Mecca

CLOSED???
Although u can make reservations online (**update: they just disconnected it now**), and both their website and phone # still work, the doors at Mecca are locked. No posted signs, no employees, no explanation.
This trendy and noisy bar/​restaurant was a choice destination in the past. Then a fire forced it to be closed for several months in 2007. Shortly after the repairs and remodel, chef Randy Lewis left at end of 2007. In my opinion, the food went downhill from that point on, compared to the past.

Sultry air, slick design, and even better food; MECCA is a panacea of energy. The massive oval bar at Mecca stands as the focal point of the dining room. With four distinct dining areas the design is industrial with elegant additions such as chandeliers, dim lighting, and über modern aesthetic.
A night at MECCA should not begin with out a stop at the bar. The bar has a plethora of delectable signature cocktails with even more delicious bartenders. Be sure to order a Bloody Bellini which is a sweet peach purée that is chilled, blended to perfection, dashed with Chambord, and garnished with a mint leaf. This drink is a true work of art. The fun doesn’t stop at the Bellini. Patrons can arrive between 5pm-​7pm and enjoy the complete cocktail list for $ 7 dollars and partake of dollar oysters. This «happy hour,» stays true to the vices of what MECCA has been about for over a decade. Fun. If you feel like getting gushy with your partner make your way into the lounge where you can duck into the dimly lit alcove with plush, welcoming seating to lock some lips and get cozy.
Pair you cocktails with the French fries. I assure you this is not a joke. Chef prepares his fresh fries with crisp rosemary, shaved pecorino and a dash of ever decadent truffle oil. Delicious!
Once you make your way to one of the four dining rooms (request the forties, these are large private booths with oversized mirrors where you can perch and watch the happenings.) prepare yourself for an adventurous dining experience. The service is friendly, flirtatious and fun. While MECCA maintains it creditability with servers being able to eloquently explain and define Executive Chef Moises Sikaffy’s latest creations the service never feels stuffy or pretentious which is just how we like it.
Chef Sikaffy’s menu doesn’t miss a beat. Comprehensive and compelling there is a dish to delight even the pickiest of boyfriends here. Some of my favorites include:
Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Caramelized Peaches, Blueberry Sauce & Crème Fraiche. 17
Dungeness Crab «Tart»
Cucumbers, Cilantro and Broken Cumin Vinaigrette. 12
Spiced Ahi Tuna
Lentil Du Puy, Cumin scented Carrots, Lemon Confit and
Mint Oil. 26
Creekstone Angus Filet Mignon
Roasted Bone Marrow, Potato Gratin, Wild Roasted Mushrooms & Foie Gras Sauce. 32
Macaroni and Cheese
Gruyére, White Cheddar and Pecorino Cheeses.
Tossed with Homemade Mushroom Bread Crumbs. 9
Be sure to make your way to MECCA. It’s an urban dining adventure like no other. The fused experience of fine dining with a night vibe feel make MECCA a must see. MECCA is a great way to entertain out of town guests looking for a dining experience outside the box. Fun flirty service is paired with dishes warranting nothing less than your full attention. Come in for the adventure and stay for the fun!

delicious tar tar
best cocktails by far
dark little den
for the a list lesbian
prices make me nervous
but pay for the service

I have long been a fan of Mecca. As soon as I close the door behind me I feel as if I am in a sexy lounge/​bar in NYC. I love the spacious round bar and the long candles on the table.
The food is pretty good and their wine list is decent. I’ve always dined at the bar and service has been excellent.
Was there again last night and they were passing out Kobe Beef sliders… sweet.

Went here for Ladies night– I think on a Thursday and had dinner beforehand. Dinner was pretty good but the whole entire time I was ultra paranoid because 10 minutes before our dishes came out — the people seated ahead of us left because there was a roach on their seat… Gross… I was looking all around the whole time…
As for the Ladies part… we met some very friendly women who told us some restaurants to check out during the stay and a couple of girls afterward but it wasn’t much fun… Most of the crowd was older and stand-offish…I am not once for the lesbian scene anyway, but I was disappointed overall in the lack of choices in SF.

Mecca… how do I describe it…
Hm. Swanky. Not too full. Kind of nondescript.
Yeah. I don’t know. Drop in, but don’t stay long. It’s not that exciting.

