Arlequin Cafe & Food To Go

Really peaceful back patio with a fair amount of room. I usually get the veggie burger and favor it over just about all other veggie burgers I’ve had. The cream filled donuts are killer as well as their breakfasts. I live in the area and this is the place I frequent the most.

This place isn’t actually bad. They receive four stars with the setting and selection of meals available. I ordered a mixed greens salad with chicken and that cost $ 15. That irritated me the most because for $ 15 dollars I expect a bigger salad and more protein. So that gets two stars. I definitely will not be ordering salads here. I can get a lot more at Whole Foods.

Preferred it a few months ago when everything was 20% less. You can definitely do better than the $ 15 Cobb salad and $ 4 iced coffee for cheaper, even in this expensive neighborhood.
I like the vibe but the food is meh, so at this new price point: Pass.

Ok so… I visit this place every, EVERY time I come to SF. The coffee is great, the pastries are heavenly and fresher then the word fresh. Lol. This place has a huge outdoor patio that’s like your own backyard. It’s relaxing. Birds chirping and lush green views. Do yourself and favor and GO here…

Such a cute place this is! We got the veg burger and chicken soup and both were flavorful. There is a very interesting wine store which I def plan to check out next time when i have more time on my hands.

Great place to catch up with friends on a Saturday afternoon while having above-​average meal options.
They have a directly-​adjacent space for the wine connoisseurs in your group, and a beautiful outdoor backyard patio. A pleasantly surprising respite from the City environment.
The internet speed is 0.16Mbps down and 0.33Mbps up so wouldn’t recommend it as a work café for anyone who works with large files on the cloud.
Most people don’t know what to do with their empty plates, but there is actually a dish depot in the back. Hope you see this and feel like a boss for knowing where it is with your friends.

This is definitely going to be my new go-​to place for a decent, inexpensive meal and drink before a night at the symphony or opera nearby.
Service here is fast-​casual, as you order at a register and grab a number to display at your table, where they’ll deliver your food. Portions are quite generous, whether salads, sandwiches, or hot dishes, and prices are just right, usually between $ 8 – 12. My favorites include the lamb burger and baked mac and cheese.
Quality is also quite good, as the operation seems to be a scaled-​down version of much more upscale Absinthe next door. There’s even a good selection of craft beers that you can grab at the fridge. Next door, there’s a wine cellar too.
There’s more space than first meets the eye, beginning with a parklet out front, quite a few window-​side counter seats that give you a picturesque view of Hayes Valley, tables inside, and a lovely patio in the back. The crowd is a sophisticated mix of younger people on laptops, locals of all ages, and older concertgoers.
Highly recommended not just before a concert but also for a good meal any time of the day!

I’ve been to this place a few times and it is one of my favorite places in San Francisco. The outdoors seating are definitely my favorite. Whether you’re meeting a friend, taking someone out or simply wanting to have some me-​time to either work or read this is the perfect place. I am yet to try their wine (I purchased a bottle for a friend and she loved it) it helped that there was someone to help me with tasting and picking out the right one to gift. Despite having a somehow small menu, their food is pretty good I’d say. The arugula salad is absolutely my favorite and I loved that they changed it with strawberries this time.
O’d take someone special there though, the atmosphere feels more intimate.

I could stay here all day! (and I haven’t even been out on the patio yet)
Excellent spot to whip out your laptop and «work» on stuff. Although there are plenty of people doing other things like reading, etc, the macbook pros had a large presence when I was here (free wifi). But that is nothing new. What sets this place apart is the fact that its like a regular café setting but with literally everything at your fingertips. AWESOME food, coffee, and wine, which means you don’t really need to leave until they close at 7PM!
It was a bit loud, but i was able to tune everything out easily with headphones. Although the place is packed, tables become readily available because of people coming in & out.

3.5 stars rounded up
When temps creep north of 70 degrees, Arlequin’s lush, picturesque back patio whirls with activity; an empty table isn’t easy to come by, but the atmosphere is worth the wait. If only there was some way to shoo away the pigeons without causing such a ruckus…
On our last visit, we were too early for breakfast, so we made a plan — eat savories next door at Absinthe & come back for an after-​meal coffee & pastry.
Brown sugar blondie, the only confection worthy of 4 stars, paired well with iced coffee. Monkey bread was quite doughy & had very little going on, despite its long list of ingredients. White chocolate early grey donut wasn’t spectacular, although I did relish the dollop of sweet filing.
You could eat & drink better at surrounding cafes, bakeries, & coffee stands, but there is definitely a slice of bliss to be grabbed at this Hayes Valley garden.

