croissant and enjoyed it also. High quality and fresh ingredient, recommend!

Chicken Pozole soup was delish!
I took away 1 star because it could have been lighter on the salt and i wish the bread was free with the soup.
Price is great considering its in the heart of fidi.
Definitely going back!

You have to try this place and trust me you will become a regular! The salmon chowder and the chipotle chicken sandwich is my favorite.

This place gets a big thumbs up! I was craving soup, and since the soup company has closed down, choices have been slim to none unless microwavable soup that you can get from Target across the street is your jam.
I came in because they had tomato soup — fairly simple. When I got in, I was surprised that they had so many choices. The place was really nice and clean and there were a few tables to dine in and it was spacious — No over crowding of tables you can barely walk between like it was the lunch room back in grade school.
The cashier was very helpful since it was my first time there, and he explained to me their choices, so I figure, what the hell, let’s try the quiche with that soup.
I got the vegetarian quiche… DAMN that quiche was good.
First off, it was a very generous amount. The crust was nice and flaky and buttery… MMM… and it came with a side salad. It wasn’t too salty or overly done with cheese (though that’s not always a bad thing hehe). My tomato soup was anything but simple. It was very good and FILLING. It’s definitely not what I expected.
And the best news out of all of this … ALL DAY BREAKFAST. So glad I checked this place out. Next time I’ll be here for the brekki.
…Full stomach at work is a double edged sword. Time to deal with food coma status.

I’m a fan! I come here several times a week for lunch and breakfast and always come away full and happy.
The quick and soup combo is great. They have both a veggie and a meat/​fish quiche each day and delicious soup options like lentil or chicken tortilla soup.
If you go in for breakfast, make sure you grab a coffee cake!

This place is a hidden gem. I work close by and pass this place many of times. Finally came in and I was truly surprised. The food was fresh and the people are warm and friendly, especially Julien. The flavor of the food is delicious. The selection of their sandwiches is wonderful. My boss now comes here daily, to get his salad. Actually, several of my co-​workers come here to get their salad. Salad portion is enough not to make it obscene. Prices are reasonable. Started ordering their sandwiches and they are fresh and big. Hopefully, this place will remain a hidden gem so their prices stay the same.

Place have 19 seats
Majority if not all of the sandwiches are hot
Do offer breakfast fare at a reasonable price
Coffee Roaster … Mr Espresso
Smoked Salmon Sandwich
Special for the day
Still eating

I am French and must sing now…
Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose
When you kiss me, heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose
La vie en rose. Edith Piaf. April in Paris. OK, I’m not French, not even un petit peu, but I can walk across the street and pretend I’m wearing a beret while dangling a no-​filter cigarette in Montmartre. Vous may call me Yves. Jacques would be too bourgeoise, n’est-ce pas? Eight months have elapsed since my initial review of Chez Julien, and true to my boule de cristal, Chez Julien has indeed improved. Vraiment! So what did Julien do to elevate my rating from trois to quatre stars. C’est simple, mon ami. He added a salad station, and le monde est lumineaux. Originally I was disappointed that the sandwiches and salads were pre-​packaged and kept in the refrigerated section where I’m afraid they fossilized from the cold. «Bready» is how I described their sandwiches back then.
However, the café has evolved from its risk-​averse beginning with a greater abundance of fresh ingredients and allowing the customers to decide what they want. Initially, I thought the salad station concept would be frustrating as I had variable experiences at nearby Harvest & Rowe where it started feeling like a Chipotle-​style assembly line. However, I’ve been ordering salads here for the past several weeks, and it never felt like I was being pushed along unnecessarily. And it’s a great deal, just $ 7.50, and you can pick your greens (spinach, arugula, Romaine, kale or mixed), four ingredients, a choice of eight dressings and for an extra $ 2, It’s made in front of you and placed in a fold-​over container for you to go (photo:
).
A cup of soup only costs an additional $ 3.50. Most of them are quite tasty, although the Lentil (photo:
) and Coconut Carrot Curry have stood out for me. It looks like they are making most of the sandwiches upon order now, which is another significant improvement since I now barely look at the refrigerated section unless it’s to get something to drink. Julien used to be cloistered in the kitchen but now takes orders at the counter. He turned out to be quite a nice guy with a good memory for names. The result? I’ve been coming here more often lately especially after colleagues cajoled me to upgrade my rating based on their good experiences. Agreed. It’s gratifying to see a place take stock and elevate its game. So gratifying I must sing now…
And when you speak, angels, sing from above
Everyday words seem
To turn into love songs
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose
FIN
FOOD — 4 stars… the salad station is the clincher that has made this more of an essential lunch stop
AMBIANCE — 3 stars… still limited seating, a few more tables would make it feel like a real French café, n’est-ce pas?
SERVICE — 4.5 stars… much more engaged than the early days, especially the salad makers
TOTAL — 4 stars… Julien, vous êtes le roi de la salade, mon ami

