Gitane Restaurant

The octopus was great it was tender and delicious it was my favorite dish that we tried.
Salmon melted in my mouth.

My fiancé and I made a reservation for 8pm. When we arrived at 7:55pm and the hostess said the table wasn’t quite ready. Ok, no problem… We decided to grab a drink at the bar while we waited. ONE HOUR went by… NO TABLE… Finally, at 9:05pm, we were escorted to our table. Before the hostess would seat is we were instructed to close out tab our at the bar (the least they could have done was pick up our 2 drinks for the inconvenience).
We given a table on the second floor (pretty cramped and the table was uneven).
Although the hostess apologized for our long wait, which was nice, a manager NEVER even bothered to say anything to us.
The food was good… We have the cheese plate, lamb and short rib.
However, we felt unappreciated at this restaurant and watched others be crammed into spots on top of each other.
I would NOT recommend this restaurant.

Gee, I didn’t know Gitane was in the running for the America’s Best Bathroom title a few years ago. You probably couldn’t convince the three angst-​ridden women who were waiting for it as we left the restaurant. I wouldn’t minded a pit-​stop but I would have been home and in bed by the time I would have gotten in. Alas, that hiccup didn’t define my evening there. Let me flash back to when Jamie W. and I actually entered where we were dazzled by the subtly underlit, European-​style bar populated by cosmopolitans drinking perhaps cosmopolitans or at least a sherry flight (photo:
). We were seated in the smallish dining room upstairs where it was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday evening (photo:
).
The alluring menu is described now as southern French by culinary snobs, but crossing the border into Spain is what most of the dishes are about. But first, the $ 12 cocktails were in order since we were celebrating a new job. Jamie went for the Bubbling Beauty, a tantalizing combination of manzanilla sherry, lemon, agave and cava (photo:
). I decided to sip the slightly kickier Rusty Medal, which adds blanco tequila to the sherry and blends in amaro nonino and gran classico (photo:
). We were feeling quite relaxed by the time our shared appetizer arrived, the $ 13 Brussels Sprouts Salad, which added lardons, manchego cheese, apples, pepitas, lemon and honey vinaigrette (photo:
). The result was nearly magical.
Our entrees were no less stellar. Jamie had the $ 27 Moroccan-​Spiced Salmon with a relish of olives and seasonal vegetables, pickled cherry and almond couscous, and artistically sliced cucumbers (photo:
). Lovely dish that definitely sails south of Iberia. Mine was inhabiting the same region but with a more carnivorous bent, the $ 28 Basque Braised Short Rib with Moroccan-​glazed carrots and aligot potatoes (photo:
). Very tasty and probably the most Gallic dish on the menu. We shared an inevitable side, the $ 7 Papas Bravas, flash-​fried potatoes with a pimenton aioli (photo:
). These were thoroughly addictive and I could see coming back to the bar and gorging on those.
Dessert awaited with the mini-​production that was the $ 6 French Press Coffee anchoring our post-​dinner digestion (photo:
). We shared two of the three $ 8 desserts offered that evening, the Abrequina Olive Oil Cake with citrus and orange whipped cream (photo:
) and the Spiced Bread Pudding with cranberry, raisin, sherry, and salted caramel (photo:
). Hard to say which was better since they were devoured so quickly by both of us. The bread pudding was a slam dunk with those flavors rolling into it, but the olive oil cake was more subtly surprising with the citrus acting like the acidic complement to the oil. Truly a lovely meal, and it’s a good thing we live close by given the popularity of the bathroom.
FOOD — 5 stars… flavorful spices and aioli inform the already tasty Iberian-​accented dishes served here
AMBIANCE — 4.5 stars… quietly elegant with plenty of reds
SERVICE — 4 stars… professional and never intrusive
TOTAL — 5 stars… more Barcelona than Paris and all the better for it

Situated in a quaint alley reminiscent of Paris, is this gem. Perfect for date night, girls night out or a special occasion.
Dinner was executed with flavor and robustness.

I booked a reservation at Gitane a couple months earlier for a special dinner with my girlfriend; I was popping the question!
We live in Los Angeles and although being familiar with the bay area (we love San Francisco), had never dined at Gitane. Read a lot of good reviews and articles and it seemed a good fit.
It was.
The ambiance was perfect, the waiter, attentive and professional.
Tried the Bonbons (great!) She had the short ribs and I the sword for entrees.
Both were married with perfect sauces, although my fish was just a wee bit over cooked.
The broccoli and cauliflower sides were delicious.
Between appetizers and the main course the waiter took our photo on request, and afterwards while still sitting at her side, I asked her to marry me.
She said yes, and the subdued lighting in there made the diamond ring I gave her sparkle like the Star of India!
The house bought us desserts as congratulations (we don’t drink), and the whole evening was magical.
The place is special even if you’re not proposing marriage.
We will return.

