Michael Mina

I experienced this place after waiting for a few years for the hype to pass. I fully expected «where’s the beef» portions, but couldn’t be more wrong. A legendary three course meal. I could barely get past the epic tuna first course that was enormous and delish. I would have added avocado though (listen up mike). The Lobster was both creative and decadent. Just as I was ready to slip onto food comatose, a rootbeer float appears ghat would make any 7 year old flip out. The perfect combination of ice cream and soda, smooth and creamy. As if that wasn’t enough, add two full size piping hot cookies on the side.
If you want a creative, tasty and massive portion meal, do Mike’s joint.

Definitely an experience and definitely great.
We arrived for their pre-​theater menu, which is server from 5:30pm — 6pm. While I’d hear that the portions are smaller than from the typical menu, this was still a good amount of food and I was definitely satisfied when my meal was complete.
I started off with their Pork Trio Salad, which was less salad and more appetizer. Included were a slice of prosciutto, fried pig ears and pork belly — all were fatty and fun. The pork belly was probably the best since it was so rich with flavor and had a nice glaze of sweetness to help bring out those flavors.
My main entrée was something I wouldn’t normally order — the Lobster Pot Pie. While it does arrive in an impressive pot/​container, after it’s prepared at your table, it looks like a small portion. It actually ends up being a decent amount of food — it’s a very rich and flavorful dish and you fill up quickly. The flavors all go very well together and, because of its uniqueness, I can understand why it’s a signature dish.
My dessert was a Milk Chocolate Brownie. This was great — almost like a combination of ganache, fudge and brownie all in piece… it is a bit small, but it also arrived with raspberry foam, cherries and a scoop of ice cream. I really enjoyed this… too bad it was a bit on the small side :-(
All in all, this was a very good meal. While I wouldn’t say it was absolutely fantastic, I still really enjoyed it. The service was amazing — friendly and extremely attentive. The ambiance is what you’d expect — elegant, but still comfortable… the interior décor has the pristine and historical architecture from the St. Francis landmark, but is contrasted by the bustling city viewable from the large windows.
The pre-​theater menu was $ 60/​person and well worth it.

Came in before my show @ the Westin St Francis Hotel, figure I wanted some real food instead of rabbit food. Sitting @ the bar without a RSVP is always fun, this time was no different.
I had:
— The oysters with the 3 sauces, it was just perfect in every way! Paired with the Michael Mina Sparkling.
— The the Brandt Farm Prime Rib Eyem Fava Bean Purée, Lobster Mushrooms, oxtail Ragoût, Fried Shallot. Paired with Michael Mina Cabernet by Iron Horse!
— Taylor Fladgate 20 Year-​old Tawny for dessert = delish always!
Just a snack before my fashion show & the service by Kathy & AJ were so much fun. Thanks Jason for the chat.
Looking forward to the Bourbon Steakhouse opens next month & the new Michael Mina moves to former Aqua spot. I will so be there!
Belly happy, it was show time, indeed!

#19 on 100 Things to Eat Before I Die in SF: The lobster pot pie at Michael Mina.
As we appetized, the table next to us complained as they left that the lobster pot pie didn’t have much lobster, that they can’t believe they saw a rib eye on the menu that you’re expected to eat at the short lounge table, and «thanks for your lobster corn dogs with bad service — it was really great». I will chock this up to her being about 18 months pregnant and the hormones kicking it, because everything we tasted was DAMN good.
If you don’t know, Michael Mina will cease to exist in this location pretty soon. They’re taking over what I hope a shaman will exorcise of craziness past, though: the old Aqua location. The first place I ever had foie gras, back in its hay-​day, when I was making the start of really good money for a youngster. Although completely politically incorrect, I often cannot resist the gras.
I felt like we filled our little lounge tables 4 times over with food, thanks to my dining friends being buddy-​buds with the Chef de Cuisine! Stuff just kept on comin’! Now that’s the way to taste a menu.
The pie comes in a little saucepot, with the crust bubbling over. Then they cut the crust off the top to unveil a pound and a half of lobster in the shell, some fresh vegetables (including leeks and a whole bunch of other stuff), and the best part — the lobster cream sauce. I could slather that sauce on a hot man and be in heaven…
Then they flip the crust over like a turtle on its back, present the lobster as if it were still in one piece on top of it, spoon the veggies all around, and then gently pour the lobster cream. IT… WAS…SO…GOOD.

