Pläj Scandinavian Restaurant & Bar

Nice restaurant, a bit stodgy and bland in ambience. The food’s not bad but it’s expensive. We had a drink each, the herring trio, potato dumplings, gravlax, and a drink each. $ 90+
The potato dumplings were underwhelming and swimming in oil! We went here before a performance for a change from our usual Absinthe. Well we tried a new place but in order to keep our pre– and/​or post-​performance experience awesome, we’ll go back to our usual.

Fantastic food. One of few places that serves herring. Menu changes a lot, but always good.
Not a lot of beer choices, but makes up for it in aqua vit and cocktails. Best bone marrow I had in San Francisco (when it’s on the menu). Cheese plate was great. Never had bad service there. All in all my favorite in the area.

Me and my Husband went here for our Valentine’s Day meal.
We shared some of the Smorrebrod (Open Face Sandwiches) for a small starter — The salmon was so flavoursome and the herring was perfect. I recommend trying some of these for the ultimate Swedish experience, very authentic.
I had the meatballs for my main and my Husband had the ox cheek. Both were amazing!
Great atmosphere and service, we will definitely be returning again in the future.

I’ve been here a few times and it blows me away every time. Great drinks and the food is phenomenal. Definitely a standby for fancy date nights.

Food was exquisite! Had the lobster dish — very creative and scrumptious! Unfortunately, the server, Virginia, was snobbish, impatient and rude which diminished the experience.

Low grade, too cool for school hipster service is the bane of my existence. This place is the antithesis of that. Rumor has it, their accountant voted agains the plush chairs and tables, but I am glad that was ignored because I loved the high quality décor. Wonderful smiling servers made this thing called eye contact. And the food! I have a restricted diet and they were not only able to willfully accommodate, but made the most interesting and delicious plates that were aesthetically, texturally, and taste-​ally pleasing. Plaj is now one of my favorite restaurants in the city.

What a fabulous find after seeing Prarie Home Companion show– a block away at War Memorial Opera House. We came at 5:30 and was told we only had bar seating since all reservations were taken… WELL– darling blonde Hostess (looks Swedish) was able to squeeze us in if we agreed to be done by 6:30. WHAT A SWEETHEART FOR DOING THIS
Ordered Cucumber Pepper Gimlet that was SOO YUMMY and refreshing. Hubby loved their beer choices. Shared a mixed green salad with sliced apples and candied walnuts. Gorgeous presentation and homemade dressing really made it.
Waiter was very attentive and answered «patiently» all our questions re menu. Decided on Herring with assortment of sauces ($ 18.00 for three). I had to have the Swedish Meatballs and the seasoning in the meatballs were very unique and flavorful. Perfect and just the right amount.
Shared a raspberry cake dessert with marzipan on top, two coffees and were good to GO! Bill came to around $ 126.00 Great date night restaurant *** HIGHlY RECOMMEND RESERVATIONS!

Great home cooking! Minnesota native approves! Must try the Swedish meet balls & the bread!

I really like this place … It’s such a hidden gem, and the food is totally reminiscence of Scandinavian fare. Friends did say they didn’t feel the portions were big enough for the price.

We wanted a place to eat before the ballet. The map feature on Unilocal is really nice to pinpoint an area. After scanning the area, it came down to two choices: Jardinière or Plaj. It is winter, and Scandinavian sounded a bit more appropriate and a little more adventurous.
The place is small, so reservations are essential. We were seated by the fire place. Very warm ambiance. We started with soup and salads. The split pea soup was excellent as were the salads. The «Ecopia» salads had apples and pomegranate seeds and was excellently dressed. We also got an order of bread. Don’t skip the bread; it’s delicious. One of the party tried the aquavit, an infused vodka, opting for the entry level «pear» flavor. I went with an Icelandic Pale Ale that was very good.
Our main courses were elk, lobster, and scallops. All were excellent. It might have been smart to take a picture of the scallops so people know what a perfectly cooked scallop looks like: a good brown crust on the top/​bottom, but white and tender in the middle. The elk, two thick medallions cooked medium rare with a nice sauce/​jus, chanterelles, berries, and some young, fresh Brussel sprouts (that were sliced open and not those dreadful large pods).
The food was all five star. The proportions were appropriate. Unfortunately, with the ballet calling, we couldn’t stay for dessert.