Unreal. I had eaten here for NYE about 5 years ago and had great memories of delicious tapas, Spanish wine, and good conversation on the patio. This past visit was even better than that!
We over ordered but ate everything as usual, and I loved how they had a ton of options for us to choose from as Pescatarians. We started with the most incredible piquillo peppers stuffed with brandade and potato, which came with crostini to scoop up. The fromage plate was so good, as was the eggplant caponata and the patatas bravas. They were crunchy and creamy at the same time. The best by far was the veggie paella, which surprised me. Rice as an entrée never excites me but this was incredibly flavorful and savory, and filled with fresh spring peas, spinach, carrots and pearl onions, and squash. Love it.

If you’re looking for a good meal, stay away. This place is indeed very pleasing to the eyes. It’s in a cute alley in Union Square. It screams romantic, dark, mysterious, and unique. I had read previous Unilocal reviews and chose this place for a nice romantic dinner out with my date.
I made reservations for 8:30pm on a Friday night. We arrived at 8:27pm, couple minutes early and the hostess says we had to wait another 10 minutes to get seated. Whatever, no big deal. We got seated about 15 minutes later in their upstairs dining room. I really wanted to love this restaurant because it has such eclectic décor.
Food:
Frisee Salad $ 13
Papas Bravas $ 7
Glass Chardonnay $ 14
Paella $ 24
Salmon $ 27
–Total w/​SF Surcharge + Tax + Tip ~ $ 107
Where do I even begin? The frisee salad was bitter, the papas bravas overly salted, the paella was slightly soggy, the salmon felt under cooked. I was so disappointed with the meal. The only good thing about this place were their drinks. I had such high expectations specially because everyone raves about the food. Not sure why our meal was a complete bummer.
Service: Just ok. A bit slow at times, didn’t get offered water until we asked for some. Server was nice enough, kinda out of it, but she meant well.
Atmosphere: Like I said before, this place is pretty. But not pretty enough to make up for the tasteless food. Also, they only have 1 co-​ed bathroom in the entire restaurant, I find that odd.
I didn’t get the bang out of my buck. I will not be back. Sorry, not sorry, Gitane.

Looking for something off the beaten path? You’ve found it: Seriously, down an alleyway you’d probably never venture down unless you were loaded, is a quaint row of restaurants. Gitane is one of two european-​style eateries in the alleyway (Gitane is spanish, while Café Claude is french). We were looking for great tapas — and Gitane came highly recommended.
Started with the Bonbons — bacon wrapped prunes stuffed with goat cheese. Awesome. Then sampled the Wood Fired Octopus. Incredible. Perfectly cooked. And the Pastilla (lamb with currants in a pastry pocket). Bam! Another win! We also had a side of Beans as an appetizer, which were also authentically delicious. (The last time I had spanish food this good, it was in Spain.)
For dinner we had the short rib and the chicken. All the food was really impressive. The balance of tastes, the combinations, really, really done well. Especially the way the drinks/​cocktails complimented the food. The cocktails too — their speakeasy influence was noted and appreciated.
So why am I not giving the place five stars?
Well…When we were initially seated, we asked to move to another more open table (the one we wanted to move from was small and a bit cramped), the hostess told us the server hadn’t started that the section wasn’t open… OK we thought, not a big deal… But less than a minute later the hostess came back up the steps and sat a couple at the same table we asked to be seated at. WTF? (If it was reserved, fine, but don’t lie to your patrons — there was no reservation sign on the table, by the way…)
We were also celebrating an anniversary, and before appetizers arrived, they brought out two glasses of champagne — «This is on us,» the waitress said. Yet, when the bill came there was a charge (a dollar a glass) for the champagne. We paid it, didn’t say anything about it, but after thinking about the way it was brought to the table, «Happy Anniversary, this is on us,» we found it, both incidents — very, very odd. And for first-​timers at the restaurant not the best experience… hence, what should have been a five star experience became four stars.