Castro’s Roach Coach.
If I could sum up our dining experience last night at Mecca in just one word, it would be… COCKROACH.
I was very excited to have dinner at Mecca since I have never dined here before and I have been wanting to try the experience. We were there early and so we grabbed cocktails at their lovely bar, which is the focal point of the restaurant. Afterward, they seated us in a dark corner booth. They had to give us extra votive candles because we could not read the menu. While we were cheerfully exchanging stories and catching up, something fell on my partner’s head. We thought it was condensate from the air conditioning but surprisingly my partner’s head or the table did not feel wet. We just brushed it off like it was nothing but soon that nothing revealed itself and the revelation was absolutely repugnant. I guess this part of the Castro was not totally bug-​free.
It was probably the poor (or the absolute lack of) lighting in our table since critters love to thrive in dark places. Mecca was very sympathetic and apologetic and they quickly reseated us. It just took only a few moments since there were a lot of empty tables (even on a Saturday night!) The food and service were good but not excellent. I had tomato soup and lamb, which were tasty but not outstanding. If t weren’t for the booze and the great company, our evening would have been completely damaged.
Mecca offered us a complimentary round of booze to make up for that huge fiasco. It was like free alcohol to disinfect us from the roaches. It was nice but seriously, I don’t think this place could ever redeem itself. I’m sending them a year-​supply of Raid. Or maybe they wouldn’t even survive a year.

Mecca was quite empty when I returned in the last few months, but quite a nice change. The personal attention was fabulous, and every course was delicious. The menu may have changed by now, but I highly recommend the salad with blueberries and brie cheese as an appetizer. When I asked the waiter about the vegetarian choices, the chef conveyed the message for me to «pick a region.» (LOVED THAT!!!). I had a delicious vegetarian meal with portabella mushrooms, feta cheese, and seasonal veggies. For dessert we chose the goat-​cheesecake, which was one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever tried.

My Lesbian Break-​Up With MECCA
Me: What about last week? Everything seemed so good last week…
Mecca: Are you still talking? I’m busy. You’ll have to wait for 20 minutes before I take your dessert order. And what do you mean you wanted that glass of wine WITH your entrée? Who’s got time for that?
Me: I thought things would be different this time. You were consistent there for a while. And I really like your food.
Mecca: Let’s just have sex.
Me: OK but then what about afterwards?
Mecca: You’re still not getting your dessert. And I’m giving you a really short pour on that $ 16 glass of dessert wine — like less than a shot. Deal with it.
Me: I think it might really be over this time. Can I just get the check, please? I really really have to get out of here.

I DIDNT KNOW WE HAD TO BE HOMOSEXUAL.
So i was just getting familiarized with everything. My friend from Seattle flew in and we did some restaurant hopping that weekend. We found ourselves here because she heard this place was a place to try. We walked in and everyone seemed «older and professional». We looked down and we’re in street clothes. So we went to the bar and grabbed a martini. Something about that martini was sexie, it just was, don’t ask. Then we started to see groups of professional women and professional men at tables, more groups of women then men. Then alot of them started looking at my friend up and down. And we were thinking «why are older professional looking women in business suites starring». Being oblivious to everything we still minded our business. We knew this is SF, gay captial and to expect gays everywhere. No biggy. But my homegirl’s not from SF so she’s not use to it.
But then we both looked around. and we started to notice that everyone was gay or lesbian. And we look at each other and say «wait, are we in a gay restaurant?» I’m open-​minded, so i’m like i think so. Then we see some women getting closer and closer to my friend. Kind of aggressive and you’d think professional women would be professional. My friend started to get weirded out. She doesn’t mind being in a gay venue but when they start macking it was time to go.
As we left we started chuckling… no wonder why everyone was starring at us? We must have been fresh meat to them.

Cheyenne was feeling creative.
It was Tuesday, relatively early, and he was displaying a generosity of spirit and creative flair in mixing drinks that I have rarely been party to, even in this town.
That might or might not have had something to do with the fact that we were about the only people bellied up to Mecca’s beautiful, curvy bar. But I doubt it. The staff has been great every one of the half-​dozen or so times I’ve been here, and both food and cocktails have been on a par with the pleasant, clean décor.
We stayed for several drinks, then migrated with another couple to a table for dinner. Cheyenne kept sending over phenomenal cocktails while we waited for our entrees. Like a blueberry Mojito.
Yeah, you read that right. And and from a non-​fancy drink-​swilling guy, I will tell you this: it was fucken-​A good.
I have to remember to ask bartenders to make recommendations more often.

