Absinthe, Hayes Valley
16 people recommendvia X, r/AskSF, r/sanfrancisco16 comments cited below
What people say, in short
Absinthe in Hayes Valley draws consistent praise as a French restaurant, with people calling the food stellar and the drinks excellent. Two diners single out the French onion soup, and one person calls the burger the best in town. A commenter finds the old-fashioned feel adds to its appeal, and another praises the food's consistency.
Address
Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, 398 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
At a glance
- Signature dishes
- French onion soup, Burger
- Best for
- Dates
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommends@EricaJSandberg on X · May 2026
Includes Absinthe among Hayes Valley dining recommendations.
- Recommendsu/nycpunkfukka in r/AskSF · Dec 2023taste
Best French onion soup they've ever had; visits several times a year
- Recommendsu/parttimelarry in r/AskSF · Jan 2025
Lists Absinthe paired with SFJAZZ as a combo spot.
- Recommendsu/nautilus2000 in r/AskSF · Dec 2023
Lists Absinthe among repeat favorites
- Recommendsu/andrewry in r/AskSF · Apr 2025
Recommends Absinthe
- Recommendsu/RekopEca in r/AskSF · Apr 2025
Top ten French bistro in SF
- Recommendsu/StrawberrySure4363 in r/AskSF · Apr 2025
Recommends Absinthe
- Recommendsu/Jean_Genetic in r/sanfrancisco · Feb 2024taste
Praises cocktails, wine list and French food; goes regularly.
Show all 16 cited comments
- Recommendsu/exile1972 in r/AskSF · Apr 2025consistency
Praises the drinks and consistently enjoyable food.
- Recommendsu/PR1NCEV1NCE in r/AskSF · Apr 2025taste
Best burger in town, maybe the world
- Recommendsu/Scared-Pineapple-982 in r/AskSF · Dec 2023taste
Adds support to the praise for the onion soup.
- Recommendsu/Swimming-Squash-3573 in r/AskSF · Jun 2025
Lists Absinthe among old school options.
- Recommendsu/Able_Guitar3479 in r/AskSF · Apr 2025
Calls it epic, holds precious memories
- Recommendsu/squintobean in r/AskSF · Jun 2025
Lists Absinthe among picks.
- Recommendsu/JamieKun in r/AskSF · Apr 2025
Recommends Absinthe
- Recommendsu/Technical-Mark-8379 in r/sanfrancisco · May 2024
Recommends Absinthe in Hayes Valley as an institution.
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Freshness
Details last checked 11 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.