Gitane has had plenty of great reviews.
We started with the Bonbons — Prunes stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in bacon, citrus gastrique and Flatbread «Del Dia». Both appetizers were delicious.
Here is my take on two dishes: 1) Oven-​Roasted Swordfish with Broccoli and cauliflower, preserved lemon yogurt, butter beans, piquillo peppers. Fish cooked to perfection. Very tasty dish. 2) Butter Basted Lamb Sirloin with fava beans, English peas, mint, chick peas, cipollini onion, lamb, and port demi-​glacé. Very different dish. Tasty, but a «little» overcooked, not what I expected.
Atmosphere of restaurant is fantastic. We had excellent service by Duke (& others) except they forgot to bring out the sides until we were almost all done with our meals.
Definitely will be coming back again.

Very interesting place. Love that it was in a secluded alley but across a parking garage.
I personally loved the apps: Bonbons, Pequillo Peppers and Octopus.
We had the paella — not traditional with one entrée per person and finished everything on the table. The trout was very good. Swordfish was recommended, but just ok since the lemon yogurt sauce was a bit sparce.
For dessert? The artisan cheese dish was a great way to cap off the night.
Excellent ambiance for nice conversation.

Took a vacation with my girlfriend to San Francisco for NYE 16. got a room over the weekend at a nice hotel in Union Square and was looking for a nice restaurant to take her to that were vegetarian friendly. She is a vegetarian, I’m not so a steakhouse was out of the question :(…
Saw the reviews here on Unilocal and the walking distance from our hotel was only two blocks so I decided to give this place a try. Made a reservation online with ease and received a friendly reminder call the previous day which was also great.
When walking to the restaurant it was a little bit hard to find due to the fact that the entry is down a small alley way. But it is a nice secluded area that does not look like much from the outside. When we walked in we were immediately greeted by the hostesses which was a nice touch. We were asked if we had a preference of indoor or outdoor and due to it being NYE it was a bit too noisy outside for liking so I chose in.
We were seated in a small booth upstairs near a window over looking the alley — Absolutely no view of really anything but the side of the neighboring building however the interior design of the restaurant where we were seated was really nice and accounted for the lack of view. The restaurant is beautifully decorated inside and has a truly romantic fell to it.
Our waiter immediately came over and asked us about our drink orders. We had plans for afterward so decided to skip on the wine and just have sparkling water — which while at first saddened me that it was not champagne ended up being a good choice later on in the evening when we started to celebrate NYE.
I mentioned to the waiter that my GF was vegetarian and he immediately had recommendations for her that were not on the Prix Fix menu that evening. We ended up having the Bonbons which we decadent and delicious, the vegetable paella which was creamy and smooth, I had the Fillet which was the most tender and delicious fillet that I have had in a really long time — Highly recommend! and for dessert we had one chocolate and one olive oil cake. It was very hard to decide which dessert was my personal favorite because they were both so delicious. My recommendation is to go here on a date make sure to save a little additional room during your meal and order both desserts — Paired together they are amazing.
Overall we had a great experience here on NYE. The bill came to around 250.00 for the two of us. Definitely worth the splurge.

Gitane means gypsy in French and its a juxtaposition of boho charm mixed with Tuscany richness. You get me??? Then Gitane is for you!
Here the bartenders are quick and attentive, the décor beautiful and intoxicating and with the the best bathroom in SF recommended by 7×7 magazine you absolutely can’t go wrong.
Order a glass of sparkly cava with St. Germain and dream about all the beauty in life.
Trust!

I came here on a Monday night with my clients and colleagues at 9PM. By 9:15, they had mentioned to us that they were going to close their kitchen by 9:30, which I was not aware of, but was okay with it.
I ordered their special of the evening which was Mussels and Chorizo Paella. It was good, but it wasn’t the best. I felt like it needed a little bit of a citrus/​moist taste.
For drinks, I ordered La Gitane. I absolutely loved this drink! It had a nice smooth citrus taste.
The ambience was very nice.

Second times a charm ! So glad to come back and give the hard working, professional crew here another go.
First off, we made reservations on the Unilocal site and requested a dinning room table. Wow, what a difference, could not be more of a night and day difference. Their dinning room that has a partial overlook down to the bar is nothing short of beautiful !
Their wait staff is exceedingly spot on perfect, always right there but in a way as to not be intrusive, very wonderful. Chef Michael Reyes came and introduced himself. As he checked on our meal he briefly chatted
about his commitment and passion towards his profession and as I watched him work the room with his professional caring eye and warm genuine demeanor I knew he was telling the truth.
We had a wonderful grenache that was very fruit forward with a nice palette with no dryness. We must say they served a seafood soup that was nothing short of spectacular very clean, pure flavor with mussels cooked absolutely perfectly. Their paella and swordfish were equally fantastic and the stuffed prune bacon wrapped bonbons was a perfect appetizer.
With a fantastic Chef like Michael Reyes anchoring the back of the house and a gem like Katherine taking care of the front of the house making sure the guests are happy we can only say we are grateful we came back !