3 stars for the food and plus 1 star for their bathrooms. They were sweet… lol. Seriously. I don’t generally say bathrooms have ambiance… because they generally don’t…but this one does. Candles and everything.
Food was ok, good fries, great asparagus, and the hanger steak was tasty. I’m not so sure about the bar. They have a good wine list but I ordered a mint julep (no I don’t know why I did either) and I have to say there was more produce in that drink then there was liquid. It was like drinking a salad. Very bizarre.
Overall ambinace is swanky. You feel like you are in a very nice place… because you are. Definitely fun to come to.

The food is delicious (although very pricey), the service friendly, the owner is nice, and the restaurant is beautifully decorated… so why don’t I like this place more?!!
Simply put, the crowd that goes here, especially on Thursday nights: Drunk yuppies and guppies, intent on making the scene and splashing their cash and platinum credit cards around while acting as rude as drunk frat boys really demean Mecca and make it hard to want to come here for happy hour or a nice, relaxed meal.
Especially on Thursday nights, there’s an overwhelmingly negative, bitchy vibe and you very quickly get the feeling that you’re not welcome unless you’re in a business suit, a power lesbian with a lot of money to splash around. As someone who doesn’t drink alcohol and is therefore sober during her jaunts to Mecca, it’s hard to relax and enjoy the delicious deep fried mac’n’cheese, Spanish flat bread with quince jam, or fish entrée while sipping my decaf mocha when there are drunken, ill-​mannered suit-​wearing women with black-​rimmed glasses bumping into my table, giving me the evil eye for having that table in the first place, or generally making it damn near impossible to navigate my way to the bathroom through the crowd. I love women’s clubs and scene as much as the next girl, but it’s hard to enjoy a scenester environment like this one.
And even on nights other than Thursdays, I find the scene here unfriendly, overly crowded and unaccomodating, and generally overwhelming.
The mixed drinks are pricey and inconsistent: sometimes I’ve gotten one expertly mixed and worth the $ 10 price tag… but other times it’s watery or bitter, and delivered 20 minutes late.
VALET SERVICE: use this at your own risk!!! The valet once got a ticket on my car while it was in their care, and I had to chase them down for a month to get them to properly pay it!!! What an annoyance! I no longer bother with the valet service.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY: Technically this restaurant is fully accessible… but with the uncooperative crowds and ill-​tempered promoter of Thursday night’s women’s night not understanding why you bothered coming to HER event in your chair, this place might as well not be accessible at all, as it’s very hard to be heard or respected by the throngs of loud, drunk people circling the bar and not moving when you ask them to let you through. I’d go here on a less-​crowded night if you decide to go at all. The staff WILL be very accomodating to wheelchairs, though, and try their best, despite the uncooperative customers with whom they must contend.
This restaurant has so much potential, but at the end of the day, it demeans itself by trying so hard to be everything at once: a nightclub, a high end restaurant, a drag bar, a lesbian hang-​out spot, a working-​dinner joint, and a social center… or mecca, if you will.
I would like Mecca better if it focused on any one of these hats and wore it well, but altogether it’s just too much. I wind up going home stressed out, spending more than I felt my dinner warranted, and needing a vacation.
Still, I have to give Mecca three stars because:
1. The owner and staff are all very nice.
2. The food is really delicious, even if a little bit overpriced.
3. The bathroom is clean and gorgeous… who knew a ladies room could be so enticing!!!

Ok — I don’t want to be that girl — that obnoxious Unilocal girl that only pops up when she has something crappy to say but its got to be done.
I was SO disappointed with this restaurant. The man friend wanted to go here for his birthday and I happy to oblige made the reservation. Its more than possible that my negative reaction to this spot was intensified by how badly I wanted it to be perfect.
Our waitress comes to the table and before even being asked she goes through the entire menu and points out «her favorites» which include, the macaroni and cheese, the fried calamari, the sliders and the pasta. Instantly I was afraid. Its never good when the waitress’s «favorites» are the bar standards at an overpriced restaurant.
So anyway we ordered drinks — they were all right but shoddily balanced for $ 10 — 12 each. I want my $ 12 Manhattan to be perfect.
Then the oysters — perfect. I love oysters. nice mignonette. great
1^st course a Cesar salad and a lobster salad. The lobster was perfect — no small feat — the Cesar (i never order Cesar salad but in the effort of having a balanced meal i wanted to throw some vegetables in the mix and it was my only option) It tasted like Newman’s own dressing dousing some less than crisp lettuce.
Entre: Filet Mignon — med rare — it was tough and dry much like not a Filet Mignon at all — much more like out back steakhouse. And I’m totally down for outback steakhouse — if I’m at outback steakhouse — and being charged outback steakhouse prices.
Finally the last nail in the coffin: the dessert menu. Every Dessert was heavy cream which was an incredible bummer for my lactose intolerant birthday boy. Their options: profiteroles, panna cotta and cheesecake — I tried the profiteroles he got sorbet. They were stale — so stale that the dough was mealy crusty and any other adjective that could turn into an evil clowns name. I SENT THEM BACK — have you ever heard of someone returning a dessert? Desserts are heaven. Women pine for desserts covered in chocolate sauce.
So sad. For over 200 bucks we could have gone to Boulevard or Kokari and had a phenomenal meal with exquisite service. Instead we got burned.
sad sad sad