Very sweet little café that you can tell is owned by people who really care about what they are making.
I hear that the sandwiches and the soups are delicious, but my friend and I were feeling «new years healthy» and got the salad from the salad bar. The salad itself was yummy as I was allowed to customize what I wanted.
However, the salad bar experience needs work. Chez Julien please fix it if you want to promote this new idea at your café! It took my friend and I almost 20 minutes to get a salad and we were the only people in line! There are no signs as to how the whole salad bar works… half of the time the server was explaining to me what cost extra, how many things I could get, how much of it i could get… there was a whole explanation with what topping I could get from each row of the shelf… blah. then he had to explain the entire process again to my friend because she was confused as well.
Also, I suggest getting containers that have an opening that faces outward. The salad maker kept having to pull out the multiple containers out of the shelf, put it on the counter, then put it back. If there were jars that faced outward, the salad maker could go up to the shelf with tongs and put desired elements into the mixing bowl without the inconvenience of having to take out and put back containers for each customer.

I have never became so enamored with a breakfast/​lunch establishment since my first weeklong love affair with a Thai restaurant near my first workplace.
Everything that I have tried (through recommendations made by Theresa or Julien himself), have been absolutely gold.
From the Croque Monsieur, with its perfectly toasted bread and melted cheese and ham. To the Kale Potato Soup and its piping hot, perfectly green self, and exactly thick to the way I personally like it. To my new favorite tuna sandwich outside of my own home, the Tuna Tapenade Melt, and how perfectly cooked the tuna (or is it albacore? I like it regardless) is along while complementing the melted cheese and perfectly toasted artisan bread. I love it all.
Thanks to Chez Julien, I have had a fairly good first experience with quiche as well (try the Lorraine, meat lovers). I write «fairly» because I felt the lettuce could have been a little more fresh, but I’m not too picky about that.
I recommended this place to my supervisor and my coworkers, and they’ve had a good experience with their food as well. I’ve talked this place up with my date last weekend as well, and I can’t wait to take her there when we both get a chance on a future weekday.
And perhaps the best part when coming in to this place? The conversations with Theresa and Julien. In a world where we all seem like automated robots, working and going to places with a purpose, it is really nice to step into a place, slow down for a minute or two, and be human for a short while.
J’adore ce restaurant. Beaucoup.

I absolutely looooooooooove how this place looks — the handwritten menu, to the large open space, to the French pictures hanging on the walls, to the vibrant colors!
I ordered the chicken lentil soup which was recommend by two older gentlemen standing in line behind me! :) I had to try it! Plus I am a total SOUP JUNNKIE! Boy were they right! It had great texture and wasn’t watery like most lentil soup that I’ve tried! I will definitely be back for some yummy soup on a cold San Francisco afternoon! There is a lot of talk about their salmon soup and tomato bisque!!! MUST TRY!
The workers are super cool! I was snapchatting the place and one of the workers in front was wondering what I was doing because she looked so confused, and when I assured her that I was just snapchatting, she laughed and said, «oh man that was embarrassing, I should’ve smiled :)» hahah love it!

2 Stars for breakfast but
4 Stars for overall look and feel of space
I normally only Unilocal if:
A: I received outstanding service or product and want the world to know about it
B:Feel cheated or ripped off; receive less than promised
$ 9.00 for a breakfast item is a heavy PP unless your really putting out a great product.
The «Croque Madame» is a highly decedent sandwich with cheese and egg spilling over the top and sides. I expected it to be like an open faced full sandwich, when in reality you served a regular ol’ ham sandwich. Nothing special, nothing unique and certainly not worth $ 9.79.
If your going to compete with the likes of La Boulange who is just a few blocks away you really have to bring your A-​game.
The bread wasn’t a in-​house made texas toast or the famous sourdough from right here in San Francisco. It was just SD and the ham, obviously thin sliced pre-​packaged deli meat. I feel cheated. If it was priced at $ 5 which is what it should be at then I wouldn’t have been overly disappointed but when it comes to my hard earned money, I don’t take these things as lightly.

Definitely worth trying. Good place for a quick lunch before heading on for the rest of your day. I took my girlfriend to the bay for a date and ended up trying this amazing place. I called up my friend to see if he had any recommendations on places try; we wanted something new, something we don’t see in Sacramento or Davis everyday.
When we arrived, I thought the place was really well lit. It’s not too big but it has a relaxing and chill atmosphere to it. I do wish it was a slightly bigger so that I’d be able to bring some of my study materials there !
First time I had French food in the bay and I thought it was pretty damn delicious. My girlfriend had the Smoked salmon aioli and I had the smoked turkey mozzarella pesto. Great smokey taste to the salmon and turkey! Can’t wait to come back to try some of the other stuff that is on the menu!

