Farmerbrown, Farmerbrown He's a clown, that Farmerbrown He's gonna get caught Just you wait and see (...Why's everybody always pickin' on me?) Boy howdy, you coulda hung me up by my pickle and tickled my capers with a feather when I realized I've been living in this 'hood for over five years and NEVER dined at Farmerbrown. I pass by it all the time on the way to Union Square, but I guess I'm too busy goose-stepping up Mason to avoid the panhandlers. What a maroon I am 'cause I loves me down-home soul food and don't feel like trekking to the wilds of Oakland to get me some. Four words. Free Diet Coke refills. Three more words. Neverending Corn Muffins. Yes, little morsels of sweet goodness, and they keep coming no matter how many you pop in your mouth. That's just for starters ...and for middlers and enders if you eat enough of 'em. But Jamie W. and I tried to be good....honest! We first shared the $8.50 Chopped Summer Salad - full of corn kernels, jicama, celery, and split cherry tomatoes (see my photo). It was a tad overpriced but awfully refreshing considering the carbs to come. Jamie ordered the $16.50 Fulton Valley Fried Chicken which came with a generous helping of Macaroni and Tillamook Cheddar Cheese and some braised Southern Collard Greens (see my photo). It was really good chicken - not the best in the Bay Area (...that would be Southern Cafe in Fruitvale) - but it was tasty especially with a few squirts of their homemade honey-jalapeno sauce. The mac and cheese was nice and gooey. I went for the $19.50 Marin Sun Farms Braised Shortribs with Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Plantains. It came with one huge Cornmeal Onion Ring on top (see my photo) which really had a nice bite to it. The meat was falling-off-the-bone good, but the true dish-stealer was the mashed sweet potatoes and plantains combo...it was like dessert. You would think we'd be fuller than Ann Coulter at a Republican oral sex convention, especially with corn muffins popping in our mouths every three minutes. But no...we shared the $6 Bourbon Pecan Pie with whipped cream (see my photo). It was gone in four minutes flat...and we weren't even trying. It's a nicer space than I expected with lots of dark rustic touches but with a surprisingly homey feel. It got crowded pretty quick, but I thought the tables were nicely spaced, so conversation was not that difficult. Boy howdy, we were so stuffed we had to unbuckle our belts just like what Michelle Malkin does on her knees to neocons when she's not accusing Rachael Ray of being a terrorist with wardrobe issues. FOOD - 5 stars...down-home Southern cookin' and the ingredients taste fresh and flavorful AMBIANCE - 4 stars...a funky space, more spacious than you think ...hey, I'm used to girding my loins in the TL, so it just don't bug me much SERVICE - 4 stars...nice and speedy but they don't pressure you to wolf it down TOTAL - 5 stars...Diet cokes,corn muffins, mashed sweet potatoes, pecan pie ...damn, what else do you need on a desert island?
(5)
Susan D.
I enjoyed the restaurant but the location really does take away from it. I'm torn between 3.5 and 4 stars because of its location. Now the good part is if you drive there is a lot next door and its gated on one side so you can enter the restaurant from the lot. But it does take away from the general ambiance as a whole. Now with that done once you get inside its warm and inviting, the hostess that greeted us was lovely. We had 6:30 reservations on a Friday night, only waited a few minutes to be seated. Now the windows to the street (Turk?) are covered only to let light in, otherwise every Bum would have their face pressed against the window watching you eat. But lets talk about the food. We started with some shrimp cakes as our appetizer, very tasty and the sauce had a nice spicy flavor. Then my husband had the Jambalaya with sausage (looked amazing and lots of folks around us ordered that too). I went for the fried chicken since I never make it anymore at home, and figured it be a real treat. I got three nice pieces of chicken and a huge portion of creamy, cheesy mac and cheese oh and collard greens that where really good. Of course for me this was a mound of food so I'll have lunch for tomorrow. Then my husband and I decided we could squeeeeeeze some dessert in so we shared the strawberry shortcake. It wasn't what he had expected thinking cold fresh strawberry (the dumb hillbillies we are) the strawberries and rhubarb were served warm and there was this fluffy cream with crystallized brown sugar on top. The short cake was a flaky biscuit (my favorite part!) so it really was very good, different but good. My husband had two beers and I had the fresh lemonade and our bill was very reasonable for the two of us and all that food. As I'll say again once inside I really enjoyed the service (our waiter and servers were all fantastic. Food delicious and reasonable. It's such a shame the location is surrounded by the volumes of homeless once you step outside the doors.
(4)
K L.