A stand-​out in a neighborhood that sometimes feels overwhelmed with just another New American. Recommended!
Came for pre-​show dinner, with kids; it’s located at the back of lobby inside Inn at the Opera.
(+) Outstanding cocktails, some with real fresh fruit.
(+) Great selection of foods you don’t normally see — I’m a huge fan of herring and other cured fish, so it was a delight to see them presented in such a nice way.
(+) Excellent stewed meats — The pork cheeks were tender and delicious.
(+) Super-​friendly service.
(-) Not inexpensive. But I think it represents true value.
As many of the other reviews mention, most of us have only had Ikea cafeteria food in this category. Be sure to ask for server recommendations for food & drink!

Saturday night reso, pulled up, looked at an awkwardly old boutique hotel, sheepishly walked into lobby, greeted with a smile and a thumb pointed to the back, crept into a cozy/​dim lit establishment.
At Pläj I felt like I was eating ingredients that were from a local fjord. Octopus appetizer was my fave, wild boar chop was a hearty entrée with great sides. If you’re adventurous but enjoy the classics you’ll love the drink menu. Craft cocktails with a Scandinavian flavor. With every other restaurant in a mile radius forcing atrocious family style or a $ 70 prix fixe as a penalty fee this was a welcome experience. Don’t come if you want a modern scene. I’ll be back because I appreciate the attention to detail and flavor.

I came here for a celebratory dinner a few months ago and have been meaning to come back ever since. The overall experience here is quiet, romantically dim, and spacious. We made a weekday reservation to ensure that we got seated right away, and it was good that we did because with such limited seating, it was necessary to book ahead. The restaurant is also located at the back of the hotel lobby of the Opera Inn which is unexpectedly fancy (their patrons are usually opera goers). That said, it is not necessary to dress fancily for dinner, but a business casual or more reserved attire would go nicely with the ambiance.
Like a lot of the other Unilocalers have mentioned, Scandinavian food is hard to come by in San Francisco, so it was great that the waiter was more than willing to describe the menu items in detail. Every heading on the menu sounded like it was an object out of an Ikea furniture instruction manual. I’m not sure if that aspect supports the authenticity of the Scandinavian influence, but it convinced me.
Of course, I had to try the Swedish meatballs with lingonberry jam sauce and potato purée was the most upscale alternative to frozen meatballs with canned cranberries and powdered boxed mashed potatoes ever. I absolutely loved every bite, and I chose the full order for $ 3 more than the half order which was well worth it. The potatoes were so buttery and beaten into almost more of a cream which made it light and airy, and with a dribble of the lingonberry, the meat/​carb/​fruit combo was perfection. The in-​house bread (reminded me of Boudin at the Embarcadero Center) was so good with the salted butter with fennel; this combination with my entrée really made the perfect meal.
Would I come back? If I’m in the mood for something fancy and on the pricier end, yes! Great as a celebratory dinner spot for memorable occasions.

Wow! What a great experience. Went there on Tuesday, September 15^th, for an early dinner, and although we were not going to a performance, the staff asked us to make sure they could serve us quickly if needed. The dining room is small, elegant, very comfortable, and quiet. We were seated in the back at a table for two, with cushioned chairs.
We ordered a lot of food to share so we could try different items: Ecopia Greens ($ 14), Gravlax ($ 15), Meatballs with mashed potatoes ($ 18), Elk ($ 35), Chocolate Torte ($ 8), and Apple Pie ($ 8). EVERYTHING we tried was excellent, but we were a little sorry afterward that we ate too much.
Was so excited to try most of the food, that I forgot to take pictures. Only have the Gravlax, served with celery sorbet (yummy and smooth), and the Ecopia Greens to show.
Would highly recommend for dinner before a performance in the nearby theaters. Am also posting a nice shot of the San Francisco City Hall at dusk.