–5 star service — no question there (except for one misstep involving Moscato di Asti
–5 star atmosphere — arrived when it was practically empty and watched this historic space turn into a bustling fine dining scene on a random Tuesday night
–3.5 star food — I don’t pretend to have the palette or vocabulary to fully explain why it’s three and half star food, but I’ll simply say it wasn’t the 6 course tasting menu on the website and the 6 courses came up way short — quail, island creek oysters and the hamachi were the highlights, but the other courses varied from meh to really?
Glad I tried it, but would absolutely not come back. My real rating is 3.5 stars but am rounding up since I was a guest. Had I paid for this out of my own pocket, it would have been 3 stars without question.

Delicious, decadent, divine!
I loved everything, all of it! every bite, every mouthwatering spoonful — I would dine here everyday if I could afford it!
And if anyone is wondering, we ordered the following:
(Pre-​fixe trio)
Appetizers:
* Shellfish Trio: dungeness crab, island oysters, abalone
* Ahi Tuna Tartare
Entrees:
* Wild Fish: john dory, striped bass, pacific halibut
* Brandt Farm Beef: filet mignon, grilled ribeye, braised ox tail
Desserts:
* Catherine Schmenti’s Dessert Trio: panna cotta crème fraîche, cheesecake, chocolate mouss cake (x 2 orders)
Michael Mina has got to be one of the best fine dining establishments in the city. I love the «trio» concept — it lets you try various dishes and flavors AND it’s very filling. Rather than having an appetizer, entrée and dessert, you get to sample three of each, which makes the small portions even more justified.
LOVE IT HERE. Must go back!

4* for the Maine Lobster Pot Pie and Amuse Bouche Trio of Shrimp Tempura, Hamachi Tartare and Sea Urchin Flan.
The rest of the meal was… underwhelming…thus an overall 3*
Amuse Bouche Trio:
— Shrimp Tempura: Tiny but tasty
— Hamachi Tartare: Good, flavored well
— Sea Urchin Flan: Divine. Silky, savory and I could have had Pots of these
1^st Course: Spring Rabbit ~ Foie Gras Trio:
— English Pea Tortellini + Leg Confit + Tarragon: Probably the best of the whole first course. Predictable.
— Loin Terrine: Gamey, Dry and not very inspiring
— Foie Gras Mousse: The absolute worst dish of the entire meal. The mousse was too cold, too hard and so… Lame. The peas and bits of carrots at the bottom of the dish was so… underwhelming and CHEAP looking. It seriously made the dish look like cafeteria food.
I love foie gras and i Hated this dish. What a waste of good foie gras.
Lobster Pot Pie:
— Delicious. A tad rich, but I enjoyed it after the Lame Foie Gras
Root Beer Float with warm cookies:
— Seriously? Perhaps i expected something more from a very traditional dessert. This was a disappointing end to the meal. I would have settled for a scoop of Secret B’fast from Humphry Slocombe. That would have been much better
Overall, the meal itself was $ 140… and the lamest way to spend on a meal. Thankfully i didn’t pay for it. I don’t know why everyone raves about this place… Gary Danko is HALF the price and about 10x better.

I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve eaten here too many times or other, more exceptional, restaurants have flounced this place; I am no longer wow-​ed by Michael Mina when I eat here anymore.
The food is pretty much predictable. Don’t get me wrong, it is delicious. The Lobster Pot Pie is wonderful and my boyfriend always upgrades his beef course to the Kobe Beef. I’ve been coming here for the past 3 – 4 years now and I ALWAYS special request the Jasmine Tea Sorbet for my boyfriend. The receptionist even remembers me because of the request. However, the last time we came here, I guess the pasty chef moved on and there was another pastry chef who could not accomodate our request. It was little irking because I never received a phone call mentioning that. She did, however, substitute it for another dessert that my boyfriend absolutely LOVED.
On a side note, the last time I came here before this year, the manager came out before our dessert was served and told us that they weren’t able to accomodate my request either. This was AFTER I received a call that very day confirming that they COULD accomodate my request. When I mentioned this to the manager he asked me, «Oh. Didn’t you get our message? We left you a message saying that we couldn’t accomodate your request.» And then 5 minutes later he comes out with my special request, chuckles, and simply states, «Oops, there was a bit of a confusion in the kitchen.» No apologies + a blatant lie about the message = a BIG no-​no. I understand that you do what you can to make the customer happy but you honestly don’t have to lie. That just left a sour taste in my mouth, although I was happy in the end that they were able to make the Jasmine Tea Sorbet.
Anyways, I don’t think I’ll be returning back here anytime soon just because it no longer wow’s me. I’d rather head to Gary Danko or give the Dining Room/Masa’s a try.

