The Empress by Boon

Review summary

1. G

   Glynis

   San Francisco

   4 reviews

   3.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 5

   I'm sad to report that the special Simon/Boon collaboration dinner at $225/head fell short on service. The food was exquisite as always, and the paired mixtures were amazing. But they seemed short on staff and the timing of the courses were baffling. Once we arrived, it was half an hour before we got our first course and almost an hour before we got our second course. Often, the drinks came out first and we would have to wait, staring at them (while starving) until the food came. For this price, I would expect cocktails and food to be delivered in unison and in a timely fashion. I don't know what was going on in the kitchen but its a prix fixe meal (less complicated than a al carte). I was bummed. I love this place and have never been disappointed before.
   

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   VIP

   San Francisco

   3 reviews

   4.0

   3 reviews

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Meeting Simone and team was very cool and special. For the amount we spent- we only got 3 bites of food in 3 hours and we felt that there should have be a canapé buffet area or a larger team to accommodate the crowd last night. The food that came out was delicious but not enough to accommodate the entire crowd and not coming out frequently enough. All the drinks were well made and made within reasonable timeframe given the amount of people. I think this could be very successful with some logistical tweaks especially on service and food. For patrons who didn’t get a table/ there should be a way for us to get water. I also noticed that some patrons hovered around the bar even after getting their cocktails which made the line for other patrons longer and didn’t give others an opportunity to get up close with Simone. Looking forward to seeing and participating in more collabs like this.
   

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3. L

   Leo

   San Francisco

   5 reviews

   1.0

   5 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   This is a joke, right? The food was unbelievably bland and flavorless — take-out Chinese food would have been better. The space is fancy and my guess is that’s what they’re charging for, and taking advantage of unwitting diners. Do not be fooled, the food at this place is awful.
   

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4. J

   Jing

   VIP

   San Francisco

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Enjoyed it as always! Love Empress by Boon! Best high end Chinese restaurant in the city
   

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5. P

   Patty

   San Francisco

   42 reviews

   5.0

   42 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Enjoyed this fixed prix menu. Starting off with small individual appetizers, followers by shared family style dishes. There were a total of 6 courses, although some of the courses had more than one item. The food was well prepare and tasty. There was more seafood at the beginning. Starting with a crab egg caviar course followed by a prawn and a spring roll. There was a three piece dim sum tasting. The pork bun was really delicious. Another highlight was the stir fried beef tenderloin and the duck. The duck was an add on. It well worth it. The skin was crispy and delicious. Enjoyed the dinner and there was plenty of food. They even accommodated one member of our party that has a shellfish allergy with good alternatives.
   

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6. S

   Steve

   VIP

   San Francisco

   44 reviews

   5.0

   44 reviews

   Dined on January 5, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Fabulous food with great, engaging staff Beautiful space and wonderful wine list
   

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7. P

   Peter

   VIP

   San Francisco

   20 reviews

   2.0

   20 reviews

   Dined on January 4, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   We didn’t like any of the food. Boiled crab? Sweet savory items?
   

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8. A

   Anna

   San Francisco

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 1, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Gorgeous restaurant with exquisite food. Service was perfect, paying attention to the clients without being too much around you. The food was a dream, interesting mixtures of flavors, textures, and ingredients. Presentation was outstanding too.
   

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9. B

   Benjamin

   San Francisco

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on January 1, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   My god the taco appetizer was delicious. The hint of hot mustard added just enough kick and complemented everything else so nicely. Been here a couple of times before and have always had outstanding experiences. But this time it was NYE, and the head chef came out to greet every diner, which was a nice touch :)
   

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10. S

    Scott

    VIP

    Palm Springs

    25 reviews

    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on January 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Empress by Boon is simply an experience. We dined here for New Years Eve and the restaurant and staff delivered to provide a spectacular dining experience. This was our second time dining, and both times the coursed meal experience was spectacular with highly curated portions presented in unexpected chef creations of Chinese dishes. A special thank you to our server Shar On for such great attention and service.
    

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