The Dorian

Loved the ambiance of the restaurant! The interior of the restaurant is beautiful, and the food was pretty good too. We got a dozen Miyagi oysters, steak tartare, cioppino, truffle fries, shrimp & crab cake sliders, and wild arugula salad.
Everything was good, but my favorites were the shrimp & crab cake sliders and the truffle fries. The cioppino was a little small but still pretty good. I would definitely come back again.

This place was awesome! My boyfriend and I came across The Dorian while walking back to our hotel and decided to stop by for a nightcap or two. The bartender we had was so attentive and asked us our preferances on our drinks, which we both loved since we’re both very particular.
The set up of the bar is cool too with a dim lighting and bookcases. There is seating away from the bar too, separated by a curtain. One of the unique things about this place is their photo booth. Next time I’m in SF, I’m definitely coming back.

Flavorful food, attentive service in a lively and sophisticated atmosphere. If you’re looking for a stylish place to grab a cocktail and some artisanal No. Cal. comfort food, The Dorian SF is the place! The overstuffed «Devil’s Egg» with applewood bacon was rich and smokey. The Pear & Pomegranate Salad with creamy goat cheese was refreshing, accented with a bit of tang and crunch. The coating on the fish (Fish and Chips) was light and crispy and the cod was delicately flavored with a smooth and silken texture. Fries were hot and crispy. Diet be damned! Save room for the sinfully rich Butterscotch Pudding, a very adult version of a childhood favorite.
Thanks to the sound tiles on the ceiling tiles, I could hear my dinner guests and still enjoy the energy of a very crowded room with a lively, upbeat vibe!

I’ve only been here for brunch, but it was really good!
Ambiance: Really cool restaurant in a great location– right on Chesnut in the marina next to all the great shops. Big windows with lots of sunlight, and an upstairs seating area.
Drinks: Unfortunately they don’t have bottomless mimosas (and one mimosa is $ 10!!!) but the food was delicious.
Food: My friend and I split the crab avocado salad which had a lot of avocado– awesome! We also got the burger which was REALLY good– carmelized onions, bacon jam, yum. I’m glad we split the burger because it was pretty heavy and I would have felt sick if I ate the whole thing. The fries that came with the burger were also really delicious.
Overall: It was definitely expensive, but so is everything in San Francisco, so it was standard. I I would definitely come here again and both things.

Who knew anything occupying the old Circa Lounge space could be so classy and cool?
Went for dinner with a friend on Saturday night and was very pleasantly surprised. First of all, the interior space is GORGEOUS. Classy bookshelves, beautiful booths, and a swanky curtain sectioning off the classy dining room from the more rowdy bar area.
The food was great! Shared the hummus (it was meh), brussel sprouts (delicious), and had a burger and fries. The burger, although not as INCREDIBLE as instagram posts and reviews made it out to be, was very solid and a great option for anyone who likes a good burger. Thick patty cooked to your liking topped with delicious caramelized onions and white cheddar.
All in all, would highly recommend as a date spot or a fun friend dinner. Trendy, good food, and fun atmosphere.

make a reservation first guys, this place was packed on a friday night
Truffle Fries
— AMAZING! the fragrance is super strong and will invade your mind. to hell with your new years resolution, JUST GET IT!
Mussels
— these were bathed in a lemon coconut type of sauce, which was light and tasty. the best part is soaking the buttered toast in there, the staff was thoughtful enough to bring us some extra to soak up the juices too!
Brussel Sprouts
— a little too greasy and soggy, maybe they could work on draining the oil before putting it in a bowl. the flavors were good though, they added nuts, garlic, and tangerine
Cioppino
— a little small for a cioppino, the seafood broth was tasty and the fish was perfectly tender, shrimp was crispy. this was a very well executed dish, i’d recommend it
service was great, ambiance was lively, seating is a little crowded and small but it’s better that way because it gets loud in there. overall, a winner in my book!

We came for brunch on New Year’s day. The menu was interesting and there were a lot of great sounding items! I got the French toast and loved it. A couple people in my group got the breakfast flatbread and I tried some– so good!
When we got there I asked if they made lattes, to which the server responded Yes but that he did not know how. I thought it would have been better customer service if he had maybe sought out someone who did know how to make them, but I also figured it was New Year’s day so maybe they didn’t have their best staff in that day. Overall it was a great experience!