Time: 12:07pm/74°F sunny
Purpose: Back when it was French Baguette I use to patronize it every week because Mr. Hyunh was so nice hooking me up. Then all of a sudden they’re gone without a word or notice. Left as an orphanage to Vietnamese food I vow to improvise, some how and some way. I’m still looking for close by authentic Vietnamese food within throwing stone of my office.
Ambiance: The exterior is the same while inside remains untouched only a few minor changes. The structure, design and walls remain intact from previous business. The 1’in red/​black tiles are still there not one came off after all these years. There’s no seating outside while inside has a 5 person seater counter style on the left and right along with two tables set up for 3 person seater. Tables are facing Bush street, counter seating facing wall. 4 blackboard menus written in pastel chalk marker. Wheelchair ramp in front with same black railings and a utensil cart right behind it. 2 open air fridge for premade sammies, salads, soup. 1 cold fridge for beverages, 7 tier wooden rack holds up Kettle chips and other snacks. Counter plays hold to fresh fruits, cookies, chips, cookies. Behind counter a Mr. Espresso 2 chamber extractor machine, burr grinder, equipments, sanitary supplies.
Staff: Two ladies both friendly seems very upbeat about their 3 day of opening. Their telltale of up selling was felt throughout my time there. What ever I’m looking at the Asian girl would walk over and explain what each item is. To me this was a bit bothersome as I just want to see things over. Now if I need help I’ll ask, sometimes being too friendly has it downside.
Cleanliness: Grade A, clean enough nothing to say here. I’ll give it a month or two, then I’ll see what else has be done besides today.
Eats/​Drinks: Beets & quinoa salad $ 9. I ended up sharing with a coworker and we both agree it was freshly made. Since it was a Tuesday farmers market at ferry building was open. So coworker came back with some veggies and fruits. We added some cherry tomatoes and other leafy greens including kale to this salad. It was kinda bland without the add on’s. The beets were eaten before salad dressing was added. Olives were perfect slight crunch to them. Red wine vinegrette was a little too sweet and didn’t tasted in house instead bottle. It’s not a bad thing as Newman’s Own also is bottle just hoping it wasn’t a store house brand. Feta cheese tasted off but maybe earlier I chew a piece of mint gum and after spitting out I ate salad after.
Products/​Services: Assorted pastries/​danishes, Croque Madame, Croque Monsieur, European museli, fresh fruit cups, granola & yogurt, soups, quiches, salads, sammies, hot/​cold drinks. $.50 for almond milk or shot of espresso. Menu changes weekly. Grab n go available all day. Mr. Espresso 2 chamber extractor.
Punch Lines: Downtown Fi-​Di, unchanged structure, busy Bush street, stylish, chic, modern, moderate pricing, limited menu items, portions can be better, no signs of sustainable practice, vegan/​vegetarian, home made, some commercial grade items, sammies are worthy, most items made in house daily, 16 seater eatery, wheelchair accessible, public transportation accessible.
Tradeoffs: Another café/​deli in Fi-​Di with claims of homemade, fresh everyday to differentiate itself from nearby competition. If you forget to try it out, you didn’t miss nothing yet.
Final Thoughts: At $ 9 for a premade salad is pricey, IMHO. Let me say it this way, there are better to be had around but by all means with no time or running late go ahead. Pop in and try it out it might eventually work out for you. Most items like Kettle chips and beverages are just basic warehouse buy bulk type. There is a little to a few organic and locally source goods. Now if there were a shop would advertise heavily, being proud of their offering. The ladies were very nice and all and that’s what prompted me to off load another star. Hopefully when they change the weekly menu offerings I’ll get a chance to try something else that I may like.

Late afternoon specials — Buy one get one free! This is unheard of in FiDi, so, it was more like Nab n’ Go, instead of Grab n’ Go.
I bought a salmon salad and turkey pesto sandwich. Both very fresh!
:) The salmon was just a sliver of a piece on top of a lot of greens. The few hints of cherry tomatoes were a good touch and I think the star of the salad was the pesto dressing. 4 STARS
:) Turkey pesto sandwich had really good filling of turkey, brie and pesto. However, the bread was too thick for my taste and I ended up pulling out all the stuffing and shoved it into my salmon salad instead. 4 STARS
Both needed a pinch of salt to bring the pesto out. Otherwise, solid 4 STARS food and solid 5 STARS service. Will go again someday.