So, my girlfriend took me here for my birthday yesterday, and it was pretty awesome. We've been talking about getting some good ol' Souther Soul Food for a while, and we finally found the time to get some. We got there on a Monday Night at about 8pm, and it took about 5-10 minutes to get us seated. Throughout the night, I noticed that it was still pretty busy with people lined up in the front, and this is a work night during a moderate to bad economic state. So, the first thing I noticed was the decor. Intimately dim setting, candlelights at each table, drapes to cover walls, paintings everywhere. It certainly was a step into another universe. Our waiter seated us over by the kitchen. I enjoy watching chefs at their work and seeing some of the ingredients they use. One of the things that caught my eye, was the Sriracha sauce that was sitting there by the chefs. I didn't see them use it, but I wondered what it might be for. On our table, there were the fork and knife and instead of a paper or cloth napkin, it was a cloth towel, similar to those used in common kitchens (to dry dishes, wipe hands, use as oven mitts). Our cups were little mason jars and the pitcher was an old school glass water jug. My girlfriend and I looked at the menu. For starters we were debating between the Crab and Artichoke Dip with crackers and the Sweet Potato Steak Fries with Aioli. We chose the Fries just because we usually get the Artichoke dip everywhere else. My girlfriend's main course was the Fried chicken with Macaroni and cheese and greens and I ordered the Short Ribs with Mashed Sweet Potatoes+Plantains and Corn-battered Onion Rings. Everything was timed just right. We got our Jalapeo cornbread with butter first. Oh Man. That was good. We had 7 rolls which we split all the way down to the last, which she allowed me to have. The waiter took the empty dish away, and brought our Sweet Potato Steak Fries over. This was pretty delicious. Not too sweet, with salt and cayenne pepper sprinkled on top. The girlfriend used her fork and knife, while me, the barbarian, used my hands. When we were finished with that, i noticed how the waiter took the used utensils away and brought brand new ones over. I also kept an eye out for our food in the kitchen. Magically it appeared while the waiter was putting the new utensils down. It appears that the food was timed just right! The Main Course. The short ribs were ok. Not as tender as I had hoped, still pretty flavorful. The mashed sweet potatoes were awesome! The onion rings were delicious! Her Fried Chicken was pretty good. They have this homemade hot sauce made with jalapenos that we put on it. Sweet with a kick. The mac and cheese also had some kick to it, not as good as I had hoped. And the greens, I just don't like greens, so I wouldn't really have a valid opinion. For dessert, we had the Pecan Pie. That was freaking good with their homemade whipped cream. Overall, this was an awesome experience that I would recommend to friends who just want some soul for cryin' out loud.
(4)
Patrick W.
This place was incredible! From the moment I walked in to the time I rolled out of there it was just one of the most amazing places I've been to in SF. I was there as a guest to a 19 person party and there service was extremely quick, efficent and professional... most places fall down in this area, failing to accomodate a large groups, but it was just so effortless for them. Definitely recommended for larger groups. Now onto the food and drinks. Great array of tasty cocktails on the menu and to top it off, all the drinks were served in a jam jar! I guess giving it that old school southern feel. I had the sweet potato fries for starters, delicious!! and the southern fried chickem mac n chees and collard greens.... the chicken was so tender and tasty, with that yummy outer crispy shell of heart stopping goodness. Just a perfect size for my tummy :) Very nice interior, awesome artworks around the place and the dj was spinning some of my fav hip hop and reggae jams. Great thing was it wasn't in your face volume-wise, could easily hear and talk to others, but still get that great musical vibe. Props to the DJ, really made the night. I'll be back soon mr Brown!
(5)
Lauren B.
The ambiance is excellent and I was happy with the service and what the menu had to offer. However none of the food executed properly. The summer salad was fine but it was just corn, tomato, cucumber and red onion with a nice vinaigrette. Cornmeal fried okra. The cornmeal crust was nice and thick and really parlayed flavor. However, the dish came out room temperature. I seriously doubt that it shouldn't be piping hot but out of embarrassment to ask, I didn't. It was still alright and the remoulade for dipping was traditional. My taste buds got a little shock with the Gumbo Soup. It was scalding hot and the broth was extremely spicy. I kept wanting a nice mouthful of sausage and broth and rice but all I could handle were small tastes at a time because of the spice. Accompanied by an actually fresh baked biscuit. Most disappointing were the braised short ribs which I had to eat with a fork AND knife! True comforting braised short ribs should be edible with just a fork using no effort at all and just pulling off of the bone. The reason it didn't was clear to me though, it wasn't seared first in the pan and the meat looked gray rather than deep brown. The flavor wasn't bad in the sauce that accompanied. Mash of sweet potato & plantain grew on me and I think I liked it but it actually tasted like mashed overripe banana's. Side of grits tasted like clarified butter but not in the good way. I wanted to actually get to taste the grits too but didn't. And, they were supposed to be "cheesy" but really there was just a slice of cheese atop the bowl of grits. I could get past this if I liked the grits though. And finally a side of greens but hey, considering what i just ordered, I wasn't really into something healthy. We had no dessert but enjoyed an extremely cheap bottle of wine. It was "drinkable" but not the best tasting thing ever. Small list however, just about 5 whites and 5 reds but very reasonable priced. In all, I think i would return and that is why I don't just give them two stars, but I would never order what we had again.
(3)
Gracie B.
