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Le Central, San Francisco, CA

Le Central

4.7
4.7
2108 Reviews
$31 to $50
French

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2 people
19:00
Booked 23 times today
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Opened in 1974, Le Central has been serving traditional French cuisine for five decades, boasting the honor of being San Francisco’s most historic French bistro. Located on the edge of the Financial District, Union Square, and Chinatown in a rare one story brick building adorned with its iconic pink neon sign and crowned by a vintage “Tabac” sign. Step into this charming restaurant and be transported to a Parisian brasserie. With exposed brick walls, original imported brass bar, stained glass features, and cozy banquettes topped with brass railings. The atmosphere invites you to unwind and enjoy delicious French fare and exceptional wines and cocktails in an upscale, yet casual environment. Enjoy French classics like steak-frites, escargot, onion soup, and our world famous Cassoulet. Le Central’s cuisine is comforting yet sumptuous. Le Central is the downtown stop for locals and visitors looking for a taste of “La Belle Vie”!!!

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (415) 391-2233
  • Website
    http://www.lecentralbistro.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party facilities
    Le Central is available for private events, please visit our website for inqueries. https://www.lecentralbistro.com
  • Location
    453 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94108
  • Area
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Cross Street
    Grant and Kearny
  • Parking details
    Sutter-Stockton Garage
  • Public transit
    Powell or Montgomery stations
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Vegan

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,108 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Le Central, a San Francisco staple, offers "exceptional service" and a "classic French bistro" experience. With a charming ambiance, it's perfect for intimate dinners or festive occasions like Bastille Day. Highlights include the "delicious cassoulet" and diverse wine list. Despite some menu changes, its authentic vibe remains a draw.

2,108 Reviews

  1. Julie

    New York City

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Le Central holds up! Very classic French food, perfectly executed. Noisy yet my dining companion and I could hear each other perfectly without raising our voices.

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  2. brian

    San Francisco

    65 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    65 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Professional service. Classic French bistro dishes well executed. Large wine list of mostly French wines. Wines prices were quite high. Food was also expensive. A San Francisco gem but bring lots of money.

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  3. Gregory

    San Francisco

    30 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    30 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The special chicken breast cordon bleu was just a bit dry, even the delicious sauce couldn’t completely resurrect it. Everything else was very good. The bar area got very crowded and lively around 6 but the main dining area remained quiet and cozy. Enjoyable experience of old time San Francisco.

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  4. Barry

    San Francisco

    40 reviews

    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    A warm, inviting ambience, excellent service, and delicious food. The perfect evening.

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  5. Robert

    Los Angeles

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on 15 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A solid standard for well-made French favorites. Great for an easy lunch with friends or colleagues. Great, mindful, non-fussy service.

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  6. ALBERT

    San Francisco

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on 14 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Continues to be exceptional. Never disappoints.
    Le CentralResponded on 15 November 2024
    Thank you for the great review, we are so glad you enjoyed everything. We hope you dine with us again soon.

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  7. Lucille

    San Francisco

    16 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on 13 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A nice French experience. I recommended it. Sole meunière was delicious.
    Le CentralResponded on 14 November 2024
    Thank you for the review Lucille, we are so glad you enjoyed the sole. We hope you dine with us again soon.

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  8. Christine

    San Francisco

    95 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    95 reviews

    Dined on 11 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the tartare and chocolate mousse! On my rotation of super solid places in the City.

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  9. Mark

    San Francisco

    16 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous dinner - escargot, cassoulet, crème Brûlée. Super and thoughtful service as always. We enjoyed ourselves enormously!
    Le CentralResponded on 14 November 2024
    Mark ,thank you for the great review, we are so glad you enjoyed everything. We hope you dine with us again soon.

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  10. Ann

    San Francisco

    36 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    36 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Service very slow. Diners sitting around us were unhappy. Disappointed in what normally is a pleasant experience

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Le Central using the Order Online button.

Le Central is rated 4.7 stars by 2108 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 23 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Le Central

453 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94108

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Grant and Kearny
  • Area
    Downtown / Union Square
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Sutter-Stockton Garage
  • Public transit
    Powell or Montgomery stations
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Vegan
  • Website
    http://www.lecentralbistro.com/
  • Phone number
    (415) 391-2233
  • Private party facilities
    Le Central is available for private events, please visit our website for inqueries. https://www.lecentralbistro.com
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