Well, I hate to sound so contrary but… to start with while enroute we receive a phone call asking if we were going to be there on time because they would like to seat us 15 minutes early due to their overbooking. Well, sure we were going to hang out in their bar anyway. So we get there 30 minutes early and they proceed to seat us outside, I said we have reservations and the hostess stated they fill the restaurant up first come first serve, well… we are here early you want to seat outside in a cold, drafty, smelly sidewalk, no way. I asked don’t they serve in the bar, why yes, follow me. She then proceeds to seat us in the bar in a corner facing the wall! Can’t we sit at the bar bar you know right there ! I mean what the… this type of management practice is so bad, rushing people, seating mysteries to say the least, we would probably not be back just based on this.
We were really looking forward to having some true flavors of Spain and perhaps France and we were just disappointed. Charcuterie had some very nice authentic flavor, the one egg was good, ham good, pickles were out of a jar. The one tentacle of Spanish octopus was nice and tender. The piquello relleno was supposed to be stuffed with a bacalau but flavor could not be further from authentic, you really could not tell what you were eating. Moroccan short ribs was ok, but nothing you could not make at home. The trout actually had such a strong flavor it had a similar flavor of the short ribs. The flavor was just too strong and muddled, you could not tell what you were eating.
Unfortunately, the ambiance is really nice, the wait staff was nice but other things overshadow the strengths of this restaurant. Price points too high for what you get. One word disappointing.

Came here with my girlfriend to celebrate our two year anniversary. It’s a solid, classy restaurant down near Montgomery BART stop, and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a good date night. Now on to the food…
1) Oysters — yes, they are expensive, but quite delicious! They were some of the freshest, least salty oysters either of had eaten, and they go well with the champagne sauce they bring.
2) Octopus — ehh, a bit overpriced and underperforming. It is well cooked (nice and tender), but it seems overpriced for the amount you get.
3) Lamb — we had the lamb dish and really enjoyed it. Waitress brought out some bread to soak up the broth, and the meat itself was quite tender. Chickpeas were a nice touch!
4) Brussels sprout salad — nice! Tasty little salad with a lot of flavor. Highly recommended!
Also tried the sherry flight — sherry isn’t my really thing, but it was a great way to test that theory. Service was good, and only negative was the bill — but that is to be expected for good food in the city. Came to about $ 170 for everything for the two of us (two drinks, three appetizers, one entrée, one side).

Hey charity one star, say thanks to the Unilocal programmers!
We were seated at a table in the outdoor patio against a urine-​smelling wall. To their credit, they did re-​seat us upstairs upon compliant, but reminding us that there would be a following reservation. The menu was all pri fix for new year eve. We ordered wine and two pri fix. The appetizer came very quickly and the waiter «reminded» us to be careful because the croquet has hot filling. We took a bite into it, the core was chilled, not just cold. We ended up asking to just pay for the wine and left.

Allow yourself to be transported to a dining destination that’s oozing with sex appeal matched with a cuisine that’s as tantalizing as the East.
Welcome to Gitane once again.
A new chef is heading the kitchen, truly I felt a bit sad that I couldn’t order the chicken basteeya anymore, but I’m delighted that Gitane retained its Mediterranean flavors.
Whether it’s the succulent braised short ribs with Moroccan glazed carrots and aligot potatoes or the fork tender grilled lamb top round which is further enhanced with lamb chorizo, had no hint of gamey-​ness whatsoever, just an all around hearty dish.
For the fish lovers in the group, the delicate oven roasted swordfish with preserved lemon yogurt and piquillo peppers shine.
The current cocktail menu is no longer Sherry centric, but still offers fine choices for Spain’s main liquor export. I went the gin route and tried La Gitane which is made with house grenadine, lemon and egg whites. A citrusy, almost too sweet cocktail that’s paired better with light appetizers such as the eggplant caponata. The Costa Dorada (vanilla infused bourbon, Benedictine, antica) was a much better match for my lamb.
This romantically dark and elaborate restaurant is an irresistible place that attracts couples and small groups. I’ll have to come back with the boyfriend in tow. Smooches galore.