I gave Mama Marie a list of restaurants that included Jeanty at Jacks, Town Hall, and FarmerBrown to choose for Mother's Day dinner. I was secretly hoping she'd pick here, and yay! she did. We arrived a little bit early for our 5pm dinner reservation and hung out in the car in the parking lot, not realizing that we could have gone in. But when we went in, it was worth the wait in the interesting Tenderloin neighborhood. The restaurant is decorated to give the feel of a shack, while also being very modern. The food has a similar juxtaposition - it is real good soul food...real good. But is fresh and modern. The gumbo is good. The taste is a good sized taste and exactly enough to get you ready for the rest of the yumminess. You MUST get the sweet potato fries. They are so good - fluffy and flavorful. I had the catfish and dare I say that it was....almost, nearly, just about as good as Aunt Ann's back in Indiana (but only almost and shhhhhhhhhhhh don't tell her). The chicken that Mama Marie had was very good. I think I almost got stabbed by a fork for taking a little bit of her last bites of crust. The yams are gooooo-oood and were really good if you get a bite of them with the fried okra (which was not listed on the menu, but made an appearance on my plate instead of pickled onions - which is cool). The greens were a bit bland. I liked that they were just wilted, but could we wilt with a couple shakes of crushed red pepper? Yes - we were stuffed after very nearly, almost cleaning our plates (hush, we hadn't eaten and were waiting for some good food today), but we HAD to try the pecan pie. Yes, it's an imperative. This pie was whoa. It's different from most pies, not real sweet, the bourbon giving it a rich, almost chocolatey taste and served alongside an ice cream sized scoop(!!!!!!) of whipped cream. Yes, no piddlely dollop of whipped cream here...there was plenty to accompany each and every bite. I had it with some of the blue bottle coffee (french-pressed). It was the perfect end to this modern/soul-filled meal. Everything about FarmerBrown is great - the ambiance, the decor, the service. You can tell that a lot of thought has been put into creating a great experience...right on down to the soundtrack of jazz, blues, old school soul, and some newer neo-soul, played at just the right volume to be heard, hummed along to, and dance in your seat (if you're me and you dance everywhere), but not so loud that you can't enjoy your last night's conversation with mama.
(5)
Marie B.
This place is divine! Your wonderful experience begins from the moment you walk thru the doors and see the beautifully decorated space. The ambiance is warm, but extremely chic. Phenomenal artwork, great surfaces and textures. You feel as if you are walking into a country cottage and chic loft...all at the same time. The service is superb. Our host was warm and engaged...the waiter was wonderful! Made suggestions...was inquisitive about our needs/perceptions and worked hard to ensure our glasses were never empty and our food was served with impeccable timing. As for the food: The Gumbo was to die for! And, I don't usually like Gumbo. The Sweet Potato fries would make you forgo the low cal diet and the Fried Chicken is beyond description - it is so yummy! The catfish was also very good. The piece de resistance was the pecan pie, which was also quite good. As a southern girl, I found the greens to be a bit on the bland side and not real flavorful...I didn't love the mac and cheese, but it was acceptably cheesy and well seasoned. A wonderful meal for an unbelievably good price!
(5)
Eugene F.
A friend from college was visiting from out-of-town and I can just tell you, this girl loves to eat. When she arrived on Sunday, we ate four times in four hours. Yes, we're that good, or should I say, SHE is that good. She was shifting her stay from the South Bay, to San Francisco, and so we met up with one our other friends that she would spending the remainder of her visit with. This other friend and I ate two lunches within an hour of each other, and after going to the gym. Yes, we're that good, or should I say, bad. You can see where I'm going with this, right? So, we made it to Farmerbrown on a Wednesday night without reservations. The host suggested that we make reservations next time because they are consistently booked. For an appetizer, we shared some cornbread-fried okra. It was quite good and not terribly heavy. With the okra, they brought out these cornbread muffins that were bite size, but quite good. As I said, we're eaters. We all ordered the fried chicken that comes with side of mac and cheese, and greens, and an order of biscuits on the side for us to share. The order was HUGE. I'd say it was a good half a chicken. The chicken was seasoned really well, and the skin was fried to a crisp. That's what I attacked first. It was good. At the end of the eating, I had polished off the sides, and only left a bit of the breast from the chicken. My friends had tackled the same, but one took her leftovers home. The biscuits deserve their own paragraph, because they were flat, but light and fluffy. I don't know what was in them, but they were damn good. After we had eaten all that food, since we're eaters, and a special occasion, we ordered some banana bread pudding and sweet potato pie. The crust on the sweet potato pie was killer. SO GOOD. The banana bread pudding had real bananas layered in it, as well. Both came with some of the best whipped cream that I've ever had that looked like tiny scoops of ice cream. So, overall a great visit. We walked away (well, rolled ourselves out) triumphant from the restaurant being all stuffed. When I'm in the city next, I'd definitely make my way back to Farmerbrown.
(5)
Gami G.
Whenever I have friends over from out of town, this is the place I take them to. It never fails to make a good impression, despite the rather lackluster location. From a wine list that is both tasty and inexpensive (you can get a glass of Pomelo for $5) to soul food that is scrumptious, this place is a winner. Recommendations: the bowl of gumbo and the shrimp and grits are two of my favorites there. But save room for the pecan pie!
(5)
Caroline L.
I made it here for the first time tonight, and my experience was great! Food was good, and I decided to make my first foray into farmerbrown with the fried chicken. It's pretty good, and for the price, they actually give you a whole lot of food (three pieces of chicken, heaping amount of collard greens and mac n cheese). I loved the decor ... for some reason, this was the first time I ever drank out of a mason jar (SWEAR), but I found it to fit in perfectly. I would LOVE to come here again, and I want to drag everyone I know along with me. There's so much I want to try. And I would love to come back for the after 10 special... BEER ME!
