Fish & Farm Restaurant/San Francisco
 

A group of us stayed at the Hotel Mark Twain this weekend for the Vikings/49ers game. The hotel is lovely. It has a quaint, European feel. If you're looking for a Four Seasons, you've got the wrong place, but if you're looking for a nice accomodating staff and comfortable beds, this is the place for you.

The restaurant, however, is a totally different story. The hotel does not own Fish & Farm so please do not hold the following story against them. One of my friends was in the bar and was very loud, this I freely admit, but the owner came up to the bartender (who was a very kind guy) and said that the entire group was cut off. I had an issue with the fact that the owner couldn't just come in and tell us directly. I agree, my friend was loud. I understand the problem. I had no issue with being cut off (although truthfully, only two people deserved such a thing), I just wanted him to come to me or any member of my group and tell us this directly. When I calmly asked him about this he would not speak to me, he just kept saying "You're done." I said "I respect that you don't want us in your bar, but could you at least listen to me" and he kept cutting me off and saying no. There were no physical altercations, nobody had done anything to warrant being completely dismissed. It was disrespectful and unprofessional and I will never let anybody I know go to that restaurant ever. I'm working on a movie that films there, I have many friends in the entertainment industry who work in San Francisco quite often and I have a friend who is a radio DJ there. None of them will ever frequent this establishment and they are doing me the favor of spreading the word. But don't blame the Mark Twain Hotel as the staff there is wonderful!

You were in a bar. One of your group misbehaved. The owner heard it in the back, talked to the bartender. The bartender asked you to leave or just didn't serve any more alcohol? This is unclear.

You wanted to talk to the owner. He refused. You will tell everybody how bad the bar is. You got the power. You are somebody somewhere. Or have a friend who is somebody somewhere.

Have I summed this up properly?

The only question I have, and it's not addressed to you, how many rowdy groups this place has every week.

Great - I think I'll drop by the Fish & Farm & check it out. Sounds like my type of place. Most establishments are way too noisy for us - glad to hear the owner is trying to keep the noise under control and provide a place where people can engage in conversation without having to shout.

I'll pass this on to my frineds & neighbors.

Stu Dudley

OK - you have a drunk friend or two. Acting up in a restaurant/bar. The owner tells to barman to cut off/stop serving your group.

I wish more places had the cojones to do that. Where do I send them a medal??

I think I'll check the restaurant out the next time I'm in SF. Sounds like my kind of place.

Hey Starrs, when you are in SF..a great place to check out don't you think? Thanks okkuriwin for letting us know where we can go and have a drink or two without a bunch of rowdy drunks. God bless the owner. Now what exactly is the address of this place??

It's 339 Taylor between O'Farrell and Ellis... not the area I'd visit at night, but fine for a lunch GTG.

No, it looks like opened for dinner only according to Open Table. And only dinner menu is posted.

I went to hotel's website, and was impressed by how low the room price is. Can it be a bunch of college kids on vacation?

The hotel is caddycorner from the Hilton. You can walk to it, even at night (even though in the abstract, one wouldn't think of that neighborhood as being a good one for strolling).

I think the OPs problem was that the owner would not speak to her directly, but instead spoke with the bartender and ignored her: " I had no issue with being cut off (although truthfully, only two people deserved such a thing), I just wanted him to come to me or any member of my group and tell us this directly."

Two sides to every story, as they say. I agree that I would be happy with an owner who silenced a rowdy customer. Not sure he did it in the best way, though, considering the OPs point.
:)>-

Perhaps the bartender is more "skilled" at ushering out rowdys.

Stu Dudley

I wonder if they will hire a bouncer now!

Maybe after our GTG they will :))

I guess I don't understand the problem. Why should the owner have talked directly to these people? That's why he has employees. And why did OP want to talk to the owner, if not to complain about the action? OP states he understood that his companion was loud, had no issue with being cut-off, so what needed to be said to the owner? If I had just told my employee to cut-off a group of rowdy football fans, the last thing I would want to do is have a "discussion" about it with said fans.

SAB: not if you "have many friends in the entertainment industry who work in San Francisco quite often" and "have a friend who is a radio DJ there"

You see, the mere mortals like us can't comprehend :)

Sorry, I don't understand entitlement issues-- I still believe one earns things; rather than just expecting them because I exist.

Faina: You are planning a GTG in a rowdy bar?

Will this be before or after you are strapped on the top of car and transported to Sacramento? Curious minds want to know. :)

After, after!! I still have the hope to talk Kal into attending!

Fish & Farm is getting great reviews for its food and its local-produce concept. It's been on my must-try list for a while and now I will definitely make a reservation.
The phrase "I have many friends...." in whatever industry makes me instantly blank out and discredit the rest of the sentence. If you can't carry enough weight on your own merits without calling in your posse, what does that say?

Anyway, agree with those who say it sounds like their kind of place!

Fish & Farm sounds good dovima. If you go there let us know how you enjoyed it.

I want to check it out too LoveItaly. FYI, I was at the 49ers/ Vikings game last Sunday, and there were "rowdies" at the park. Though security keeps them under control at Monster Park for the most part.

Hey, if somebody can offer me a ride back home (maybe 10 blocks) I'm in for a GTG!