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Le Central, San Francisco, CA

Le Central

4.6 (2192)
$31 to $50
French
453 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94108

Make a booking

2 people
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
19:00
Booked 7 times today

About this restaurant

  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
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”!!!

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30–14:30 Happy Hour Mon–Sat 16:30–18:00 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–21:00
  • 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
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • 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 2,192 people are saying

Le Central reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • San Francisco

    French

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Le Central offers a charming French bistro experience with "outstanding traditional French cuisine" and "excellent service." The cassoulet is highly praised, as are the "deliciously executed" dishes like mussels and beef bourguignon. The welcoming atmosphere and attentive waitstaff create a "lovely place" for dining. Perfect for a special treat in downtown SF.
2,192 Reviews

  1. Ruben

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Low key best spot in town for French food. Make a day of it at city center. The bartender Carlos is super attentive and chill. The food is chefs kiss. Highly recommend Le Central.

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  2. Stewart VIP

    Las Vegas56 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Winemaker dinner with St. Innocent of Willamette Valkey Oregon was outstanding. 6 course meal expertly paired with terrific Oregon Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris/Pinot Noirs. The. Pan seared duck breast and the savory bread pudding with veal Demi-glacé and maitake mushrooms were standouts. Just a terrific dinner not to be forgotten.

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  3. Dick VIP

    San Francisco19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was very good, as well as the service. Will definitely go back.

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  4. Teresa

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 31 May 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious French food and it supported Muttville! It

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  5. Justin VIP

    Greater Boston1 review

    2.0

    Dined on 30 May 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Waiter was surly, unhelpful, didn’t ask how our meal was, and we indicated it was a birthday occasion and nothing was done to celebrate, not even a greeting. Crème brûlée had no flavor, room temperature custard. Waiter walked past ten plus times and neglected to inform us our jacket was on the floor.
    Le CentralResponded on 31 May 2025
    Justin, Thank you for your honest review. I'm so sorry you had this experience, I will speak to your server and find out why this happened, this is very unusual for our servers, the service is usually quite the opposite here.

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  6. Michael

    San Francisco11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 29 May 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had the Mussels, and my wife had the sole. We also shared the Petite Tartine which was amazing The food was incredible and very French. The service was wonderful and not rushed at all. Great downtown restaurant. Such a special treat,

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  7. Karen

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 28 May 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food. Great service. Perfect atmosphere.
    Le CentralResponded on 31 May 2025
    Karen, 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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  8. Kathy

    San Francisco7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 May 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food takes me back to a French cafe. Done to perfection. Waiters are attentive and nice.
    Le CentralResponded on 31 May 2025
    Kathy, Thank you for the kind review, we are so glad you enjoyed everything. We hope you dine with us again soon.

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  9. Linda VIP

    San Francisco40 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 27 May 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love that they were doing a fundraiser for Muttville. Food, service, everything great as usual!
    Le CentralResponded on 28 May 2025
    Linda, Thank you for the great review, and thank you greatly for supporting our fundraiser for Muttville, we are so glad you enjoyed everything. We hope you dine with us again soon.

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  10. Minnie

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 24 May 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We ordered the cassoulet and it was delicious. Since we are not big eaters, my husband and I shared the dish, together with two sides. The service was good and the waiters were friendly.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Le Central using the Order Direct button in Additional Information section.

Le Central is rated 4.6 stars by 2192 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Downtown / Union Square

Make a booking

Booked 7 times today
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 11:30–14:30 Happy Hour Mon–Sat 16:30–18:00 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–21:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • 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
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
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