(4)
Jeani H.
If you are a lucky little vegan who gets to go to NYC on a regular basis like myself, you know there is a city out there where one can eat and eat and eat for a week and still not manage to hit all of the vegan and very vegan friendly restaurants available. Sadly, San Francisco is just a poser cousin when it comes to veggie eats. We talk the talk, but in the end, we don't walk the vegan walk. There are only a hand full of vegan restaurants in this city, and while they're great, a foodie gal can only eat at the same places so often before she's going crazy and has to break the routine! This is where places like Farmer Brown come in. I've made a promise to myself to start eating at more stylish, well-rated restaurants that do not necessarily cater to vegans, Farmer Brown being one of the first, and I was quite pleasantly surprised. The vegan Jambalaya was absolutely perfect and delicious. I don't always like tomatoey stewy thingies, but it was spiced so perfectly and had just the right amount of rice and tender vegetables that I was thrilled. They also had a vegan special, which was good but not amazing. It was one of those wildwood veggie burgers that I normally run screaming from, since they cost like $5 per patty, but it was a friend's birthday so we splurged. The bun was nice, but rather than just leave the thousand island off the plate as I requested, they gave it to me on the side, so it was a waste, and I would rather have gotten a different sauce, so I wasn't handed a dry burger. The drinks were also fabulous, but one little detail bothered me. They had a blood orange bellini on the menu, but in reality it was much more like a mimosa, and there was no reason to call it a bellini (OK I know I'm a total whore, and people will get annoyed with me and throw things at me just like when I distinguish between sparkling wine and Champagne!) Anyway, another issue was the service was a bit slow and inattentive. They took forever getting me ketchup, and they served me a glass of flat blanc de noirs I had to send back. At then end of the meal I was satisfied though, that they had gone out of their way to have veggie dishes and that they were delicious! So, the non vegan resto adventure begins, stay tuned for updates...
(3)
Caroline O.
If for nothing else, go for the strawberry rhubarb pie. It was so luscious I wasn't sure I should be eating it in public. Also a big hit: cucumber slices in the water. A simple touch, but very refreshing! We also particularly enjoyed the apple and beet salad, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and ginger rum cocktails. Even my girlfriend, who is meat-phobic and an all-around picky eater, had a fabulous experience, thanks to a waitress who was very patient and accomodating to her special requests. Plus (big bonus!) it was food I could feel good about eating.
(5)
Azikiwee A.
Man the food is great and mean great oh yeah did I mention the food is great!!! I loved Jay's cooking when he was holding it down at Blue Jay cafe in the Nopa area but he has stepped it up to the next level 150% I only wish I had a higher metabolism so my big ass could eat there everyday! Respect
(5)
Jennifer W.
3 stars for food and 5 stars for drinks means an average score of 4 stars. So, go by the rating that most closely resembles your reason for going there. We were there to both eat and drink before heading over to the Warfield to see Gogol Bordello, who were AMAZING. Highly recommend seeing them sometime. I was ready to get my drink on, so first thing's first: a tangerine margarita, yes please! Now, two weeks ago, I went out for happy hour margaritas with my colleagues and we ended up at El Torito. Clearly, the syrup in a large glass you get at El Torito is no fair comparison to the subtle perfection of "tangerine infused tequila, fresh lime juice and simple syrup". I LOVE tangerine juice and I like a fine tequila, so mix them together and order me three more. Other drinking companions enjoyed the Pineapple & ginger rum punch which is made with "housemade ginger beer, rum and lime". That drink was quite tasty and STRONG to boot. We were also craving sustenance to fortify us for the night of drinking and dancing to gypsy punk ahead, so I ordered the veggie burger Po Boy, my SO ordered something with chicken in it so I didn't pay very close attention. On the other side of the table was a seafood jambalaya, and possibly a breaded catfish. Intermixed with the entrees were the cute as a button mini corn breads (with a kick!) that came out first, then our fun size cornmeal battered okra and oysters appetizer, and sweet potato french fries, and then sides of candied yams and stone ground grits with cheddar. Clearly, there was a lot of fried going on, and I am one to normally take a very firm, anti fry stance. However, in light of the impending activities, a little fried was going to be a good thing. My veggie Po Boy was OK, sort of like a spicier version of a veggie burger on crispy baguette toast instead of institutional wheat bun. I snagged a fork full of my SO's mac n cheese, so for the ardent mac n cheese foodies in this area, you might want to alert yourselves to the one served here. Reports from the other side of the table were consistent: food, good. Sides, OK, or not what I expected. Fried things friend, spicy thing spicy. Decor of the place is worth mentioning- it made my SO decide he wanted to cover his room in rust. Or, corrugated rust panels. With coat hooks conveniently placed all over the room and scrim sheets showcasing prominent photographs. The decor and the dining room itself work together to help demarcate the bar from the dining area, and even within the main dining room, more decor help create smaller and more intimate spaces, nooks and crannies. The bar area was super loud but it was after work, and if I worked in the area, I'd for sure be celebrating the end of many workdays here. Then I might eat somewhere else, unless I was planning a long night of drinking, in which case, load up the fried, spicy, squishy goodness!