Came here for NYE celebrations so I cannot rate anything but the drinks, the vibe and the actual place.
Very fun night — nice interior, sadly wasn’t really decorated but who cares because drinking! There was an upstairs that was VIP but I felt like it didn’t make much of a difference. Second bar and seating area was up a ramp that was nice and less crowded.
Overall nice crowd and definitely not an older crowd. Everyone seemed around 23 – 30. Would definitely go back for a drink another night.

This is an awesome whiskey bar. They have such a unique menu and eclectic whiskey concoctions. I had the El toro bravo which had coffee liqueur and chili spices, which was really good. I also had the chocolate cramble which wasn’t overly sweet as the name might imply, it had cacao and cassis, and had a unique ombré look. The décor is half vintage library half modern restaurant. Really nice spot. Will def be back.

Cool new restaurant in the Marina. I like that there is a huge bar in the middle of where you enter The Dorian, and there are also separate spacious seating areas for small to large groups. I ordered a Breaking Point cocktail which was well-​made. My friends ordered the Truffle Fries and Brussel Sprouts. LOVED the fries. The dipping sauce was the best part. I didn’t like the Brussel sprouts as much… they were too sweet and mushy.
I came here for a farewell party for a friend. It was a little chaotic on our part because it was not a sit-​down dinner. We just had a few tables for people to socialize and order some food items, while others wandered over to the bar. That turned out to be dangerous when it came to paying the bill because I think someone slipped out without contributing his share. Who does that? Anyways, just food for thought when planning a casual function here.
Anyways, would definitely recommend this restaurant for a fun date or group dinner. They have excellent service and a wide variety of items on their menu! Very hip and Marina.

Great new addition to Chestnut Street. Their garlic fries with truffle sauce are amazing. I have never been without getting two orders. Haven’t ordered anything I didn’t like.
I knocked it down a star because I think it’s overprice. The happy hour is pretty good if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative.

My ladies and I really liked this place and we’ll be back!
Our server was a very nice guy, good sense of humor and gave us excellent service!
I’ll make it short and sweet. Order the burger, truffle fries (x3) and a bloody mary! Avoid the flatbread.

Go for the atmosphere, stay for the food! I’ve dined at the Dorian a handful of times now and it never disappoints.
For brunch I highly recommend the pulled chicken sweet potato hash, ribeye steak flatbread and cinnamon rolls. For dinner my go to is the ribeye with the bourbon steak sauce and brussels sprouts that melt in your mouth!
Finally, don’t miss their happy hour with $ 1 oysters and half of sparking wine and champagne.
This place is the definition of versatile — perfect for a group outing, date night or girls night out.
Don’t miss it!

With its Marina District location and a name that evokes Oscar Wilde’s «The Portrait of Dorian Gray» a perfect match may have been brewed. What San Francisco district better evokes Dorian’s hedonistic worldview than that which seemingly embodies the idea that beauty and sensual fulfillment are the only things worthy of pursuit?
Entering The Dorian you may notice the complete overhaul from its days as Original Joe’s and later, Circa. The dining room is quite sensual and attractive and an intimate upstairs lounge even more so. But these might not be what you notice first. First and foremost, you’ll notice the loud and crowded bar area. One of my 4 person party arrived early for our reservation and, when asked if he’d like to wait in the bar, he yelled his response, «What?»
This ensured he was seated at our table in the still empty dining room where we could all, thankfully, hear each other talk. Those hedonistic beauties paid no notice to the fact that we’d not joined them.
Though the dining room soon filled with nattily dressed patrons it was nice to observe that the decibel levels of the bar did not carry through. Throughout, from our table in the northeast corner, we were able to conduct conversations.
As is usually the case with this group of diners we covered the menu almost entirely beginning with cocktails which seemed to be a menu high point. Though not very big, and gulped down quite quickly, I found beauty in the El Toro Bravo ($ 12), a cocktail in which I could somehow taste every distinct one of its unique flavors. With tones including ancho chili, grapefruit, cinnamon, and coffee I’ve got to think that’s difficult to pull off. It inspired me to go for round two.
Similar excellence was achieved with other cocktails including The Alibi, The Portrait, and the Fifty Fifty. This last one so light on the palate that it inspired one in my party to accurately proclaim it «like drinking a pear». So yes, the cocktails here are a must.
Cuisine itself is a mixed bag. Everything was certainly enhanced by the presence of alcohol but nothing rose to the level of «wow» and a couple of things failed to rise at all. The fact that I had fun here speaks to the idea that I’d not discount a return visit for cocktails and nibbles even though there’s better food to be found elsewhere.
Some of my favorite things were those which aren’t at all complicated: Deviled Eggs ($ 2.50 apiece), Fall Salad ($ 14), Brussels Sprouts ($ 10.50), Mussels ($ 15), and Lemon Sorbet ($ 3) shined. A Seasonal Flatbread ($ 15), Shrimp & Crabcake Sliders (3 for $ 14), a House Burger ($ 15.50), and a Chocolate Cake were fine though unmemorable. The most pricey item sampled, a Local Rock Cod ($ 25) was memorable only because it really didn’t taste good.
Reading between the lines? Stick with cocktails and the simple stuff, all of it designed to be shared, and you’ll be fine.
The Dorian isn’t bringing anything terribly new to the table but I enjoyed it which is done easily enough if you come with your own fun crowd. If there are only two in your party I suspect it’s more difficult to overlook the fact that there appear to be no star menu items besides the cocktails. Half of me wonders what will next fill the space currently occupied by The Dorian but, judging from the night I was there, that time appears to be a long ways away.