I would give it 4.5 stars, it was absolutely fabulous. The food is slightly better than Gary Danko and the lobster pot pie is creamy, flaky, succulent and I felt like with every bite I had gone into Lobster heaven, yum!!!
Dinner was expensive, for 2 people: 3 course prix fixe with lobster supplement and 4 drinks came to almost $ 400. That was steep. We had better service at Gary Danko (more attentive) and really enjoyed our food for $ 265. GD is definitely better for the price but next time I will still come back to MM for the lobster pot pie, maybe at the bar lounge instead.

I loved Mina’s cooking at the old Aqua. It was balanced, clean, fresh, creative, and wonderfully indulgent.
Alas, having turned into an empire (he has 20 restaurants now), that vision has been lost. The lobster pot pie was heart-​attack worthy, although couples are best served by asking if the kitchen will do two bar portions. You get 80% of the entrée-​sized portion, for less cost per person.
Outside of that, the trio concept is tired, tired, tired. Miniscule portions — aren’t they just too precious and cute for words, Mabel! — are often oversalted, because it’s way too easy to sprinkle too much sea salt on something the size of fingernail clippings. Almost all the sauces we got (two of us had four courses each) were too salty, even for my DH who loves salt.
The cheese plate is insulting. Mediocre cheese, too-​similar accompaniments, skimpy portions. They could take a lesson from Gary Danko or Madrona Manor (the cheese course there is the only thing we liked about it).
Dessert, despite the ballyhooed trio concept, was nothing unusual. Mina’s pastry chef desperately needs lessons from pastry chef Melissa Chou at Aziza, who can rock your world with her inspired, ethereal creations.
Coffee, astoundingly, was acidic, bitter and weak. In this town, that’s ridiculous.
Service was trying hard, but a lot of people were standing around, and when they did spring into action, they gave off a strangely nervous feel, as if none of them have been doing this very long or at least, very often.
For the stratospheric price, this is absolutely not worth the $$$$. A great disappointment from a once-​great chef who’s just sitting back collecting his profits. Oh, and BTW, Mina was actually in the kitchen the night we were there… but that didn’t save the meal.

Sorry guys but I wasn’t impressed to the level of a WOW!!!
Everyone’s reviews were about how great and delicious the meals were but for me it didn’t hit the spot of tasting heaven and for the price, it wasn’t as impressive as I thought. Sorry Michael Mina!
So it’s been about 2 weeks since i went to the restaurant, and it’s been on my mind since. Do I give it 4 stars for the service, the food wasn’t horrible, and the venue was pretty nice, or do I judge it just as justly as all my other reviews? I say– I stick to my guns and give Michael Mina 2 stars!
We sat at the bar area and started out with some of their signature drinks, which were yummy but AVERAGE! For drinks, they were not creative, or an out of this world experience and the meal was OK. It didn’t blow me away. As appetizers, we had the Lobster corn dogs and as our meal we had the Lamb and the Lobster Pot pie (which we had heard was a must try). My favorite was still the Lamb.
As far as service, it was impeccable. They were extremely attentive and very friendly. Giving us options and must try ideas. But I still was not extremely impressed. Maybe i need to come back and give it another shot, but for now… Michael Mina– you are a 2! As Unilocal puts it, Meh! I’ve experienced better!

I was taken here by surprise and almost trips and fell when I found out that I finally got to experience Michael Mina!
Both of us shared every single one of our dishes and there wasn’t one that I felt was not extraordinary. Each was seasoned to perfection, the the trios were beautiful progressions of flavor, colors and textures. By the end of the night I had eaten lobster, shrimp, salt cod, quail, ahi, foie gras, scallop, makrel, octopus and pork.
If i had to choose one item that was my favorite, I would have to say the poke.
After this 2 – 3 hour meal I was on a culinary high for about 2 days. I can’t wait to come back here!

I had dinner here with my boyfriend’s family a while back, but forgot to write a review. From what I remember, from the service, the food, and the ambiance was great! The dishes were served three ways. I ordered a lamb dish and was thrown away at how good lamb can taste– three ways. My bf ordered the lobster pot pie. The presentation was fun to watch. A server came out and made a picture of a lobster on his dish from the pot pie.
Overall, this five star restaurant definitely deserves five stars!