Excellent Spanish restaurant! The salmon tartare appetizer and the lamb top round on chorizo were both good. The paella was very good, especially when you add seafood. It doesn’t taste like traditional Spanish paella, but the orange glazed turnips, acorn squash, and other flavors really came together well. The trout wrapped in jamon serrano was also very good. They leave the skin of the fish on, but the ham and fish really came together well for a novel, delicious dish. The desserts were also awesome; the chocolate budino was my favorite. The bread pudding was really good, too, but I wish it came with vanilla ice cream. Service (Vicky) was professional, knowledgeable, and friendly. I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time and request to be seated inside.

My husband and I were itching for a date night, so after scouring Unilocal for hours, we finally narrowed it down to Gitane.
Traffic on a Saturday night in that area was all backed up and we had a little bit of trouble actually finding the place (the entrance is in an alley, not a regular street). We walked in, were greeted by the host, and were seated right away. The atmosphere is very romantic and moody. We ordered some wine and flatbread as an appetizer. The flatbread was good– similar to a pizza and I’m a pizza-​girl, so I was happy.
I ordered the braised short ribs for dinner. Before they brought out the dish, they brought out a steak knife. I’ll just tell you now– you don’t need it! The meat just fell off the bone and was soooo delicious! It was served with mashed potatoes and veggies. My husband got the special of the day, which was a steak with potatoes and a red pepper aioli sauce. I had a few bites of his and it was amazing as well. Not only were they tasty, but the portions were just right.
The only negative thing I have to say isn’t Gitane’s fault: be careful if you’re booking through OpenTable! I had booked our reservation online and received the e-​mail confirmation. The next day, I received a confirmation voicemail and e-​mail, which said to only call/​e-​mail if I wanted to cancel. Since I wanted to keep our reservation, I didn’t respond, only to find an e-​mail from OpenTable at 10:15pm the night before our reservation, saying that our reservation had been cancelled. I called the restaurant right away and they reassured me that our reservation had actually NOT been cancelled and that OpenTable just glitches sometimes. So maybe it’s safer to book over the phone, just for the peace of mind?
However you end up booking, just do it. It’s a great restaurant and I would definitely recommend it.

I attended a book signing event for Joanne Weir. It was an absolute pleasure to meet her and her husband!
The restaurant served a prix fixe dinner with recipes from her new book, Kitchen Gypsy. All were jummy, but I’ll skip the review because it was a limited offering.
Seafood fritters
Halibut and Zucchini skewers
Aroz con Pollo
Pear and polenta tart
My friend ordered from the menu:
Woodfired Spanish octopus — tender, but no char?
Braised short ribs — tasty, a little dry, mashed potatoes awesome
I had too many delicious cocktails:
La Gitaine — deelicious! Order one. Now. They make a flower on top!
Pisco cocktail — created for the event
Costa Dorada — smoove, like an old fashioned

I came here for a company celebration dinner. The atmosphere was really nice. The alley when you arrive is like a cute European style walk up with outside seating in front. We started with drinks at the bar while we were waiting for our table and my coworkers loved their cocktails. I don’t remember what the names were but one of them had a cute flower pattern using bitters over egg white. Yum!
Appetizers: We ordered a bunch of appetizers including the charcuterie and fromage plate. The jamon serrano, like a prosciutto was delicious! We’re still talking about their bleu cheese… We ordered another one for dessert!
Entrees: I had the Navarro trout and we all shared saffron rice and papas bravas. I love the onions and the jamon Serrano on the trout! Papas bravas was perfected crispy and sized. And for wine we had the abarino… Recommended by our server. Gotta have a Spanish wine at a Spanish restaurant!
Dessert: chocolate budino… A must! The olive oil cake was really smooth as well but I’m a chocolate girl so the budino stole my heart. And if you missed the cheese for appetizer you still have a chance!
Service: they were attentive for the most part. At the end I think they were a little busy and forgot a latte but things like that happen to the best of us.
I have to say that going to the bathroom is a little bit of an experience. It seems they have a single unisex bathroom by the hostess station and quite hidden in this beautiful jewelry box of a space. I thought I was going into a private club. Lol just a little note.