HELL YES. Day 1 of Brunch at The Dorian was an astounding success!
I can’t say anything about other meals, but I highly recommend visiting for their weekend brunch where cocktails and ordering more than 1 delicious dishes are a norm. Our waiter was extremely helpful (even though he hadn’t tried all the food– being his first day of brunch), and many other members of the staff checked on us throughout our meal.
Besides the food/​cocktails, the décor in this place is really incredible on it’s own. I would come to The Dorian just to hangout here (if I could afford it)… That being said, it’s really really expensive and the waitress/​waiter recommends you order «several small dishes to split…» even though their dishes are absolutely not priced to split (take note from tapas places, please).

People wonder how I look so youthful. For every year I age and every unsavory act I commit, a huge portrait of me mars and writhes, defiling its chamber with the very rot of death I appear to keep infinitely at bay.
#youstayclassysanfrancisco atmos x mixed service — server (s) were quite attentive to me yet relatively aloof to the neighboring table. It was like that for every couple I saw sit there. Moral of the story: if you ain’t dining with me, you ain’t dining. #suckas
(^_​^) Butterbean Hummus $ 11 (
)
Generous portion. Hints of spice.
(-_​^) Shrimp & Crab Cake Sliders $ 14 (
)
Tastes better than it looks. #thatswhatshesaid
(-_​^) The Royal Dorian (burger) $ 40 (
)
*Subtle* flavor — don’t expect #mouthgasm.
Crab items are currently #eastcoast Peekytoe not #domoicacid Dungeness so #donttrip. I’d probably look into eating here more if there were iced tea. 3 ½ stars.

WHAT A FACE LIFT!
Food is impressive, it exceeded my expectations. How in the world did they bring this place back to life with such an impressive menu and décor? Makes me happy.
Great drinks, great vibe, great crowd, awesome food. I couldn’t ask for more.
**TO NOTE: Legit happy hour specials. They know how to cater to the neighborhood and still keep it a class act. IN LOVE

A huge breath of fresh air. Circa wasn’t exactly my cup of tea… a bit heavy on the booze and bros. But, The Dorian has given me reason to visit Chestnut once again. Came in on a Friday evening to catch happy hour. Right off the cuff, the interior and ambiance are 1000x better.
We easily snagged two seats at the bar where we ended up eating. We tried the happy hour cocktail. This is the kind of place that knows a thing or two about craft cocktails, so I highly recommend ordering one. We weren’t starving, so settled on the brussels and hummus apps. They came out quick, portions were generous and both were quite tasty. Ended with a few glasses of wine. The bartenders did a great job taking care of us, even as the crowd started to thicken.
Lovely spot for a date, girls night, or casual meal. A huge upgrade!

They have great happy hour specials and the décor is great. I got the dollar oysters and the $ 1.50 deviled eggs. We also ordered a bottle of rose. I wasn’t a big fan of the drink special, the Victorian, it was too sweet. Other than that, I loved everything about the place. I’ll definitely come back for dinner and happy hour.

Great drinks, good table service despite how SLAMMED it was. Our server Timmy was extremely friendly and helpful in suggesting drinks, he got them to us as quickly as possible and checked in on us in a timely fashion as well (aka, we did not have to flag him down which is MUCH appreciated).
They did a great job in the remodel, bathrooms could be a little nicer (I am anti– public restrooms in general but ESPECIALLY the former Circa bathroom because I worked as a bartender here during Sun brunches).
The host was also very friendly and accomodating to our group despite us not having a reservation (for 6) on a Saturday– KUDOS to the staff and ownership group