My all time favorite San Francisco restaurant. Calm atmosphere, impeccable service, great food, what more could you want.
My first time I was there, it was for Christmas dinner. Its a prefix menu. I don’t remember everything that was on the menu that evening but I do remember the Kobe beef. Not the fake-​o, kobe-​like beef, the real deal. The meat just melts in your mouth and it was served with the most delicate of sauces.
They also have a wine book. No, not a wine list, a wine BOOK.
Dinner here ain’t cheap but you should definetely treat you and your loved ones here on special occassions. You won’t be disappointed.

Not sure why it took me so long to write this review but it’s literally been a year since I should have. It’s also literally been a year in which I returned from the last time and even though the Michelin gods have dropped them a star, I feel that they’re still a 2 star place in my mind. Perhaps Michael Mina has spread himself too thin in their eyes? He’s no longer the rising star at Aqua and now boasts an empire of restaurants across the country. However I believe the quality and attention to detail to the food is still there.
Recently I organized a group of friends for Thanksgiving; all of us misfits that hate traveling with the masses and who’s families live far enough where it’s better visiting them at off peak times. The «trio» concept seems to still be the in thing here and with the menu we tried amongst our group:
Amuse Bouche — Lobster, sweet shrimp, caviar
Autumn Soups ~ Sarah Rich Classics
* Sunchoke, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Lemon Thyme
* Chestnut, Black Winter Truffle, Chervil
* Kabocha Squash, Apple Butter, Sage
Turkey ~ Heritage Organic Hen
* Breast, Stuffing, Cranberries
* Leg Roulade, String Beans, Creamed Onions
* Leg Confit Croquette, Carrot and Yam Purée, Mizuna
Brandt Farm Beef ~ Bone Marrow
* Filet Mignon, Brussels Sprouts, Chanterelle Mushrooms
* Dry Aged Rib Eye, Celeriac Purée, Bone Marrow Flan
* Braised Short Rib ‘Bourguignon’, Russet Potato Gnocchi
Cat’s Dessert Trio
* Lavender Panna Cotta, Citrus Confit, Graham Cracker
* Gingerbread, Calvados Apples, Olive Oil
* Kuri Squash Pie, Pickled Cranberry, Marshmallow Cream
Cheeses
* Colston Bassett Stilton, Poached Quince, Watercress
* Tomme de Chalosse, Port Cherries, Juniper Balsamic
* Pata Cabra, Porcini Syrup, Marcona Almonds
And of course the signature Lobster Pot Pie which was as good as I remembered it. The servers and managers took very good care of us and surprisingly the place was packed to the gills. It was amusing to hear a lady next to us feel slighted when one of the runners took away something too early. Immediately a floor manager came out to smooth things over. When asked about it, he said, «oh she’s been eating with us for like 20 years since the Aqua days.» like it was to be expected. Even the most grating of customers seemed to be no real issue for the very friendly, attentive, and certainly professional staff that work here. I think I’m going to have to lobby Michelin to give them that 2^nd star back!