First time eating Scandinavian food other than IKEA meatballs. I was so satisfied, with the presentation, taste, ambiance, and service. I thought the Swedish meatball dish was the ultimate comfort food, obviously way better than IKEA meatballs (horse meat anyone??)… I like gravlax and herring appetizers as well… the waiter recommended a spicy horseradish liquor to pair with the salted/​cured fish dishes and his recommendation was on pointttt… The elk was not dry and gamey as I imagined… it was actually quite juicy and steak-​tasting lol…
Desserts definitely gave me a happy ending hehe… Princess cake was fluffy and almondy… and the chocolate hazelnut brownie was RIDICULOUSLY rich and chewy… I could eat that all day all night long!

Since graduating college, I made a bucket list of food/​cuisines I want to taste at least once before I die. One of the few remaining line items is Scandinavian fine dining (Ikea fulfilled my Scandinavian cheap dining). Now that I’ve been out of college for a little more a decade, I was pretty hyped up when my wife booked a table of 4 at Plaj before our Matilda play nearby at the Orpheum.
I walked in to the building which at first I thought I was at the wrong destination. A few steps in, I realized that Plaj is the restaurant/​bar area of the hotel in which the two share the same real estate. Immediately sitting down, I ordered a gimlet to loosen myself up for the meal. I know nothing about Scandinavian cuisines other than Swedish meatballs and swedish fish candy (just kidding). My wife and I along with our two friends decided to try as many items as possible with the reasoning that we don’t eat Scandinavian cuisines often.
The appetizers ordered were the elk tartare, summer mushrooms, crayfish soup, and potato dumplings. If you fancy tartare, the elk tartare won’t disappoint. Mix the egg yolk on top and spread the meat onto your crackers or the complimentary bread, and you have yourself a winner. Simply marvelous. The summer mushrooms are… just a plate of mushrooms. Refreshing but unsatisfactory unless your vegetarian. The smell reminds me of mushrooms on pizza though. The crayfish soup was severely underwhelming. There’s a little cognac taste but other than that, it’s best avoided. The potato dumplings are an interesting specimen. The dumplings were cooked well but was drenched in butter, lingonberry, and bacon. The butter made it really heavy to down but the sweet lingonberry tricks your mind that it’s sweet not savory. Without the lingonberry, I don’t think I would have finished my portion.
Main dishes include the Halibut Salmon Fritter special, full order of swedish meatballs, saddle of elk, and the taste of herring (one of us wasn’t too hungry). Salmon fritters are fried fish. Need I say more? Good but there’s better options on the menu to choose from. Saddle of elk felt like the filet mignon of elk. Juicy tendy but still wanting more. The swedish meatballs comes with 5 in a full order, has a nice brown sauce with lingonberry. I’m not trying to compare Ikea with Plaj, but I would be satisfied with Ikea’s meatballs to be honest. This is fine dining but I don’t see the value in ordering meatballs here. Order the elk saddle instead. The last item for the not-​so-​hungry friend is the taste of herring. It’s essentially a wooden plate of 3 different fish with crackers and sauce. It reminded me of the cold fish for breakfast or the ones you find at a buffet.
Overall, a decent experience. The one thing that irked me is the waitress forgetting our 4 glasses of water. After we received our entrees and asked for water again, she acted as if we just ordered water. Short term memory? Then, she spilled one of the glasses of water over my back which proceeded to drip to my bottom. She said, oh it’s just a small spill and that was the end of it. I don’t remember her name but she sort of looked like that Australian actress Rose Byrne. Hopefully, next time she remembers to give a sincere apology otherwise it really ruins the ambiance and experience.