(4)
Naeem I.
Highlights: shrimp cakes, sweet potato fries, mac and cheese Lowlights: bland on most everything else, overpriced Meh. That about says it. This unassuming place is virtually hidden at its location as others have mentioned. It does have a nice ambiance but it is seemingly mismatched to the soul food that they serve. The service was fine, the food was okay (but far overpriced), but all-in-all, nothing special. Do yourself a favor and go to the Hard Knox Cafe in the dogpatch district instead. MUCH better tasting food (the menu is nearly identical) and it will cost you less than half to boot.
(2)
jennye g.
Yep, this restaurant is at the corner of CRACK and HO, fo' sho! That aside, if you can make it past the maelstrom of homelessness, and can ignore the pimp slapping his ho long enough to make it inside, it's worth it I'd say. (Oh, and yes, we actually DID see a pimp slap a ho outside the restaurant, which was pretty priceless.) A bit of advice - come early if you're a normal person who wants to eat. If you're a 24 year old Marina girl who's just there to see and be seen, which yes, this restaurant is guilty of harboring an affinity for, then come at about 9pm on a Saturday when things really start to heat up. Just please, stay away from my table. I'm trying to eat. We got there at about 7pm on a Saturday, no res, and were seated within 5 minutes, if that. Of course, being seated and being served are two totally different things. We waited for about 15 minutes before we saw our waitress. Luckily, we weren't in a hurry, and granted, she was extremely busy, so we were fine with it. The wait was worth it though...we had some fabulous cocktails (well, the other people in my party said they were fab, I'm pregnant and had some pretty decent Arnold Palmers), great appetizers (those shrimp poppers are damn fine) and the entrees were above satisfactory. For my money, I'd have to say that the fried chicken at Maverick is still where it's at, but Farmer Brown's was a contender. The dessert though...Oh. My. God. The Bourbon Pecan Pie is beyond heavenly. Whatever they do to the whip cream that comes on the side, it's perfection. I wish Farmer Brown himself would come to my house and fill up a bathtub with it. I want to swim in that whip cream. So for food...maybe 3 or 4 stars. I'd drop it down to a 3 if only because the aftermath of eating at Farmer Brown requires that you either plant your ass firmly on the couch for about 12 hours, on the toilet for about 1, or a combination of the two. Ambiance was pretty cute - sort of hip-hop-farmhouse-chic. I'm a sucker for bevvies served in mason jars, and the bathroom decor was adorable. I know that's probably not the most important part of your dining experience, but I like mine to be well rounded. A well presented bathroom is a must. Ambiance gets 4 stars. Service was definitely only about 2 stars, but they did what they could, and since we weren't in a big rush, it didn't bother me too much that we waited about 15 minutes before seeing our water jars filled. Overall, I'd give it 3 and a half stars. Since we can only give full stars here though, and taking into account the numerous crack dealers you'll have to bob and weave through to get to the restaurant, 3 stars will have to suffice.
(3)
Don H.
What a funky spot. The first thing you walk past on entering is the DJ booth. In a restaurant. Nuts. But the DJ is relatively subtle background music. There's a huge long bar, which unfortunately for us only had one poor nearly overwhelmed tender behind it, so we had to wait a bit for drinks, but when they came they were quite tasty. They've got a small selection of specialty cocktails (the mango margarita is awesome, and truly tequilicious), and a good selection of whisky for mixing other things. They're all priced just slightly below the average high-end cocktail bar level ($8-10). Sitting for dinner, we got a better look at the space. I'd describe it as artfully decorated, low-lit polished concrete, with touches of wood & metal. Cool and semi-modern, with a sort of homebuilt feel. It fits the food. Speaking of the food, we certainly didn't have the negative experiences of some of the other reviewers. They start you with a plate of mini jalapeno sweet cornbreads that were delectable; I wish we could have gotten more! The fried chicken with greens & mac & cheese was great; rich spicy chicken, and homemade mac & cheese with tillamook cheddar (spicy!), not completely melted. Greens were tart, and contrasted well. Soup of the day (a carron/onion/potato) and the gumbo were excellent. Gumbo is very rich, almost sweet. Authentic? I've no clue. But it was yummy. Jambalaya is huge! And this ain't no wussy, cheap-ass jambalaya. I've had plenty of these, where it's maybe 60% rice. This heady mixture was more like maybe 10% rice, and the rest was all seafood - seriously huge piles of it! Shrimp and whitefish and something else I think. And I added the andouille, which was an enormous sausage, sliced in half and arrayed atop the pile. The jambalaya itself didn't have much of any kick to it, but the sausage made up for it with some nice spice. This stuff was great! And damn there was a lot. Also, we got a side of smashed sweet potatoes with plantains - WOW. Genius. Brilliant. Also really large. I could eat that every night. They've also got a nice wine list with the range to accompany the food well (I enjoyed a nice spicy, fruity old-vine zin which handled the jambalaya admirably), including plenty of options by the glass. Service was friendly and knowledgeable; nothing wrong there. Absolutely worth returning!
