XYZ

Yes, it’s closed, but I had this review sitting unfinished so thought I would finish it anyway.
I have only come here to drink so I can’t say anything about the food.
I don’t have a lot to say but I do agree with Amy L. Their service is mediocre at best,. unless they know you. Trying to get someone’s attention was an exercise in futility. If I’m going to pay those crazy prices for a drink I would much rather do it at a bar I like. And the music was just an endless thumping in my head.
NO thank you. Will not miss this place.

Hmmm, I don’t know what the deal is, if XYZ is open or closed, but even if it’s been renamed, it’s still part of the W Hotel and I know *that* is still there. At least it was there until I checked out on July 5, 2011.
No matter what this lounge/​restaurant calls itself, we all know it’s going to attract the typical mundane thrill seekers of the night (I’ve been to several W Hotels. It’s just how it is) and that’s probably the only thing I don’t like about it. And let’s be real here. It’s a pretty big thing. You leave the lobby in the morning and everyone is normal and return home after dark only to find a lousy meat market. What? Leave me alone and let me sip my wine… but no. Here’s a tip to fellow curmudgeons: I take my wine and bring it upstairs, turn off all the lights, except for the glowing Buddha and pretend that I’m surrounded by my frankly imaginary fabulous friends. You can trust me, as I’ve had great practice in this regard since childhood. Just thank me later.
If you want to be out of your room, yet avoid the wannabe hip/​not hip at all/​always on the make, you might find that Sunday night in here is tolerable because it’s empty. The café/​bar/​restaurant whatever this is trying to be, is undergoing some kind of renovations, but until that’s done, I still say this is one of the better hotel bar/​cafes I’ve encountered in my time of frequenting such places. The late night edibles are pretty damn good (fries! only when on vacation of course, do I see myself giving in to the fry temptation post midnight) and the staff, like the rest of the W Hotel, is superb.

This place is open during renovation. My meal was exquisite, but dessert was just okay. I ordered a beer from the upstairs bar through my waiter, as I wasn’t in the mood for wine– but their selection seems good. I had skirt steak over spinach with mushrooms (au jus) and every bite was flavorful. The portion was generous and presented elegantly. Dessert was a coffee mousse over a salted caramel brownie. The brownie was genuinely good, but the mousse lacked any punch. Waitstaff were more than attentive and seemed to enjoy their jobs. I would go back in a heartbeat.
If you stay in the W hotel upstairs, look for a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert with your meal purchase.

I got dressed up fancy for cocktails and a light dinner here on Friday night.
My ladyfriends and I arrived just after 5 and grabbed tables near the bar. Service was great from start to finish. We had people arriving sporadically throughout our time there and our server never missed a beat.
The cocktails are delicious and they brought us special shots in celebration of my friend, Jamie W’s birthday. Her shot even had a toothpick and cherry rig holding a candle. Nice touch.
We split the calamari to start which was quite tasty. I ordered the asparagus salad that included a perfectly poached egg. It was, by far, one of the best salads I have ever had.
This first leg of my friend’s birthday fun times was capped off by a complementary crème brûlée. So, so yummy.
It got a bit loud when the DJ showed up and started his set. Although it adds to the hip ambiance, I wish there had been a little more distance between the speakers and us because it made it difficult to have conversations.
Walking distance (depending on the height of your heels) from Montgomery BART.

Tomorrow, Sunday will be the last dinner service for this popular hotel restaurant. According to their website, the restaurant will CLOSE for remodeling from April 11^th until July 2011.
The new restaurant will be named Trace, a farm-​to-​table concept. And the 2^nd level lounge will be a separate place named Upstairs at the W.

Review is for dinner:
— Kudos on Excellent wine selection (I had an EXCELLENT New Zealand red, Nobilo ’09)
— My third eye has opened after trying Acme walnut bread (and sourdough and olive bread) but the walnut bread was definitely my favorite.
Dinner:
Started with the grilled asparagus, salmon tartar, king truffles. All were excellent however the portions were sooo small I was left wanting more.
For the main I had the seared scallops. They were super soft yet firm on the outside. Cooked to perfection although I was surprised they weren’t served with much else.
For dessert I had their bread pudding which was excellent but nothing too exotic either.
The ambiance is gorgeous except for that flourescent XYZ sign at the top which was annoying the person I was with as they were facing that way.
My final comments are that the wine and bread are excellent! I would come here again just based on that and maybe just order their fries and burger or pizza.
1 extra star for the extra attentive yet not suffocating service.