Oh this place is nice. I’ve never had Scandinavian food before, except for Swedish meatballs at Ikea. This was definitely better than those meatballs. I ended up trying some new things and it was really good actually.
I ended up getting a drink — the tulip (Sparkling Wine, Lingonberry Syrup, Rhubarb Bitters, Lemon). Sparkling wine is one of my favorite alcohols in the world so I definitely had to go with that drink. It was light and delicious! I also ordered the taste of herring which the three different preparations of herring — saffron, dill, and classic. The three were paired with the flatbread and the potatoes. Both went great! The sour cream was good too.
The bread was soft and came with this delicious butter. The butter was with this coriander seeds and was good. I did really enjoy the bread and save some to sop up with the swedish meatball gravy and mashed potatoes.
The swedish meatballs, though, were the star of the place. The meatballs were nice and tender. The mixture of potatoes, meatballs, gravy, and jam was amazing. The cucumbers were a nice palate cleanser. The full order has 5 meatballs and half orders are 3 — since there’s only a $ 3 difference in price, the full order is definitely a lot of food!
Overall, this place was great! The servers are really knowledgeable and I had a great time eating here especially since it was different from the normal type of cuisine here in SF. The food is great as well. Enjoyable!
Protip: Swedish meatballs!

Oh my goodness, every dish we had at Pläj was incredibly tasty and mostly authentically Swedish.
Drinks:
I had the Elderberry Gimlet, which was a great mixture of elderberry, cucumber, and spices.
Foods:
There were enough vegetarian options to feed me, though I also made an exception for the pickled herring. My favorite were the Taste of Herring and Potato Dumplings. Epocia Greens was also great.
A Taste of Herring: Very good
(Break a piece of the knäckebröd, top it with a piece of one of the types of herring, some of the sauces, chives, and red onion. Or taste the herring by themselves, or on some potatoes.)
Potato Dumpling:
Beautiful and a delicious mix of butter, potato, and lingonberry. If you’re vegetarian, make sure to ask for it without bacon.
Ecopia Greens:
A great mix of tasty things, with a great dill vinaigrette.
Summer Mushrooms:
This was the closest thing to a vegetarian entrée they had. It’s smaller than a regular entrée, but still a good amount of food if you have a starter or two. I think after so many delicious starters, I was a bit worn out and this wasn’t my favorite dish.
Dessert:
The desserts were especially cute. The princess cake comes in a little tiny jar with the green marzipan tied to the top. To be a little picky, except for the center, it was more like a brownie than actual kladdkaka.
Etc:
We called Pläj on a Saturday morning and managed to get a 5:30 same day reservation. The restaurant was still pretty empty that early, but by the time we left (two hours later!), it was bustling.
The entrance was a bit confusing. We awkwardly made our way around luggage carts of the Inn at the Opera to what looked like one of those typical hotel restaurants. But it was indeed Pläj!
They also asked if we were going to «the show tonight» and if so they would make sure we finished dinner in time. Very cool!

