Citizen's Band Restaurant Review

1198 Folsom St. (8th St.) Send to Phone

415-556-4901 | Make Restaurant Reservations | Menu

Price

$$$$$

Innovative "fine diner" cuisine in a hip setting makes for entertaining eating and people watching.

Cuisine

Open

Lunch Tues.-Fri., Dinner Tues.-Sun., Brunch Sat.-Sun.

Features

Kid-friendly
Reservations suggested
Casual

* Click here for rating key

Dining room at Citizen's Band, San Francisco, CA

Occupying a stretch of Folsom better known for seedy clubs, Citizen's Band offers slightly whimsical variations on hearty diner standards, and the spot's pleasant quirkiness---occasionally goofy servers, the tiny open kitchen, radios heaped discretely around the room---feels appropriate to an operation inspired by diner culture. Here, an order of "frank and beans" consists of juicy Italian sausage with a mess of creamy butter beans flecked with pecorino shavings and oregano---a dangerously substantial appetizer. The fried poussin with mustard greens and a crumbly biscuit is a triumph, along with moist grilled sea bass with hon shimeji mushroom fritters. (A bucket of the latter could replace popcorn at movie theaters.) Simple preparations prove especially successful, as with the balanced spinach salad with a pancetta vinaigrette, halved figs and dry, raw-milk feta. Sunday suppers revolve around a stripped-down and wallet-friendly menu of basics such as spaghetti and meatballs. Though tasty, desserts such as the sour cream cheesecake with peanut butter, chocolate and caramel tend to be conceptually overblown; a bite will suffice. Citizen's Band is no gimmicky nostalgia trip---it's simply very good.

What's Hot

San Francisco Top 10 Restaurant Lists

Discover the top restaurants in the San Francisco/Bay Area for various cuisines and categories like sushi, steakhouses, happy hours, romantic dining and even gourmet food trucks. Find the best restaurants in SF here!