The portion sizes at this place are seriously horrifying. When you walk along Hayes and see the cute succulent-​lined streets and restaurants with dim ambiences, you know you’re not about to eat an affordable meal. I chose Arlequin because my friend and I wanted to grab a quick bite, and everything else that came up on Unilocal in the area seemed too exorbitant.
There’s a lot of seating within the café and also in the garden in the back. The cash register is next to a glass case of yummy-​looking pastries, including their Monkey Bread. I was eyeing the Cheddar Bacon Scone but figured that the mac ‘n cheese would be enough. Oh, how wrong I was. It was $ 9, and when it arrived, it came in a brown take-​out box. I looked, and I looked deeper until I finally saw the food at the very bottom. I paid $ 9 for this thin layer of noodles and melted cheese? Are you kidding me?
My friend ordered a kale salad, which was $ 7, and it came in a small-​ass bowl too, although at least the kale puffed up so it looked bigger. To be fair, it was some bougie mac ‘n cheese. But it definitely can’t be counted as an entrée or a suitable meal. Safe to say that I went back for that scone.

This gem in Hayes Valley is a perfect café for a warm day in the city. I came here on one of the rare SF warm evenings and had a blast! The outdoor patio area is such a cute area and there is plenty of seating to accommodate both small and large groups.
I got the half grilled cheese with a mushroom bisque soup. The soup was one of the best I’ve had in a long time! The size of the meal was perfect for me and paired well with a light Zinfandel. We also tried the veggie burger. I always appreciate unique veggie burgers which are not just your run of the mill garden burger patties. Arlequin is one place where they make their patty in house and it is pretty delicious. It is fairly beet heavy so if you like that, then the burger is the way to go!
I love that they have an adjacent wine shop where you can get very reasonably priced bottles and glasses of wine. Be sure to check it out when you’re there!
FYI, it does close at 8PM on most weekdays so this is a place for an early dinner!

A friend pulled us into their garden patio for a post symphony brunch and this could not have been more perfect.
The lamb burger and the breakfast burrito were both on point, but the true star of the establishment was the perfectly fried and crispy french fries.
Excellent outside eating and a wine market next door to really drive home the perfect pairing.

Nice Hayes Valley neighborhood café and afternoon reading /​work place with probably no wifi, but good floral outdoor sunshine seatings. The next door wine merchant is owned by the same people. Buy a bottle of rose or sparkling champagne under $ 25 and enjoy for an amazing afternoon totally worth it.

It was my first time when I chanced upon this. I had the cold cut sandwich which was great and large in portion. What made it even better was the garden seating behind the shop. Was a perfect afternoon enjoying my coffee and brunch, enjoying the breeze and birds chirping.
Price is reasonable and waiters/​waitresses are friendly. I would recommend this place in Hayes if you haven’t tried it.

Almond milk latte was super bitter, pecan chocolate chip cookie super mushy and soft. Décor inside is uninspiring; outdoors is where it’s at. Friendly service.
But yo, if you’re going to be a fancy coffee place, make a good latte.

This breakfast honestly tasted like shit. Potatoes had no flavor, ham looks and tastes like it was purchased from a Safeway deli counter, and they can’t give you butter for your bread? I’ve given this place so many tries time and time again but I always leave disappointed. Better off just getting a bottle of wine next door and getting drunk out back.

Stopped by here for quick dinner before a standup show at Davies. Had the lamb burger and reuben sandwich between the two of us, plus a couple rounds of beers.
Good food. Decent bottle choices. Quick service. Patio seating.
Pretty nice little spot for something quick and cheap (compartively, as the sandwiche/​burger was still 12 – 14 each) in area.

We were house hunting one day and stopped by here for a quick break. At first I wasn’t super impressed, thinking this is just another fancy coffee shop, so I didn’t order anything. The husband ended up getting coffee and a chocolate croissant. Now, i don’t really remember anything about the chocolate croissant, but when I took a sip of his coffee, I was hooked! It was so, so good!!! I normally don’t drink coffee, and when I do, it’s usually cream and sugar with a little bit of coffee, so for me to like black coffee, that says something!
They also have a nice outside seating area.
Now, every time I’m in the neighborhood, I must drop by for their drip coffee, which is ridiculously priced at only $ 1.5 per cup.