I’ve never had Scandinavian food before (unless IKEA meatballs count.) and I don’t commonly see things like elk and wild boar at restaurants, so I was really intrigued by Plaj. My friend and I ended up picking it for a nice, celebratory dinner based on the menu and pictures of the food, but didn’t really think about the restaurant itself. Turns out the place is located inside the Inn at the Opera and it’s pretty classy. Like classy in a more elegant, old-​fashioned way rather than a trendy way. Imagine a pre-​opera dinner. We made a reservation, but it wasn’t necessary for a weeknight.
Service here definitely matches up to the classy ambiance. Friendly, welcoming and just attentive enough. Our server explained the menu to us, which was divided into 4 sections: Dagen (specials), Hagen (from the garden, aka veggies), Fjord (from the sea, aka seafood) and Beta (to graze, aka meat). Apparently these words aren’t actually Swedish/​Scandinavian words; they’re just made-​up words that sound like they could be.
Pretty much everything on the menu sounded good to me, but since I love trying things I can’t normally get elsewhere, I ended up ordering the WILD BOAR CHOP. My friend got the SWEDISH MEATBALLS, and our server brought us some complimentary bread to start.
* IN-​HOUSE BREAD (complimentary, additional bag $ 3) — ⁴⁄₅
Incredibly soft! I’m not sure if the bread tasted good on its own, but it came with this butter that was sprinkled with ground fennel and sea salt, which was absolutely delicious. And incredibly dangerous. I’m not really a carb person or a butter person, but I couldn’t stop eating this pillowy soft bread + butter combo.
* WILD BOAR CHOP ($ 25) — ⁴⁄₅
[swedish mash, figs, wild broccoli, pickled mustard seeds]
I’ve never had boar before so I don’t have anything to compare to, but I enjoyed the dish. The meat reminded me of a pork chop, so it was a little on tough side but by no means too tough or overcooked. Whatever the orange mash that it came with (I want to say some sort of carrot purée) was more of a highlight to me though. Very lightly sweet and soo silky smooth. That along with the figs and mustard seeds paired really well with the boar. The broccoli (I think it was Chinese broccoli) was a little too buttery though and the yellowing leaves didn’t make it look the freshest.
* SWEDISH MEATBALLS (half order $ 15; full order $ 18) — ⁵⁄₅
[potato purée, pan gravy, lingonberry, pickled cucumber]
The full order comes with 5 meatballs while the half order comes with 3, so I’d definitely recommend getting the full order for the $ 3 difference. The dish doesn’t sound as fancy as most of the other dishes, but it’s absolutely delicious! The meatballs are super tender and everything else in the dish complemented them pretty well. The potato purée was incredibly smooth and light, the gravy was very flavorful and the sweet lingonberry sauce was a nice contrast in flavor.
Prices aren’t so bad in my opinion, and the food is definitely worth it. From other reviews and photos, I was expecting tiny portions of expensive (but good) food that would leave me still hungry afterwards, but I actually felt like the portion sizes were very reasonable. 5 meatballs doesn’t seem like a lot, but with the potato purée (and the complimentary bread at the beginning), it’s very filling. The boar chop is pretty sizable as well.
If you’re looking for a nice, elegant dinner (or for some unique dishes), I’d definitely recommend Plaj! Food is amazing and it won’t break your bank :) I’m still not entirely sure what Scandinavian food means (aside from Swedish meatballs), but I definitely want to come back and try some of the other things on the menu.

Plaj does an excellent take on Scandinavian cuisine. Among the menu are traditional favorites, and some more experimental dishes that have a more American twist. The menu is incredibly easy to navigate, with four main categories. We opted to do everything family style so that we could get more variation and try a broader range of plates.
The Good:
— The unpretentious service
— House smoked salmon — salmon was melt in your mouth good and a smidgen underdone (perfect), the garnish of pickled shallots was awesome for contrast
— Roasted bone marrow — bone marrow was cooked to perfection, with ample servings and served with a perfectly buttered brioche and house pickled grapes; one of the highlights of the night
— Lingonberries and swedish meatballs — I was pleasantly surprised to see lingonberries on the menu, and not an American substitue
— Asparagus salad — delicious, served topped with 65 degree egg that was perfectly runny
The Not So Good:
— N/​A
Plaj offers a stellar dining experience. Great, unobtrusive service, and amazing value. Awesome if you want to try something new and have yet to discover Scandinavian food. Ideally, would love to see more Nordic influence on fine dining (see Aquavit in Manhattan).