(4)
Shirley L.
i suspect the fried chicken, mac and cheese, and collared greens were all premade and microwaved. our mac and cheese was cold. was not happy paying 17 dollars for what i could made with 4 dollars, or 2.50 during safeway's 2 for 5 stouffer's deals.
(1)
Kofi A.
I went on a Sunday night and definitely dug the place. The decor is casual, creative, and cool.l The music they play definitely suits the smoothness of the setting. It reminded m of Bus Boys and Poets out in Washington D.C.. The hostess was excellent and extremely friendly. Our waiter was very accommodating as well. The soul food was faaar from traditionally Southern in preparation but still good. I had the catfish which was great and I didn't mind the baby cornbread either. SF needs more spots like this.
(4)
Veronica G.
This place is tasty but is anyone else a little confused when they go here? First off, soul/Southern food and hipster setting (think dark wood, metal accents and a waitstaff all in black) seems to teeter on the thin edge of "too cool for school" and eye rolling. Second, all the little touches of "Southern charm"--the cucumber water in Mason jars, the cutesy napkins and the old bike in the bathroom who's purpose is holding the paper towels could have fallen in the "trying too hard" catgory but yet, it strangly works and doesn't seem to like a novelty that will wear thin. Ok on to the important stuff (drinks, food and the waiting). Drinks (with alcohol) here are reasonably priced and refreshingly different from every other bar in SF. The margarita they have is sublime and they have this drink with gin and peach that is truly different and delicious (and I'm NOT a gin drinker). They also carry Pabst as I'm sure you can tell from the multitude of reviews. Plus if you are a TRUE Southerner they have "real" sweet tea! I'm not from the south so I wouldn't know "real" sweet tea from Snapple but I've gone here a couple of times with folks from Texas, Alabama and Georgia and all have been quite complimentary to this place. The food is tasty. Anyplace that has mac and cheese on the menu that DOESN'T (a) come from a box and (b) isn't regalded solely to the kid's menu is a happy place to me! The fried chicken is good. The catfish po'boy is killer and loaded with perfectly crunchy , thin fillets of catfish. The wedge of lettuce salad actually made me remember that yes, with the right condiments iceburg lettuce can be tasty (did I really just write that?) The jambalaya had enough in the bowl to fill me up with some left over and I was pleased as punch. The little cornbread muffins they give you at the beginning of the meal are quite yummy too, particularly when they're piping hot (they serve 'em with jalapeno jelly but that's not really my thing). Finally, the waiting.....I've heard from more than one person (including someone who works there) that reservations are NOT the way to go unless you have a big party and it will be held at prime feasting time (think like 9ish on a Saturday). Otherwise don't bother. Show up, put your name on the list and hunker down. I know that I've been seated and halfway through my meal with friends just showing up, watching people with reservations sitting in the front of the house waiting for their table to be set. All in all, tasty, fair priced and it has that feisty energy from the South wrapped up in a cool San Francisco package.
(4)
Harry H.
I cant believe this place has already been reviewed this many times... I mean I've was here when the place first opened and really wanted to see the new chic and hip place to get fried chicken? The place is very (lack of a better word) cool. The food is okay but the place is fun and the drinks are great. I wish the food was better and I didnt have to pay so god damn much for some fried chicken... come early and enjoy the new look of soul food.
(4)
shawn p.
We went here after a concert and were pleasantly surprised at what a hidden little gem this place is. So cute and the food was great. I had the blackened Halibut - super good.
(4)
Arissa C.
...and the search for the best fried chicken in city continues onto Farmerbrown's... Thank you Frisco for the recommendation! We started off at the bar waiting for our table on a thursday evening- it was quite busy seating tables for the first date couples from the internet (overheard "You are much better in person") to the boisterous coworkers dining out to start off an early weekend. The festive mood was further cajoled by the entertaining dj music as well as tasty drinks like the mango margarita- tasting just like its namesake with an added spiced salt around the rim...luved it! My friend had the bourbon cocktail- I had a sip of it- and it was like swallowing a mini torpedo- warms you from the inside real quick! Not more than 10 minutes had passed when we were summoned to our table- I like that it was just enough space to the next table without having to hear their or our conversation...and well by the sound of the dj music- it wasn't going to make too much of a difference. The music was a bit on the loud side- often times reverberating from the tin covered walls- cool funky music- but would have loved to have heard some cajun jazz/ southern folk too :-) We started our meal with a salad- mine was the lettuce wedge salad with blue cheese dressing plus the 2 dollars bacon fixin' . My friend had the mixed Farmers green salad with a light sweet lemon vinaigrette. Both were delicious and we basically left our plates clean...I was a little miffed by the bacon- cuz I was expecting to have at least 2 bacon strips- but well it was a measly equivalent of half a bacon of little morsels :-( For my entree I undeniably ordered the Fried chicken with the mac and cheese side and the collard greens. Miffed numero 2- You cannot substitute the sides for another - I asked if I could exchange the mac and cheese for mashed potatoes- and I couldn't believe my ears when he said "No"... To which I replied in my head- Sorry but any farmer would have done it and southern hospitality just cannot deny it! So here's the 411 on the chicks:- 1-Taste/Flavor - Slight dry coating- fried to a bright amber color-slightly bland, not too much seasoning 6.5/10 2-Tenderness/Succulence- deliciously fresh- - moist and tender about 3 pieces 8/10 3-Crunchy factor 7.5/10 4-Overall appeal 6.5/10- Fried chicken is decadent- it CANNOT be a nutritious presentation- I appreciate organic fresh ingredients but it lacks the fireworks that make this meal THE perfect staple for July 4th celebrations. Let me taste that butter, those thick layers of batter fried to a crunchy golden brown- seasoned with oregano, thyme, paprika and garlic /onion powder... these were lacking Miffed #3 I felt cheated :-( My friend ordered the Jambalaya- it didnt have the complexity I was accustomed to tasting- sure it was seasoned well, but I could not get hints of broth used nor the roux factor ... I was dismayed that it did not have the savory andouille sausage or OKRA...folks- okra is the poor man's truffle!!! That was miffed #4 Sure you can open a restaurant- spruce it up with a southern farm decor then then add a dj to boot and procure the best ingredients- this Menu would just strive to comfort the foodie but will still lack in nourishing the soul. I enjoyed the Pecan Pie and the gregarious and friendly Philipe- who made sure our meals and drinks arrived promptly.