There’s AMONTILLADO on the menu. As in «The Mzafzn Cask Of»; soooo dope. If I drank, I would’ve ordered both kinds. I didn’t even know Amontillado had kinds — I thought it was just the one where #spoiler dude walks you underground, gets you crunk, then #isaidspoiler seals you alive behind the wall.
Bros, take your woman here, but please try not to have champagne spilled all over your table like the date across from me. Ladies, don’t bring your man bc #cutewaiters. #heyyyooooo #nobromo
(^_​^) Grilled Hangar Steak $ 28 (
)
Got it #arap (As Rare As Possible).
(^_​^) Salmon Tartare $ 16 (
)
Dense portion size.
(^_​^) Housemade Lemonade $ 3 (
)
Need mine super sour. #twss
(^_​^) Menu Aesthetic Design (
)
Typeface & typecleanclean. Simple 1-​sheet.
(-_​^) Wood-​Fire Spanish Octopus $ 17 (
)
Dat veg x fruit x chorizo medley doe.
Bar décor was #dayyyym, upstairs style was great without being overbearing. #fruitstripegumcushions Music was Spanish x French (?) interspersed with dance clubbish tunes, slightly #thingsthatmakeyougohmmmm.
«For the love of Food, Mealtresor!»
«Yes,» I said, «for the love of Food!»

What a delicious gem of a place!
Located in an adorable alley along with a few other restaurants, this was a perfect place for our team dinner. We sat outside at a long table — at first I was concerned it’d be cold (ah, SF in the summer) but they have some excellent patio heaters!
I ordered a delicious cocktail, and we got a bunch of different food to try. The cheese board looked a little small but was actually super delicious and we all got to try a little. The peach and burrata salad was excellent — I just wished there was more of it! The papas bravas were tasty, but you can’t really go wrong with pan fried potatoes (hey, I’m over half Irish, I’m a sucker for a potato). The bonbons were divine — succulent prunes stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon means you really can’t go wrong! I got to try both the lamb and the chicken entrees, and both were good. The chicken was tender and paired well with the rice beneath it, although the chorizo was a little overpowering.
The interior was beautiful as well — I snuck a peek when I went to the bathroom, and it’s quite opulent! The bathroom was huge, with a urinal and a toilet, very very low lighting, and a trippy tiled floor — it was like dirty Gatsby.
I’m definitely a fan of this place and will be eager to return next time I’m in SF!

Romantic, chic, and no air conditioning are probably the best ways to describe this place. Okay, I get it, California is so awesome and you don’t need A/​C. As we say in STL, it got «hot in here” — Nelly, 2002.
It was pretty empty when we went on a Thursday evening but it was late… maybe 8ish? We got a table right away. The ambiance is top notch. The second floor has tons of mirrors and a glass wall that covers a beautiful brick wall. They had a massive floral display that I would imagine is there every day. Seriously a perfect date night spot.
There was about 6 of us and the service was top notch. We had a vegan at the table and when the chef heard he came out and talked with her to make a custom dish that fit her dietary needs… it’s not everyday that you see that happen.
For my meal I got charred octopus & Bonbons (prunes stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in bacon, citrus gastrique). To drink I ordered a Costa Dorada from their craft cocktail list. It has vanilla infused bourbon, antica, benedictine, orange bitters. First off, everything was amazing. Charred octopus sounds scary but get it. It was AMAZING. The octopus was grilled to perfection and had amazing seasoning. The tentacles were thick and savory. The Bonbons were as addicting as you’d expect. Goat cheese and bacon? What could go wrong. The drink was also very aromatic and soothing for the soul.
Gitane is a little on the pricer side for what you get in portions but a great late-​night experience.

Chic French-​influenced Spanish tapas restaurant that is swanky and perfect for a dark, sexy date date night. Nestled off an unsuspecting corner, you have to be really looking for this place to find it. I like the mysteriousness of it all. I went here as a team dinner and was impressed by the interior’s swanky interior, our hospitable waiters and the overall ambiance.
The tapas were wonderful! We passed shared of plates of delectable dishes: Salmon Tartare
(avocado mousse, radish and frisée salad, lemon cucumber); My personal fave– the Bonbons–
(prunes stuffed with goat cheese, wrapped in bacon, citrus gastrique); Peach and Burrata Salad (arugula, heirloom tomatoes, peach vinaigrette, marcona almonds), and a few others I don’t recall.
All bursting with bold flavors and all delicious. There was not one thing I didn’t like. My only reservation about returning: it’s hard to get full fast on tapas if you are really hungry. Make sure you order enough to go around… and that can get pretty pricey.

