SFReview
Gamine
Included In
Gamine isn’t your usual Cow Hollow restaurant: there are no cocktails, shot specials, bouncers, or people on the verge of a sidewalk vomit session teetering outside on the curb. There are locals, families, dates, and people who have lived in San Francisco long enough to survive multiple earthquakes. Real ones.
Gamine is a place you go for authentic, traditional French eats served by - hold the phone - nice, friendly French people. I know. We didn’t think it existed either, but apparently they send all the nice ones to San Francisco. People in the ’hood are very, very devoted to Gamine. We aren’t as gung-ho as some, but it’s great in a pinch when you don’t have a reservation or feel like waiting an hour and a half to yell across the table at your dinner companions at Tacolicious. There are a few dishes we are very pro (escargot, moules, steak, salmon) and but some are just OK - the sauteed sides, fish burger, duck salad, and sadly, the bread. But whatever you order, you’ll feel like you’re in a local Paris cafe - even if it isn’t a glamorous hotspot or the most incredible food you’ll ever consume.
As noted, the service is awesome and easy going, and while the space is crowded and a bit loud, it mostly makes it seem more authentically French. There’s an affordable wine list (with healthy pours from that friendly staff) and you can BYO with a corkage fee too.
Bonus points: you can pretty much always grab a table with a short wait. Even though the money-suck that was Des Amis is gone, Union Street still has a French restaurant. Only Gamine is actually worthwhile, priced for the people and ready for a party.