2.5. Good drinks, good vibe. Skip the food. Keep sticking to the drinks.
Chilled Goose straight-​up, please. Yes, another one. Sheesh.

Want to feel cool? Are you queer but not quite into the almost-​fifty Thursday «Ladies night» Mecca thing? Go for dinner. It’s an über cool feeling to sit at a table and scan the crowd… So THIS is what it feels like to be a gay male in the crowded Gold’s gym in the Castro! I’ve always wondered! :) It’s great seating, not really expensive and allows you to relax when it gets super crowded. The crowd also gets younger as the night gets older. ;)
And, you’re probably wondering, what else, besides the seats, is good.
Well, I’ll tell you. In my oh-​so-​not-​humble-​opinion.
Cliff Notes Version:
Drinks: A+
People watching: A+
Atmosphere: A+
Savories: B
Desserts: B– (great presentation paired with eccentric tastes)
Service: Usually an A, tonight a C+
Book Version: ;)
1. The drinks ROCK. Yes, they’re expensive. Most are $ 10, though they do have daily drink specials that start around $ 7. Yes, they’re small. But, they’re delicious and beautiful. Rock star good. Goes with the seating.
2. The savory food is variable with good-​sized portions and moderate prices. Mecca used to be über-​foodie (think: steaks the size of quarters and «salad» the size of yogurt containers– but with amazing flavors and astronomical prices). They changed chefs about a year or so ago, and now it’s more like good food, with BIG portions, and moderate prices.
I’ve tried only a few things on the menu, but everything is solidly good, just not great. They have things split up between cold and hot, small and large plates.
The mixed green salad with goat cheese, asian pears and vanilla vinaigrette was okay — overdressed in dressing and the pears were soft not crisp as I’d expect, but it was beautifully presented, and large enough for dinner. Their rolls, which accompany all dinners, are delicious — chewy, and served with an herbed butter. They have a daily flatbread pizza special. Ours was manchego cheese with canadian ham and, get this: an especially delicious ingredient: Quince Jam. Really delicious! Sweet and salty, a little greasy.
They also have macaroni and cheese — but it’s mac and cheese croquettes. Like french fries, the mac and cheese is fried up in odd triangles with cheese fondue dipping sauce. It was interesting (not really my thing), but perfect for the cheese and fried food lover, or if you manage to acquire a hangover while still in the restaurant!
3. The desserts are strange concoctions, perhaps saved from the old days of Mecca of small bites and super-​foodie flavors. We got a round of 4 desserts, so I think I have a good sense of them:
* A small chocolate cake (baked to order), with a delectable molten lava interior. But, this was destroyed by the salted pecan ice cream and olive oil accompanying it. Ewww! I’m not foodie-​enough for the creation of what could best be described as a moule dessert. It was not good. For me. Perhaps you — out there — foodies who frequent that lovely chocolate store, Bittersweet (where they have delicious offerings, and not so delicious ones like the lavender chocolate sea salt), might appreciate this more.
* PB& J – I was amazed, surprised, shocked! that this was my favorite: layers of light blueberry jam, swirling peanut butter, and fluffy milk ice cream. Really light and lovely. A sandwich dessert without the bread. Odd and enticing.
* Tiramisu mousse — frothy and hot, served in a large coffee cup — also made to order. Unusual and tasty.
* An extra thin Rhubarb crêpe which was okay. Not enough Rhubarb for me. And, I was left wanting more.
They also have a list of ports and dessert wines, and cheese, (not to mention a cheesecake we didn’t try).
4. The service was attentive, though our waiter was pushy, asking us to buy more and more wine and drinks (for 6, our bill was over $ 300, mostly made up of drinks, so I guess you can tell we were persuaded). He also suggested, when I was only going to get a salad, that I order pizza to «share among your friends.» My friends and I shared that pizza, and it was damn good pizza, but I still didn’t like how presumptuous our waiter was in what is supposed to be an elegant atmosphere. Manners aside, he got us our drinks and dinner in a reasonable amount of time. I’d give him a C+. Other servers, hosts, and bartenders, however, are really nice — not snobby or pushy at all — and I’ve had really good experiences with them at Mecca.
5. As mentioned above, the seating, and décor is classy, old school, in a way and chic. It’s a sumptuous place to take out of town guests, enjoy a drink after work, or attend Betty’s Ladies Night on Thursdays — even if don’t consider yourself a lady or are under 50.