Michael Mina lost a Michelin star in 2009. This seems to be the running joke. Perhaps if I had dined at Michael Mina in 2008 I would have granted it a fifth Unilocal star but the Michelin Guide was correct. There were many times during the night when I would say that Michael Mina was still polishing his silverware, so to speak.
Our table went with the three course trio menu. We did our own pairing with a bottle of rose champagne to start and two bottles of red for the more substantial portions of our meal. We also added in an extra course for the table– a lobster pot pie to share.
The amuse bouche was, of course, a trio. Only two on the plate really stood out. The shrimp was tender and on top of a sweet creamy sauce. The lobster bisque was a perfect mini cup of seafare. The bread served was not anything special. Actually, it wasn’t even good bread. For my first course I chose the trio of Wolfe Ranch Quail (Pan seared breast/​polenta/​quail egg, Sweet corn veloute/​confit leg/​red bliss potato, Foie grass terrine/​black winter truffle/​corn bread crumble). Again, only two stood out. The foie gras was a cold square layered with gelee and served with two triangular pieces of toast on the side. I realize I only like warm foie gras. Warm foie gras goes down like butter. My friend actually substituted course two of the California Squab for her course one. This was a very smart decision considering all three parts to this trio was outstanding. It was a heavy start but delectable and we all got to taste. The California Squab had an Asian flair to it (Smoked breast/​dinosaur pluots/​pea leaves, Consommé/​poached breast/​shitake dumpling, Foie gras/​steamed bun, pickled tokyo turnips).
Next up was our extra course of Lobster Pot Pie. Instead of one giant pot pie to be devoured by five, Michael Mina created five baby pot pies for us. The plating was so exciting that I taped a video of it. The rich buttery top crust became the base of the pie and everyone had an ample serving of lobster. Oh my god lobster. It’s really the best of a fancy meal next to steak. This signature dish is a must have at Michael Mina. I think if I just gotten the pot pie, I would have given Michael Mina five stars. Unfortunately the other dishes were less than perfect.
For our second course, the majority of the table got the Brandt Farm Beef (Filet mignon/​brussels sprouts, chanterelle mushrooms, Dry aged rib eye/​celeriac purée/​bone marrow flan, Braised short ribs/​bourguignon/​russet potato gnocchi). Our server said the meat would be cooked medium unless specified otherwise. Some of us chose medium rare and when our trios were served we noticed that none of the beef was cooked accordingly. Some dishes tasted better than others because of the degree of cooking. So we swapped here and there on the table. I was very interested in tasting the bone marrow portion of this dish and it didn’t intrigue me. I think the marrow I have at home when I boil beef tastes much better. I will say that the short rib bourguignon had me bowing down to the French. It was the best comfort food I have ever had (next to the Lobster Pot Pie).
Course three was dessert and we got two Bill Corbett’s trios (Brown butter panna cotta/​poached pear/​hazelnuts, German chocolate/​coconut espuma/​candied pecans, Strawberry pavlova/​chocolate curd/​anise hyssop), Caramelized Jasmine Olive Oil Cake, Goat’s Milk Cheesecake, and the Michael Mina Signature Root Beer Float. For the dessert trio only two stood out again. I was disappointed with the strawberry pavlova. My tita makes a much better pavlova. The olive oil cake and goat’s milk cheesecake are acquired tastes. I loved the accents to them. The olive oil cake had a rooibos tea coulis and the goat’s milk cheesecake had huckleberries! Huckleberries are the new blueberries! My favorite of the desserts was the root beer float. It really hit the spot and was served with two warm chocolate chip cookies one of which was double chocolate. The extra dessert freebie was smores and gelee. They looked very similar to the foie gras terrine. It wasn’t that great.
Michael Mina was an interesting experience. It’s situated in the lobby of a hotel and is contemporary. We had a corner table and it was quite private. Our server was awesome– very friendly and filled with entertaining restaurant stories. The crowd was either over the age of 60 or young foodies. Nobody in between. It was a four and a half hour meal and went by really fast. Michael Mina was worth every penny. Their specialty was trios but I’d suggest making it a two way since only two out of three really stood out. Overall, dinner was fabulous and was great for a group.

In the month of July I was trying to figure out where i wanted to take the gf for our 1yr anniversary. i wanted to make sure that i book the reservation in advance, so if anything happens i would have time to for the backup plan. Its funny that majority, not all but majority of guys don’t plan so far in advance but i love to plan surprises for the gf. :)
We spent the day at Aloha festival eating, browsing all the vendor booths and checking out a few performances. After this we rushed home to get all spiffy. Everything was going according to plan except that I didn’t research ahead of time because i had no idea that it was located in the Westin hotel. –_​_​_​– When we got in we had a short wait but we grabbed a drink each and chilled in their little lounge area.
We were seated shortly next to the window, the setting was dim, the street glow from outside was beautiful and the whole setting was very romantic. This was exactly what I was looking for to celebrate our special 1 year anniversary. The columns that they have were really cool, it was busy considering it was a Saturday night and all.
Ever since i started eating out more, I have always wanted to dabble in fine dinning and this is the probably the second time i have experienced it. It was between the 3 course or the 6 course meal. Marie and I both opted for the 3 course. She went with 3 different fish dishes, one was halibut, one cod and the last one was a Japanese fish. It was a little while ago but i remember tasting them and they were so yummy and the piece of fish melted in mouth. Cooked just right. I went with the short rib, duck ravioli and rabbit fettuccine. All three were amazing, the short rib was tender and delicious, the fettuccine was freshly made and my favorite was duck ravioli. I love duck and I love ravioli, if you put two good things together they will be heavenly. Its a good thing they only gave me one: X otherwise i would have devoured all of them if I was given a plate full XD.
They gave us a complimentary appetizer to cleanse our palates
before they brought us the dessert.
Overall i was very satisfied with the meal, the ambiance and the service. Even for a busy night they still came and checked on us, the only thing was it took a while to pay the bill but it gave Marie and me more time to just chat and relax. I would definitely come back and I am curious to check out the other Michael Mina restaurants.
(note: our anniversary was in Aug lols, I jest slacked on writing this review: X)