(3)
Mindy O.
God I love this place. I work around the corner in a hotel and this is one of the first places on my list to send guests. Every single one of my guests raves about this place and if you ever go there you can see why. Great food, great service, and great drinks.
(5)
Sabrina L.
Farmerbrown is an example of when Yelp is handy in lowering expectations so you can actually enjoy a meal. You Yelpers are a hard crowd to please!!! But...I wouldn't have it any other way. : P I was supposed to meet up with my cousins at 6 p.m. I called the restaurant to let them know I was running late and that a party of 4 was waiting on me & under my cousin's name. The Farmerbrown guy on the phone asks: "Do you want to talk to her?" and in my shock I say "Uh...sure". So he calls out her name & I hear a bit of a pause and then my cousins picks up the phone: "Hello?" [we're both a bit in shock at this conversation] "Um...sorry Raina. I'm running late. I'll be there in 30 minutes....I'll be there as soon as I can." Anyways, it kinda added a nice touch to our experience because it was like calling someone's home. It gave the place a nice chill feel to it! I know Yelpers had spotty food/service but we went on a very slow Sunday night so our food was all hot and service was fine. Here's my lazy quick list style breakdown: *Decor: Cool. just as everyone said. *Neighborhood: scary. Just as everyone said. (Not so bad thanks to Daylight Savings Time tho!) *Service: Again, it was pretty empty on a Sunday night. I think we were 1of 3 tables so the busboys were super anxious & kept trying to take our plates away because they had nothing else to do. Our waitress was fine & checked up on us. *Music: Good hip hop. We all agreed the music selection was way better than what they play in clubs these days! *Food: --Shrimp Creole Poppers: yum. --meatloaf over mashed potatos: tasty! --Ox-tail: delicious! --Fried chicken: Good. However, I think the skin wasn't as crispy as Hard Knox. But still really good. --Cornmeal-breaded catfish served over collard greens: catfish was good (moist but still really good crust). The collard greens were a bit on the sweet side. --Mac&Cheese: decent! I love cheese so I'm easily won over. Yah it's pricey but I felt the food was pretty quality (I wonder if the organic & sustainable trend would work in LA?!?! Hmm...I guess there aren't any farms in LA...) I liked everything I sampled and would definitely try any of them again upon another visit.
(4)
Gabrielle G.
I really, really, really wanted to like this place. I did, I swear. But everything was just...eh. I had the fried chicken and mac and cheese. Seriously, just "eh". Nothing to complain about, but nothing to really be excited about either. For desert we had the chocolate beignets. Not beignets at all, but super dense dough balls filled with solid chocolate. Chocolate wasn't even melted. Not all what i expected and nothing like the beignets I remember from Du Monde. I wouldn't go back.
(3)
Kristopher F.
If this is top soul in San Francisco, San Francisco needs more soul.
(3)
Dana F.
By bottomless mimosas, they mean hour long. They cut you off and the they're watered down. Forget that.
(2)
Hepson C.
I came here for dinner with a group of friends and I'd have to say the music selection was on point! The food was cool and customer service was great but the music definitely made my night. Don't change a thing.
(5)
Elena F.
When you make a reservation be sure to request a table away from the live music, otherwise good luck trying to have a conversation with your table companions. The french toast I ate was deliciously sweet, the "fresh fruit" that came on the side wasn't so fresh.
(3)
keith m.
Best soul food in S.F. always a go to when in the city
(5)
Norman P.
Ya know...i really really really wanted to love this place. I love fried chicken, grits, greens, etc. but honestly my meal was just so so. The cornbread was good but not plentiful and rich. And the fried chicken looked precious. I ordered the jambalaya which was so-so -- not exactly spicy enough and not exactly rich enough. The service was decent but we ate around 5 in the evening right when they opened and the service felt a little light. We were visiting with my cousin and all of had a great time despite the so-so meal -- maybe I will give them another chance. I really hate giving three stars!
(3)
Gabriel F.