I first visited Mecca in 2000 and have been there a couple of times since then. Most recently, the past Sunday night. I went in expecting to try out their featured «Southern Sunday Supper», a three course menu at $ 29.95 that’s featured on their website. When asking the waiter if they were offering this, he said no.
As I perused over the menu, I recall thinking, «Gosh, did they raise their prices?» And then I remembered, the last couple of times I enjoyed their happy hour specials, especially their $ 1 oysters! (Loving it!) So, with the main courses ranging in the $ 25-​$ 30 range, I had to be selective.
I chose the lamb, my friend chose the duck, and my other dining companion opted for the asparagus salad. The bread that arrived came out piping hot with some lovely butter spread. I love hot bread, and it was very crusty and I loved hearing that crunch.
Drinks…my friend had the Peach Bellini, which reminded me of a fuzzy navel, except blended and classier. I had the Blackberry Crush ($ 10) which was not bad, but not worth the price. When we also requested water, the waiter offered sparkling or still. We chose still, often forgetting that tap is always an option. A bottle of the fancy BOSS water arrived, and to be honest, it all tastes the same to me.
The presentation of the food was lovely, what you would expect of a high end restaurant. The waiter described what was on our plate in detail and it was luxurious. Portions are small, but quality is high. My lamb was lovely, complemented by the eggplant purée and the tomato. I had a combination of textures on my plate, from the fattiness of the lamb to the crispiness of the outer part. My friend’s asparagus salad had an interesting soft-​boiled egg resting on his brioche.
We decided to pass on dessert this time as we were headed onward. Perhaps it would be nice to come by for dessert only the next time?
The exterior of Mecca can be quite mysterious. You would think you were walking into a nightclub with the valet parking and dark windows. However, with the chandeliers, the high ceilings around part of the restaurant, and the curtains, you feel like it’s a theatre.
Overall, our bill came out to be about $ 130 for three, including tax and tip. That includes two cocktails, 2 soft drinks, 2 entrees, and a salad. I gave Mecca 4 stars because the food and presentation is lovely when you know what you’re getting. The ambiance is nice — it’s not too quiet where you feel it’s inappropriate to talk and not overly loud where you have to shout. I would save this place for a special occasion unless I was coming for happy hour.
Side note: I love the bathrooms. They are dimly lit and remind me of something naughty that could happen in there.
And what’s with their new business cards? How boring is that? Bring back those classic black ones with the letters M E C C A on the front.

The portions were small but the food was delicious. The restaurant was upbeat which I liked. This place is a bit on the pricey side, but if money is like water to you, then I say go ahead and try this place. Everything tasted great.
Definitely order the MECCA Fries! JONASAPPROVED!

Service: A
Food: A+
Décor: A–
Dessert: A
The brunch prix fix menu was a bang for your buck. For 25 dollars, I got the Oyster Rockefeller, Filet Mignon Benedict, and Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake. Everything was flawless. In addition, we ordered the kumamoto oyster which validates the hypothesis that «size does not matter». They are smaller than the typical oysters but the buttery sweet taste was unbeatable by any other oysters that I tried in SF. Mango mimosha was very creative and refreshing too.
In a nutshell, for a preview of the excellent food in Mecca, come try the Sunday’s brunch. The fresh kumamoto is a must!

Reminded me of Frisson with its playful high-​design interior. Admittedly a very cool looking restaurant, but time spent on décor is time not spent on food. Tuna appetizer and salmon entrée (see photo) were just ok.