Whilst taking a sip of her slender glass of champagne, she casually looks toward the entrance to see her lover descend the stairs from the alley outside. She meets him at the landing in an embrace that warms this sensuous speakeasy-​like bungalow donning tapestries and brocade curtains and dangling chandeliers. They find their seats upstairs in a cozy tufted corner, and while the world has seemingly melted away, their mutual enchantment is captured in the patina’d mirrors that cover the walls…
Ok, ok, so I would assume that would be the experience for most people coming to this very sexy, chic restaurant tucked away in an alley that is reminiscient of the scene where Thomas and Martha Wayne are taken out, and Bruce essentially becomes Batman… that is until you get the quaint patio area that leads to the gypsy’s bungalow inside. But it was the last dinner with a group of coworkers in town, and while they weren’t any of my romantic counterparts, I very much enjoyed the experience here.
I was under the weather so I wasn’t able to enjoy the wine or cocktail list, but was very thankful for the kettle of hot water for a green tea and the attention to my water glass (I know I probably seemed like a thirsty plant that evening, so I’m very grateful).
I split the charcuterie board, oysters, and salmon tartare with a friend. I had one of those «sorry, not sorry» moments about the Salmon Tartare*. They had made the point of telling us that though it was an appetizer, it wasn’t really a shared appetizer if you were just other appetizers. Size, yes possibly could be shared, but taste-wise…I’m pretty sure I ate most of it. So delicious. Very lighty, creamy flavor with complementing herbs.
They explained the variuos meats on our charcuterie plate which also came with cornichons, olives, and some other accoutrements. I’m not very big on pâté, but I’m sure I could’ve mentioned this prior to. The chef and waiter we had were extremely accomodating.
If you’re from New Orleans and used to ginormous globs of oysters, that’s not how they do it in SF. They’re oysters are probably normal sized to what we’re used to and don’t come with a side of saltine crackers. Their mignonette was a lovely light sauce that wasn’t too acidic and I tried to eat my oysters, with a very light briny flavor, as lady-​like as humanly possible. (Again, I probably could’ve eaten the whole dozen, no splitskies)
For a night that wasn’t ending anytime soon, these light dishes were perfect to not weigh me down. Upon returning to San Francisco, hopefully with my significant other, I would love to reenact my first paragraph and order a very nice bottle of wine. Thank you again for such a lovely dinner!
*Salmon Tartare: Avocado mouuse, radish and frisée salad, lemon cucumber

I’d like to think this is a classy, sassy, and smart assy place for a romantic dinner. From the beautiful chandelier to the dim lighting to the quiet intimate dining corner upstairs. Even the restroom is hella sexy!
I can’t really say the food was solid, they could have done a lot more with their entrees. Lukewarm scallop with too little seasoning, followed by horribly chewy lamb meat entrée, and finally a simple panna cotta dessert that I didn’t really care for.
Despite the unimpressive food, I do like the ambiance and the service at Gitane restaurant.

Seriously sexy restaurant. Even the bathroom is sexy; walking through a secret passageway in the wall to get there, ornate furnishings, loud music that vibrates the entire room.
Don’t worry, the restaurant itself isn’t that loud, it’s just right. But the décor is just as ornate and sensual, as are the food and drinks. The names of the cocktails alone might get you all hot and bothered: Vixen, Smoke & Fire, Love in a Mist… I tried the Vixen (vodka, cherries, peach bitters, Rosemary) — quite sweet but not overly so. Strong but easy to drink.
Get the cheese board! Chef’s selection with a couple nuts and fruit compotes. Not a lot of food on the plate but what’s there is lovely. The bon bons are even better; goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and served with a sweet dipping sauce. The duo of lamb was absolutely fantastic. Lamb cooked medium and then a lamb sausage; both were perfect and the ratatouille had great depth of flavor.
Prices are up there, but you’re paying for a beautiful menu and setting. I went twice on my last visit and sat both inside and out, truly enjoyed the atmosphere either way.

Such a positive place that exudes whimsy and delight. Based on what I assume to be a lovely French country house, the adorable interior is lined with floor to ceiling shelves stocked with wine bottles. And if that’s not charming enough — their frites arrive at your table in a wooden shoe. Yes, a wooden shoe.
Since it was still lunch, we sipped on iced tea and lemonade, which might have been lemonade I’ve had in a long time. It’s crazy to think that a lemonade can really change my day for the better, but this one certainly did. Though the crispy cod salad didn’t look as appetizing as others, it was a nice lunch meal light enough to keep you going for the rest of the day. In addition, the staff was just a delight!