…now I know my ABC’s… next time won’t you come with me!!! to
X
Y
Z
I’m not a lounge goer in any sense of the word… hence my novice eyes. but lucky me landed on the guest list @ Peel’s product launch the other night @ XYZ’s lounge upstairs, and fun fun fun ensued for the next few hours…
Swank, sky blue, calming… lovely booths and nice amorphous free-​flow design to the mezzanine… the drinks were great, the bartenders friendly (yes, wearing a smile too), and the hors d’oeuvres put out by the kitchen were definitely a cut above… flaky finger tarts, mini crab rangoons, sliders, crudités, lemon bars, shortbready things…
The music was nice and didn’t induce a headache, which, at my tender age, is something I’m thankful for. nice beat, happy feet!
I like the W’s set up, whereby one can enter easily from the corner at 3^rd, with the back of the place for a more refined, formal dinner, and the front of the house with a large circular bar, and the upstairs lounge… the view from up there allows one to spy both sides of the house… the bar’s actions and bemusing ppl-​watching as well as the back-end’s more subdued hotel goings-​on.
Fun times… first time I ever drank Patron Silver… neat.

Came here for a fancy roommates’ night out. We ordered the hamachi carpaccio, the duck and cod entrees and a bread pudding.
The carpaccio: it’s not really a carpaccio since the protein wasn’t pounded thin, but it was so good. The fish was light and delicate, not fishy at all. The vinaigrette complemented the sweetness/​buttery-​ness of the fish so perfectly. The little bits of herbs/​micro-​greens added texture. I could eat a tub of this stuff.
The duck: I ordered mine medium rare and thought the meat came out a bit overcooked. It had a great sear on it though and very crispy. The accompaniments that came with the duck were non-​exceptional, a bit on the salty side too. Good, but not something that I would order again.
The cod: the fish was perfectly cooked. Fatty and flavorful and the rainbow chard on the bottom was great too. Once again, the broth that they poured over the dish was a bit salty.
I didn’t try the bread pudding but my roommate loved it.
I loved the atmosphere at XYZ. We sat in one of the booths and the lighting was dark and dreamy. I also really enjoyed my glass of the riesling, sweet/​refreshing but not sugary. A great date spot.

We came here on a Friday night, just looking to have a chill evening. My friend took me here to meet up with some other friends. When we walked in, we decided to go up stairs because it was less crowded and had more of an intimate feel. We ordered a couple of drinks and then scanned around the bar. In the short time it took to get our drinks, the last of the lounge seating had been swiped! We decided to just sit at the bar and hang out until the rest of the crew showed up.
This is definitely a trendy bar — there’s club/​top 40 music playing from downstairs, white cushioned lounge seating with ottomans, dim lighting, and the bar is lit from underneath with lights that change color continuously! It was a fun place to just hang out, chat, and have a drink. When the rest of the group showed up, we were able to land a corner of one of the couches and ordered another round of drinks. Our waitress was nice, but after waiting about 10 – 15 minutes, we inquired about our order. Apparently the bar tender missed the ticket and he was in the act of making our drinks at that moment. Fortunately for them, we didn’t get too upset because we were there just to hang out and have a good time.
I didn’t pay the tab, but I took a look at the drink menu and most of their specialty drinks were about $ 13. I also know a Redbull was $ 5.
There’s an interesting mix of suits and California casuals in jeans and sweatshirts. Some people used it as a place to makeout, others as a meeting place before heading out for the rest of the night, but regardless, it was the epitome of young San Francisco (or those who try to stay young, at least).

REVIEW ON DINNER/​FOOD ONLY — Round 2:
It’s been a year and a half since I last came, and I was blown away, again. Food is 5 stars, boushy atmosphere neg one star.
The filet was cooked perfectly AGAIN and they got rid of the salty sauce and so it can only be described as DELICIOUS! Really enjoyed the meal (GREAT for client dinners0 but the atmosphere in general just not my top pick.
Now, onto the food picks:
heirloom tomato salad | lemon cucumber | olive vinaigrette | shaved ricotta 11
crab arancini | pickled heirloom cauliflower | aioli 13 g
porcini rubbed beef filet | bloomsdale spinach | brown butter potato purée 38
The caramel panna cotta for dessert was also fantastic — wrapped up the meal perfectly.

Came here to lounge around with a group of friends. It’s located in the W Hotel. We found a good area with couches and the perfect amount of seating for our large group of 12.
Street parking is hard to find so try to park in one of the surrounding structures if you can.