This café is very quaint and adorable! They have a huge coffee and tea selection and its perfect for getting work done during the day. They ran out of a few tea options, and the waitress quickly replaced them when I notified her. The pastries are also very sweet and fresh since plenty of people are buying them so they are replaced fairly often. There is also ample seating indoor and outdoors in the patio but it can get crowded during evening time. Great place to get tea and catch up your friends before dining out in Hayes Valley

I love this place. This is one of me and friends’ favorite breakfast spots (whether hungover or not). It’s a cute neighborhood joint and I love sitting outside in the back when it’s nice out. It is also one of those order at the counter and wait for them to bring it out to you places.
My favorite item is the breakfast burrito, which is actually served until 4pm because it’s that popular. It’s not your standard burrito, and instead it classes it up a bit with crispy pork confit, egg, avocado, potatoes, queso fresco. It’s delicious and super filling; I almost always have leftovers.
They have a good selection of to go foods as well; and let’s not forget their baked goods/​coffee! Their soup of the day is always yummy. Solid breakfast/​brunch choice.

Really enjoy this place for a quick bite, or working here for an afternoon on the weekend. Quick service, really high quality ingredients. A bit on the expensive side for a café, but that’s justified by the food quality. Grilled cheese and hummus plate are particularly good!

Love their outdoor patio!
Don’t come here to work if you need wifi. It’s wretchedly slow.
Their hot tea is mighty leaf — meh.
They have some interesting beer and sake in stock.

Cute restaurant/​coffee shop with a backyard in Hayes Valley.
Went there for a coffee meeting and had a latte. I saw a lot of people working there and eating lunch so it seems like the perfect place to do both studying, working, and relaxing from the busy sf.

Arlequin is a sweet little café that has a quiet back entrance and patio which is pretty cool.
The line can get a little long for brunch but the wait isn’t too bad. I just had a breakfast burrito which I thought was pretty good. They scramble their eggs well and the result is a creamy texture that not a lot of places get right and while the burrito definitely hit the spot, I feel like it still could have been better.
Either way though, Arlequin is a pretty convenient place to grab a bite in the Hayes area and venue-​wise, there’s not much to complain about. Hopefully I can stop by again and try something else that will impress a lot more.

Super cute little place! We ate on the patio out back and it was a great atmosphere. I had the veggie burger, which was decent. There weren’t a lot of veggie options there.
There was, on the other hand, a ton of amazing wine, which is why this deserves a 4 stars. The staff was also really helpful and knowledgable in choosing various wines of different price ranges.

I ordered the three cheese grilled cheese sandwich, chicken with wild rice and butternut squash soup and shared a salad with my friend. I thought the soup would be delicious… it wasn’t! Completely bland – such a disappointment. The grilled cheese was good, but it’s a grilled cheese, VERY hard to mess that one up, and salad is salad, nothing special.
The staff are friendly and the outdoor patio area in the back is really nice.

I’ve only had the pesto grilled cheese because it’s out of control delicious and I can’t get myself to order anything with it.
My husband has had the reuben, and a few of the specials (smoked salmon, pastrami) and the mac and cheese. We love this place.
Come sit out in the back early on a Sunday morning with your computer. It’s quiet enough to get work done + enjoy a vanilla latte (best I’ve had) before the crowds.
The cauliflower bisque is amazing and I’m really sad it’s out of season. Luckily I see my therapist 2x /​week across the street so I can complain about lack of bisque.
Chef– please PM me the recipe? I love you.

For the most part the selection is good. Great looking pastries and some good looking items on the menu. I saw someone with a breakfast burrito as I walked into the joint, it made a positive enough visual impression I ordered it.
It was great. I asked for the eggs on the side, my wife and I wanted to split a few things and she doesn’t eat eggs.
We also got some pastries and the tomato ricotta croissant. It was good, a little too sweet. It would be better if it tomatoes have been cooked some, they were at little wet and the flavor was somewhat flat. That was a disappointment, I don’t think I would get that again. As for the overall atmosphere, it is a little stuck up for my taste. As good as the food is I still find it difficult to pallet so many over the top over indulged egomaniacs. So in that regard this place is not down to earth at all.

I’m falling in love with Hayes Valley.
This place is a few blocks away from my work, so I decided to give it a try on one of my lunch breaks.
They have a variety of dishes to choose from (sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, burgers ect). I opted for the Mac & Cheese, which did not disappoint at all. It was creamy and rich, but not overwhelming, so you can finish the whole thing and not feel awful!
This is a great place if you have a limited amount of time for your meal. You order at the register and then find a place to sit (either inside or outside). Limited seating is available, but that’s at basically any SF restaurant. I ordered my meal «to-​go» and ate at a local park.
Friendly service and delicious food.
I will definitely be back soon!

This place is a very cute, simple, family friendly restaurant.
You order and pay at the cashier, and wait for your food to be ready to head to your table. You may also get some pre-​made salads and some beverages at their fridge part at beginning of the restaurant.
Their mac’n’cheese is really amazing! One of the best I have had. Also, the Lamburger with the best fries ever is another option that you HAVE to try.
The outside seating is quite charming, with metal chairs and tables by the shadow of lovely trees. Definitely great for sunny days, when you can see the sun rays come through the leaves.

