House of Prime Rib - San Francisco

I recently dined here for a 9pm reservation—definitely recommend booking far in advance if you’re aiming for a 5-7pm spot, as those seem to fill up quickly. When we arrived, our table was ready and we were seated right away, which was a great start. The restaurant was clean and well-presented throughout our visit. Food-wise, the salad was a standout—it was honestly the best restaurant salad I’ve ever had. The staff spun and tossed it right in front of us, which was a nice touch. For my main course, I had the house prime rib, and it was juicy and well-cooked, though it didn’t completely wow me. My sides, creamed corn and mashed potatoes with gravy, were solid accompaniments. We also had a bottle of the house wine, which paired nicely with our meal. The restaurant has a full bar, but our server didn’t mention this to us—we only found out by overhearing another waiter tell a nearby table. It would have been nice if that had been communicated better. However, everyone we interacted with was incredibly friendly, which made the experience enjoyable. The ambiance had its ups and downs. It felt a bit louder than I’d expect for a higher-end restaurant, especially when we first walked in, but it settled down as the evening went on. It’s a great spot for a dinner date, with a cozy atmosphere once things quiet down. Overall, I came in with high expectations after reading other reviews and hearing great things, but while the experience was good, it left me wanting a bit more. It’s a solid choice, just not quite as magical as I had hoped.