Awww… finally! We went to Michael Mina and it was absolutely wonderful. We had the pre-​theatre 3-​course meal at $ 55/​person — it was perfect (arrival by 5:45)!
While waiting for my friend to arrive, I had a Verbena Pisco Sour — with the first sip, I murmured MMmmm! Yummy! :) I tried to stay calm as you know I was in Michael Mina, a very nice, classy restaurant. ;)
Then, for the first course, I had the ahi tuna tartare — I didn’t realize this was on the 7×7 list, but this was delectable! They mix the tartare in front of you as you enjoy the aromas of sesame oil and garlic — mmmm! It is a MUST HAVE.
Then, I had the Maine lobster pot pie — I had to get this because I saw Giada DeLaurentiis from the Food Channel enjoy it on one of her shows a couple years back. My stomach usually can’t handle heavy dairy, but I didn’t care, I just had to have it, cream sauce and all. So tasty and so worth it (and my stomach was fine afterward). Another MUST HAVE.
Next, I had the German chocolate cake with coconut espuma and candied pecans — loved it! Another MUST HAVE.
And they rounded out our meal with bits of cuisine s’mores and rasberry jelly rounds — yum! Doesn’t take much to make us happy and giddy!
The service was SO nice and attentive making our dining experience at Michael Mina a shining 5 stars! :)
Pre-​theatre 3-course+tax+tip= $ 67
Once-​a-​week dinner w/​Geraldine # 13

My loverman took me here for my 19^th birthday which, by the way, was my best birthday ever.
We had reservations at 5:45 for the pre-​theater menu. The guy in front took my coat and then seated us. There was this round metal thing in the middle and for some reason I thought there would be food in it and I opened it. It was a candle.
Our waiter asked us if we were there for the pre-​theater menu and we said we were. He then asked what show we were going to see. I totally just sat there and gave him the blankest stare and my loverman just told him we were going to see Wicked. Then I started giggling like a lunatic. Lying is not in my cards.
I love restaurants that serve complimentary bread and Michael Mina’s is one of the best I’ve had. They were all hot and soft and perfectly round. They serve it to you one by one too so you always get a fresh hot one. I normally don’t eat butter but I decided to go all out since it was my birthday. Haha. Our waiter asked us if we had any food allergies or anything because they add a lot of ingredients that aren’t seen on the menu. I just told him I didn’t eat meat.
For the appetizer we ordered the Tuna Tartare and the Dungeness Crab. He wanted to try the Foie Gras but he ordered another seafood appetizer so we’ll be able to try both of them. The Tuna Tartare came with more white bread. I never eat white bread and the dinner rolls I previously ate was already white bread overload. I ate one slice. My loverman and I both agreed it probably was the best white bread we’ve ever had. Haha. He found three shells in his appetizer so our waiter replaced it with a new one. He was so nice!
By this point, we were both ridiculously full. Me especially. I was wearing a $ 200 dress with no give and I had gotten my period the same day so I was bloated as fuck so I was just sitting there full of food, pretty much dying. We had to ask them to wait another 15 minutes to bring our entrees. I got the Halibut. He didn’t want to order red meat again since he always does. He said he would decide last minute when our waiter asked for our order. He ordered the Prime Beef.
I thought it was funny how the entrees were much smaller than the appetizers. My Halibut was cooked perfectly! I almost always order fish when we go out and its usually overcooked so that was a nice change. It also came with some Halibut soup that was really rich. Almost tasted like I was spooning melted butter in my mouth. Next to that was this really small piece of toast or something with a huge mound of some creamy thing. It looked super fatty so I just gave it to my loverman to eat. There was a side of greens which I thought was Spinach. I still don’t know what it was but I put a huge forkful in my mouth, and then I wanted to die. It was really bitter and I drank tons of water so I could just swallow it without further chewing it.
For dessert, we both got the Jasmine Cake. I went to the bathroom at this point and when I came back, they served the desserts right away. It had «Happy Birthday» written on the plate! Haha, that was great. I loved it. The cake itself was really good but it was accompanied by way too much of sauce and purees. They all tasted really gross. I was disappointed by their dessert which is my favorite meal of the day!
We paid for the check and then we went to get my coat. The guy out front helped me put my coat on and told me «Happy Birthday». Haha, things like that really mean a lot to me.
We added it to our list of restaurants to come back to. I didn’t love the restaurant itself though. It felt like we were inside a gigantic conference room. I’m much more partial to smaller, more intimate settings but I understand it is a restaurant inside a hotel so they need to accommodate tons of people. Also, we were the only ones dressed to the nines there. Most of the people were in extremely casual clothes, just in case you were wondering on what to wear.