Cool looking lounge with white couches and all but the upstairs is kind of dead even on a Saturday night. The downstairs seems to be more happening but it’s definitely a place you go with a group of your friends unless you are brave enough to sit in the realm of some other groups’ couches and chat it up.
Drinks are expensive. You’ll probably be lured back downstairs once you find out that some of the beers are only available on tap there.
Big big plus is that this is a hotel so bathrooms are uncrowded and clean. I parked in the museum’s garage nearby which unfortunately closed at 11pm so I had to get out of there quick.

Before I lived in San Francisco I traveled here for work and once in a while I would stay at the W Hotel. When I did stay there XYZ always confounded me. I would return home around 10 pm to the driving techno music and a large crowd swilling drinks, ready to party. I never understood why all these people partied in this hotel bar in San Francisco, but to each their own, eh?
And, I’m still not sure of the answer to that question, but after a recent lunch at XYZ I do understand why people dine there. I’ve been on a recent beet craze so I ordered the baby beet salad and loved it. Since our server said it would be small I also asked for the tuna tartare. The tuna was interesting — they actually sprinkle little miniature potato chips on top of it to give it a crunchy texture.
Our service was pretty much impeccable and I had to dash out early, but they were super accommodating with my tight schedule. If you’re looking for an easy spot for business lunch XYZ would probably work out well for you — it’s just got that kind of atmosphere.

XYZ is like a breeding ground for the «The Real Housewives of Orange County» Wanna-​bees. You know the type… pretentious women suffocating from an overdose of botox-​injected lips and a botched boob job and men with a comb-​over and porcelain veneers in midst of a mid-​life crisis thinking they get a naïve girl in her 20s by flashing their Rolex and wads of $$$. Ok that was harsh, but at least I’m not sugar-​coating anything.
Several years ago, we had a company holiday party at the lounge and there were no shortage of the above; complete with upscale escorts. And, from my most recent visit, it seems nothing has changed.
Anyhoo, I’ve always wanted to try XYZ’s food and had a chance to do so for DAT. On Friday, 6.11.10, my friends and I arrived at 8:40 PM for our 8:30 PM reservations. We had called in saying we would be late due to traffic. The hostess said that was fine since they were running behind. We weren’t seated till 8:50 PM despite having several available tables.
FOOD (DAT Menu — $ 34.95)
*Amuse-​bouche of Cheese Puff: It was ok. We thought it was filled w/​cheese, but it was just a cheese flavored pastry shell.
*Crab Arancini w/​Garlic Aioli: YUM! The crab puffs were lightly fried to crisp golden brown. The crabmeat was fresh, succulent, and sweet. The garlic aioli was rich, creamy, and garlicky but didn’t overpower the flavor of the crab. It was also accompanied w/​crisp pickled cauliflower and sweet Vidalia onion to balance out the richness from the crab and aioli mixture.
*Steak Baverette: Mediocre. Although the beef (2 slices) was tender, moist, and cooked to a perfect medium rare, the sauce did not pair well w/​the steak. It tasted like a fusion of Worcestershire and Oyster sauce; both pungent alone and when combined, it created a salty, sweet, tart, sour, and fishy taste which was very unappetizing.
*Dried Cherry Cake and Hazelnut Almond Semi-​freddo: What a weird combo! The dried cherry cake was not good. The cherries were very tart and the cake itself was very dry and tasted stale which no amount of cream could mask. However, the hazelnut almond semi-​freddo was good. It was rich, creamy, and sweet with strong notes of hazelnut and some sliced roasted almonds for a crunchy texture.
SERVICE:
Although our waitress was very friendly, she was MIA after we ordered. She forgot our order of fries and was nowhere to be found when we wanted to pay our bill. We had to physically get up and ask for our bill and go to the hostess to pay. Then it took another 10 – 12 minutes to process it. Mind you, this was at 10:15 PM and there were only 2 other tables left.
AMBIANCE/​DÉCOR:
Very hip and trendy w/​high ceilings, floor-​to-​ceiling windows, plush suede chairs and booths accented with modern abstract artwork. LOUD house music blares from the lounge which is not only annoying but gives you a migraine after a while.
Overall, XYZ’s has an amazing trendy décor, but the food was a disappointment… NEXT!