Food? Bomb. Wifi? Stable with only one or two hiccups? Dessert? Drool. Length of time stayed? Nearly forever (12:30−5pm). Would do again? Yes.
My colleague and I were in the area and we stopped by to get work done (like actual work!). We both got the special of the day — Crispy Shrimp Sandwich (with cole slaw and avocado mash!) and fries which were super amazing! Either we were ridiculous hungry or it was really amazing, but we scarfed the sandwiches right down. Later in the day we also split a brioche donut with lemon filling which was more like a pastry than fried donut.
I just loved that I was able to get a lot of work done with good wifi, a quiet place to be (did two phone calls out in the outdoor area which was relatively quiet compared to the inside and the street), plentiful bathrooms (two and neither were ever out of use!), and good food.
Go. Do it. Because I definitely will again!

Arlequin’s an affordable option if you’re looking for a place to eat before the ballet. It’s only about two and a half blocks from the War Memorial Opera House, so it’s quite close. No need to worry if you’re going to get your food in time or if you’re going to have the time to enjoy it. It’s a casual place, so you order at the counter and they bring the food to your table when it is ready. We sat down at their beautiful garden area next to a heat lamp and we were plenty warm. We did not have to scarf down our food as the food came promptly and we had enough time to eat, walk to the ballet and pick up our tickets at Will Call.
My friend and I ordered the special of the day. We had the grilled salmon sandwich with soy-​ginger glaze, cilantro slaw and seasoned fries for $ 13.50. Not bad! The bread was toasted and warm, and the salmon was moist and delicious with the soy ginger glaze which was served on the side. The slaw went well with the salmon and the glaze. Loved the seasoned fries. They were crunchy and nicely seasoned. We both ordered a glass of zin to go with our food. It was nice and very affordable at $ 6.
The one thing that my friend and I noticed that was kinda annoying was that most of the seats inside were all taken by people on their computers. You’d think there was a MacBook conference in there! Our only option was to sit outside. Luckily, it was not raining or too cold outside.
We’ll definitely be back next time we’re in the area. Their café is attached to their Wine Merchant business, so I’d love to try their wines next door!

Arlequin Café is exactly the kind of place I love, a unique café with elevated comfort food and of course, freshly baked pastries. I’ve only come during brunch time, but they also have a dinner menu with more substantial entrees like the lamb burger or baked mac and cheese.
Sometimes I get fierce cravings for breakfast burritos, and Arlequin’s is the perfect way to satisfy that craving without feeling guilty. The grilled tortilla is stuffed with scrambled eggs, potatoes, crispy pork confit, and a fresh tomato salsa. The ratio was exactly how I like it, with more eggs and pork rather than potato. The pork was a great addition, adding flavor and texture without being too heavy. I’ve also tried the reuben sandwich because I can never resist a sandwich that comes out from under a panini press. I highly recommend that you get the sandwich on rye for extra flavor, and it’s also the perfect complement to the sourness of the sauerkraut and the saltiness of the pastrami.
No matter how good anything else is on the menu, I absolutely cannot walk out of the door without a pretzel croissant. It’s a collision of two pastries I love, a soft pretzel and a croissant. The texture is buttery and flaky on the inside like a croissant, but the exterior has the saltiness and texture of a soft pretzel. It’s an absolutely amazing creation, and I can’t believe it took so long for someone to make this. Lucky for me, Arlequin is just a five minute walk from me so I can always come in and indulge!

Arlequin café: Un de mes coups de cœur à Hayes Valley pour luncher. Le menu compte une tonne de choix et tout à l’air délicieux: divers sandwichs, macaroni au fromage, potages, etc. Il y a des choix un peu moins santé comme des plats plein de couleurs et de verdure, bref, il y en a pour tous les goûts. Il y a également des mets prêts à emporter pour ceux qui veulent prendre un truc «on the go «. C’est génial!
Depuis que j’y suis allée, je rêve chaque jour de leur wrap végétarien aux légumes grillés, feta, purée de lentilles aux épices marocaines. C’était un d-​é-​l-​i-​c-​e.
Ah, et j’oubliais! Le Arlequin offre également des déjeuners. Oeufs, granola, burritos déjeuner, croissants. Il y aura assurément quelque chose qui vous plaira.
La salle est super jolie et que dire de la terrasse bien à l’abri derrière. Vous pourrez y déguster lentement votre latté ou votre repas. Je vous recommande fortement le Arlequin si vous êtes à Hayes Valley et cherchez un endroit sympathique où casser la croûte.

I had the Croque Arlequin, and it was fantastic! I also split a side of the Mac and cheese, which was perfectly crusty on top. Yum++