On the street but by no means street food — this is by far the best meal I’ve ever eaten in an alley. Which… is actually saying a lot as it seems like a lot of the best food I’ve eaten has come from alley ways. Maybe the juxtaposition of glamour and grime makes things tasted better. While sure, Gitane might benefit from the eclectic mix of sexy and slimy, their sexy and sexy mix of French and Spanish food could stand on its own if it had to.
They change their cocktails often, but on the occasion that I was lucky enough to eat there I was treated to a Smoke & Fire: Smokey Mezcal, drambuie, firy chili, lemon, honey. Sweet, savoury, smokey and spicy all at the same time — if you’re feeling adventurous, this is a great way to a drink adventure. Dont’ like it hot? STAY THE HECK AWAY! This cocktail packs plenty of spice
Why stop at one? In the name of adventure and exploration, I also tried out the Fly By Night (away from here (Da na!) Change my life agaaain) an explosive concoction of a few kinds of rum, velvet falernum, (whatever the heck that is,) orange, lime, and absinthe. Makes for sort of a rummy sazerac.
Both of these were a super tasty cocktail adventure, but I don’t think I’d repeatedly order them over any of the classics.

Almost always, I have an OCD-​complex need to document every single item ordered via photograph, mobile phone note-​taking and/​or receipt to report back accurately. By the time we arrived here for my other half’s *TRUE* birthday dinner, my iPhone had lost its power. I will try my best regardless!
We had been to Café Claude several times and enjoyed that experience much, so in learning this next-​door neighbor with a Spanish/​French romantic flair was of the same owner, we thought we would give it a whirl.
Seated quickly upstairs by candlelight, I believe we ordered the following:
–Brick Oven Roasted Octopus — Cauliflower purée, orange, roasted georgia pecans
–Pancetta-​Wrapped Rabbit — Roasted winter vegetables, potato purée, herb jus
–Wood Oven Morcilla Sausage — Verjus-​braised radish, charred treviso, apple mustard
–Clams and Pork Belly
I am sure we shared everything, although I am not 100% sure if the clams dish was titled that. The octopus was decent and mostly tender, while more an appetizer for us.
My absolute favorite was the rabbit dish — a lot of folks might have second thoughts about bunnies or them being «too cute to eat,» but unless you are a vegan, why consider that here? Absolutely was delicious with pancetta! Try everything once: that’s my motto lately. Plus, I didn’t design the menu!
Wish I could remember our exact type of wine that evening… It was a very hot day (we’re experiencing a drought, you see), so I’d surmise we began with bubble or rosé to stay chilled.
Overall, was very satisfied with both the food and the service. Was even intrigued with the arrangement and placement of their restroom door (maybe you’ll see it, too?). Hope to come back just because, and not worry about taking notes!

Drinks are the cause for coming here, food is the reason for coming back.
My friend and I went to the bar at 5pm on a weekday. Happy hour was in place and the bartender was fantastic. He did however charge us for an extra drink which was fixed when we told him at the end. Sazerac, Old Fashioned, and a Blood & Sand was ordered. First two were perfect, Blood & Sand was a bit light on the smoke.
The octopus was the dish of the night! I can’t complain with that type of deliciousness. Their beet salad is delicious as well. But I can’t remember anything more since that octopus was just so very memorable.

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a representative from Gitane about giving the restaurant another try. I managed to convince a friend to come with me on a Saturday night and was really impressed with my second experience here.
In terms of food, we got the yellowtail crudo, the trout, and the lamb. We also tried one of their punches.
Crudo – fish cuts were super fresh and very delicious. I loved it though the flavors were definitely very interesting. I was mostly impressed with how fresh the fish was.
Trout – trout was cooked perfectly. It’s easy to mess up fish by making it too dry, but this fish was just cooked so the inside was still on the «raw-​er» side which was excellent. Brussel sprouts were delicious as well – they were a little too salty for my liking, but not bad.
Lamb – this was interesting. They took a normal cut of lamb and rolled it up. This was super deceptive for my friend when he first started cutting into it because it was so dry but then once he figured out how to unravel the lamb, it was super tender and juicy.
We had to wait a pretty abnormally long amount of time for our food for some reason, but Gitane handled this super well. They were great about refilling our drinks and then actually offered us dessert on the house which was awesome.
Chocolate cremeaux – something like this can easily be too sweet, but the coffee cream was just perfectly creamy and rich. It also comes with roasted marshmallows which I really liked
Olive oil cake – this was actually spectacular and I would love to get this again. The fruit purée they had complimented the cake really well and was just generally delicious.
Lots of great things to say, but my summary is this
1) Gitane has fantastic service. From convincing me to go back and give their restaurant a try again and really changing my experience and impression for the better to acknowledging that they were slow with their food and giving us complimentary dessert, it’s really the little things like service that I think make a restaurant really distinctive
2) Food is very much of high quality. Great stuff. I’m still of the variety that the food is a 4-​star for me. The food is really good, but it’s not mind blowing. it’s just executed very well
tldr; awesome swanky date night spot with truly exceptional service and pretty good food too