Dine About Town has got to be the best deal in town, I decided to try XYZ on Friday since I was in the area for a convention at the Moscone.
I got there early and ordered a Bloody Mary from the bar, it looked like the average Bloody Mary, but I was was delightfully surprised by the garlicky flavor.
My friend and I went for the Dine about Town Special, we decided to get the different items, so we could try it all.
I had the crab arancini with pickled cauliflower and aioli, then as a main course the hobb’s ham «croque» with caramelized onion and melted gruyère and mixed greens. ~*The crab arancini’s reminded me of crab croquettes, deep fried little rounds filled with crab and seriously awesome. The Croque was really good, but very rich and cheesy — I loved it, but I couldn’t finish the whole thing.*~
My friend had the fennel & spring garlic soup with sourdough croutons to start, then the w burger on a brioche bun, with pickled green tomatoes and goat cheese. ~*The soup was tasty, creamy but light and really good. The burger was beautiful with perfect amount of creamy goat cheese, the brioche bun was light and airy*~
The meal was awesome, but it took a long time between ordering and leaving. I would recommend coming here for a long, leisurely divine lunch and not to get something quick and easy before going onto other plans.

Like.

I’m pretty sure I’ve spent more nights in 2010 in this W than I have in my own bed. And when you spend so many nights in a hotel you’re bound to hit the bar a few times (perhaps even a few times at night).
This bar may be small, but it’s always crowded, they have a nice selection of wines, and it’s one of the few places an old married hag like myself still gets hit on. Seriously, there are more cheesy pickup lines occurring here than a frat party. I came down to the bar last night for a drink, some grub and to get some work done… and even had a few boyz stopping by my table to praise me on my typing skills. To be fair I am quite speedy when it comes to typing. My husband and I once had a typing competition to see who could type the Gettysburg Address the fastest (yes, sometimes we could use more excitement in our life) and I beat him by several minutes. Anyway, I digress… my point is if you’re single this is the place to hang out!
Besides wine and lots of men it turns out they also have good food. I tried their grilled chicken sandwich last night. I was so impressed I may need to have another before heading back to Chicago this week. The service was almost as fast as my typing and I like that you can charge it up to your room… so you feel like it’s a free meal. Um, that is until you get your hotel bill.

Nice, intimate and slow day for a Saturday around 8pm dinner. We were seated in a nice half circle booth and there was 3 different sized pillows for decoration or for you to lean against. The cushion was very comfortable and soft.
Food: Portions are small. We did not get full from the dishes. Some guy came around with 3 kinds of free breads that we can choose from as starter. The 1^st three dishes came out the same time when the free breads came to us. The ravioli took longer to arrive.
ahi tartare– never had crispy bread with tuna tartare
crab aranchi– yummy, crispy, cheesy, and flavorful
crispy french fries– salty, crispy outside and soft inside
spring nettle ravioli– cheesy filled green spinach? pasta with crispy toppings
Drinks– Shramsberg bubbly (mines) and a cocktail (boyfriends) — both tasted alright
Service– the cocktail didn’t arrive for a very long time and we had to ask for it again, but my bubbly came right away and our waitress even gave me a sample first before pouring more for me.
Bill was under $ 90

I’ve been to XYZ for their DAT and also their bar, so I’ll review them separately.
Food-​wise:
Last year, I was kind of disappointed when came here initially because I had chosen the restaurant specifically because their DAT menu sounded really good. When I arrived there, they had changed their menu, so I had to settle for something else. =(However, we were all happy with our meal despite the change. Overall, I thought the food was good. The chef gives you this cucumber dish that is supposed to cleanse your palate before you eat. I thought that was cool. We got the crab cakes for the appetizer, which were pretty good. I settled for the lamb as my entrée. From what I remember, the lamb was tender, fell off the bone, but the flavor was a little salty. The desserts were an assortment of sorbets and something else, I forget. The DAT menu was definitely worth it. Good food, good service, really nice ambience and décor.
BAR:
the XYZ lounge is upstairs, and is relatively small, but has areas with couches and tables where people can chill at. The drinks there can be a little pricey, but they have a large assortment of drinks. I haven’t been disappointed in their drinks yet. I like coming here for a night for when I just want to get a little dressed up but just chill.

* This is a review for the brunch/​lunch only *
Sunday morning, no reservation needed. Pleasant and classy atmosphere, suitable for less casual occasions. Friendly and professional service. This is the W after all.
But the food was not so memorable. It was standard «good», with nothing out of the ordinary. We ordered a couple of things from their brunch menu, including egg white scramble (quite healthy… and it can be customized with any ingredients you like), bagel with smoked salmon (with three diff flavors of cream cheese, including cucumber), eggs chilaquiles, and chicken salad sandwich with fries. I must say that the chilaquiles was probably the best selection of all.
As many of the reviews have pointed out… the place is a tad overpriced even at lunch time. But again, this is the W after all.
So I see that this place turns into a hip lounge at night. Awesome. Judging from the photos, it’s probably a better idea to go back in the evening next time.
SUM: 3.5 stars for now… I need to go back during their crazy hours!