This was the second time at Michael Mina. The first time I went was in Vegas, and this time in SF.
This time by far was the best experience out of the two. The service was outstanding and we loved our waiter! I enjoyed how every time a new dish came out, explanations were given to us.
We decided to get the 3 entrees, includes desserts too, prix fix menu. I can say it was well worth it! Every plate was amazing especially how things were made in 3 different styles, which made it hard for me to choose my first taste. I had the bacon wrapped scallops trio, Duck breast trio combo, and chocolate florals trio for dessert. The presentation of his food were remarkable that I didn’t even want to eat it because i didn’t want to ruin it!
Dinner took at least 2 – 3 hrs since we were enjoying ourselves and how they made sure that our dishes came out on time right when we were done with our previous one. Make sure you make reservations because this place surely gets packed! I wouldn’t know how long you would have to wait if you were a walk-​in.
It was a night definitely to remember!

Best Shabu-​Shabu in the city!
I am not ready to review this place, but I will anyways. Why? Ate there only once, so reviewing this place after my second visit would be more accurate, but due to their high price point, I don’t know when I will get to return. Also, I have not been to all the high end fine dining places in the city, so I cannot compare well. For restaurants like Michael Mina, Michael Baur’s review might be more useful than Unilocal reviews, since you know he has been to all the nice places in the city.
My extent of fine dining in SF: The Dining Room at Ritz, Gary Danko, Chez Spencer
Need to try: Aqua, Fifth Floor, Boulevard, Masa’s, etc.
Eating at a place like Michael Mina is all about managing your expectations. My expectations were so high; Michael himself needed to start cooking at my table side to meet my expectations. I am afraid to go to French Laundry for this same reason. The other aspect is the price. Their food and service was obviously better than 95% of the places in San Francisco, but the question is, was their $ 98 Prefix dinner worth the price?
FOOD: Very interesting.
Shabu-​Shabu (see pic): I am only half joking when I say Michael Mina has best the Shabu-​Shabu. Sure, if you crave for some Japanese style shabu-​shabu, I recommend Shabuway (
) in San Mateo or Mountain View, but I had the most interesting Shabu-​Shabu EVER at Michael Mina. The broth in the cooking pot was consommé, so I was able to drink it up! And it as SOOOOOO good. The biggest complaint I hear from non-​Japanese people about Shabu-​Shabu is that broth has NO taste. Well, Mina’s consommé broth was very tasty! Quality of their thinly sliced American Kobe beef was excellent. It was also my first time shabu-​ing foie gras! Of course I was on a look out for PETA people to hit me from behind for eating foei gras.
Crudo: Three types of sashimi (hamachi, ahi tuna, and Japanese fluke) flavored interestingly. It was okay.
Three Little Pigs: Plate had loin, belly, and ribs. I liked the ribs. Loin was just okay. Belly had too much fat. Definitely not as good as Japanese buta-​no-​kakuni.
DESSERT: Good.
My chocolate plate had 6 different things to enjoy! Fun!!! Stone Fruit plate was pretty good, too.
WINE: Their wine list received Grand Award from Wine Spectator (
), which is great if you could afford those rare wines for $ 1000. They do have several selections for below $ 50, but I sure am not taking advantage of their award winning wine list. I like California Cabernet, but majority of their selections were over $ 100 a bottle.
PRICE: Expensive.
Sample dinner for two:
$ 98 Prefix three-​course dinner
$ 98 Prefix three-​course dinner
$ 50 Bottle of wine
$ 62 Tip and taxes
— — — — — — — — — — —
$ 308 Total for two
VERDICT: So, was it worth $ 308 for two? Hmmm, I need to go back and try it again.