Despite getting slightly lost trying to find Pläj on foot, I realized I was in good company when learning it was housed within a hotel.
Starting with a sip of their Tulips cocktail upon entry, handed to me by my other half, already there, the night officially began there. Was a soft spoken and elegant drink. It would be this person’s birthday soon, so for the week, we would do much celebrating, starting right here.
Our Scandinavian meals began with the Taste of Pickled Herring. Three variants existed on the plate with assortments of mustard and other pickled vegetables, plus bread to serve it atop. Quite delectable. Then ordered our Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast.
Up next was our Foie Gras dish. Unfortunately, although we were looking forward to this one, we thought it was possibly burned…
Luckily, our hopes sprung back when served both the Braised Elk and the Wild Boar. These two dishes, Pläj knew inside and out! Meat was tender, aromatic and flavorful for each.
At this point, we just so happened to get treated to a special dessert wine glass by a friend who knew of our whereabouts — we were given a glass of Porto! Thanks much to them!
It was perfectly timed, too, because we were starting to receive our Dark Smoked Cheese and Fruits Dessert Plate! It even had a lit candle on the side for the birthday event. These cheeses were not typical cheeses — I can only describe them as smoky, delicate and «not cheese» because it was so unusually gracious! Porto was surely its complement!
In all, minus the Foie, everything else had here was very good. Excellent dining experiences definitely can exist here, particularly with the helpful service. I’d come back just for the dessert plate — it was that exquisite!

We come to Plaj every year when in town for the fancy food show.
Always perfect, great atmosphere, awesome food, great wines, outstanding service.
Amazing restaurant !!

I came here with a large party. An SF establishment that can accommodate 12 people without a set menu? This is your place.
It’s adorable inside. Small but homey. There is a semi-​separate space in the back where we sat at a large beautiful wooden long table.
You can see what I ordered from the photos because we all shared 20 dishes. Everything was delicious. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Scandinavian food but it was hearty and delicious.
I highly recommend this place! Yum.

So we came here at like 10 at night, obnoxiously expecting to be fed. And guess what? They fed us! Surprisingly, they were able to give us dishes speedily, despite a full (yet late night) crowd. The service was efficient and friendly, yet not too in-​your-​face. Everything seems carefully handpicked and crafted, from the appetizers to the drink menu. Everything is served tapas style, so if you’re with friends, it’s kind of like a competitive smörgåsbord.
We grabbed seats at the bar, and took a look at the menu. To be honest, my experience with Scandinavian food is either hoity toity restaurants like this or Ikea. Plaj is like an epic Ikea. There’s even a dish called Swedish meatballs. Order it, and smother the meatballs in lingonberry, then gravy, then both. Half order of meatballs comes with 3 meatballs, while the full order comes with 5. The smoked herring is phenomenal. And totally Scandinavian, right??? Being a seafood lover, I also went for the black cod, which came with Dungeness crab and vegetables, in a pool of butternut squash sauce. The cod was flakey excellence.
Gorge yourself on their delicious complimentary bread. Wash down those pickled proteins and veggies with a drink from their carefully curated selection. Ask the bartender for a suggestion. Try not to think about Plaj too much the next time you go to Ikea.

I stumbled in famished after watching well-​endowed men prance around wearing spandex in the Nutcracker. How ignorant was I to expect Scandinavian Designs décor and horse meatballs on the menu! The dining room actually looked upscale and the food was a far cry from those sketchy IKEA lunches I’ve consumed over the years.
The beet salad was outstanding! It was served warm and accented with a hint of truffle. The slices of västerbotten cheese on the plate were scrumptious! I have been dreaming of it since.
Although we were initially scared to try the herring, it actually turned out to be very tasty. The fish was slightly sweet and accompanied by a variety of veggies and ugly brown crackers.
For entrees, I recommend the lobster and ox cheek, both of which were delectable. Be sure to save some extra bread to sop up the lobster sauce with, or drop an outrageous $ 3 for another order.
I would probably skip dessert next time. I tried the Princess Cake, which is normally my favorite (duh!), but this was served trifle-​style in a cup. While the flavors were somewhat similar, it just wasn’t the same dessert that I was expecting since it wasn’t explicitly stated on the menu! I wish it was kept traditional and served in an actual cake form.