You gotta be kidding me! How can soul food be so bland and tasteless? Troubling.....I swear the jambalaya I had was made with ketchup....and the price tag??? JC....not worth your time or money. Plus side...the strippers from the peeler club up the road take their breaks here at the bar.....X-) Sorry Farmer Brown....won't be seeing you again....
(1)
Jamie B.
ring, ring "hello?" "ummm, hi mom, it's me?" "hey sweetie, are you crying?" "no, uhm, i'm okay." "baby, what's wrong?" "I just wanted some soul food and uh i asked around and was told to go to Farmerbrowns and uh (sniff, sniff).........." "calm down, tell me what happened." "we got there and I ordered...." "what did you order?" "chchchicken" "fried?" "uh huh" "was it bad?" "nnooooo, it was okay, small, crunchy..." "what!?!? soul food isn't small and crunchy!" "i know" "what else did you order Jamie" "greens" "Well I'll be damned!! Jamie, I taught you better than that! Never order greens from a restaurant! (long pause) well, how were they?" "horrible" "Uh huh, You need to learn to listen to me. And let me guess, I bet your dumb ass ordered Mac and Cheese." "ya, mom, I did" "I don't even want to hear this anymore. I tell you the truth. (talking to my dad in the background) J.W you are not going to believe what this fool did......he sure did, out there ordering soul food from strangers. I have told him time and time again, no body makes it like mamma, he needs to bring his ass home and let me cook for him. San Franciscos!! People in San Franciscos don't know how to make soul food. (now back to me) You hear me!?!?" "Yeah mom, I'm sorry (snif, snif)" "Stop all that crying shit! How much was it?" "I don't know, like eighty bucks" "EIGHTY?!?!? For how many people?" "well just two but we ordered other things tooo." "( to my dad) J.W. our boy has lost his natural black mind, they out there being big spenders! Wasting eighty dollars for two people, do you know how many people I could feed the right way with eighty dollars? (back to me) I told you not to be out there wasting your money on stupid dinners. What are you going to do when rent's due? Car payments? Do you have benefits?" "well..." "you don't listen to anything I say! Keep it up! don't come calling me, when your silly ass gets sick, eatin' other peoples greens, you don't know if they cleaned them right or not............Oh damn, now you got me running late for bingo, I have to go, love you." Click!! "uhm mom? mom?"
(2)
CINDY K.
Seems the current average is 3.5 stars for Farmerbrown, and I concur completely. The food was pretty good, but not very good, and definitely not oh-fuck-me-good. I had the pork chops plate for $22 - I've had bigger portions and equal quality at Zuni's Cafe up a few more blocks up Market. Sushi Freak Buddy's fried chicken was good, but I think Powell's Place is just as good (though their sides aren't as quality as Farmerbrown). Luis M.'s buttermilk mashed potatoes were pretty stellar, but Pookie's wedge salad....well let's just say I thought it looked like a mound of cream. WHERE's the LETTUCE? The extra half star is for those extra details - fun alcohol and non-alcoholic drink selection (mmm hibiscus) and GREAT MUSIC. It totally made up for my poorly brewed half-press of coffee, and then some. "Keep, oo-oo-on movin'...don't stop like the hands of time..."
(3)
Jenny K.
Lately I haven't felt like getting dolled up and looking hot for other people, and I especially don't feel like I should have to work so hard just to grab a meal and suck down some drinks. Crabby? Maybe. Mostly, just feeling stressed and don't really give a shit about what anyone thinks of me. Bigger fish to fry, you know? So... when I read that Farmerbrown was rated "Casual" by other Yelpers, I was thrilled to meet friends for dinner and drinks in my baggy maternity shirt and fat pants. Yay, fat pants!! From the exterior, one would have no idea that the inside of Farmerbrown was as chill and so well put together. They are located in a bar-gated corner space at Mason, just off Market in the 'Loin. Once you walk through the door, you're greeted with sexy candle-lit darkness and a mixture of music that works perfectly with the spotlit art, the jam jar water glasses, antique flatware, re-upholstered dining chairs and the hip coffee tones. This is a place that pulls off urban-cool and down-home at the same time. Arrive early and grab a drink at the bar staffed by bartenders who are simultaneously laid-back AND competent. Quite a concept, eh? They offer jars of spicy peanuts to accompany the flavorful cocktails (the grapefruit gimlet is so damn good!!) at the bar, and if you're nice they'll let you snag the jar and take it to enjoy at your table. I wore my fat pants, so you know I had to order the fried chicken platter. Unlike my friends who ordered the chicken and yuck-lings (read: disappointing chicken and dumplings), I loved my chicken!!! It was so good that I ate it in a shamelessly unladylike way... finger-licking, bone-sucking and all. The macaroni and cheese was okay (the noodles were a little softer than I would have liked), but the greens rocked with their layers of flavor and firm consistency ... not overcooked, fit only to be consumed by babies or toofless crack-hos. The pork loin was okay, but not so good that I would order it myself (tasted the BF's). What were excellent were the mini corn bread muffins (was that jalapeno in there?) that were served with highly addictive maple-butter. My dream meal here: * pitcher of grapefruit gimlets * bucket of fried chicken * pot of greens * pan of corn bread * in my fat pants
(4)
Nikki N.
Although the service was attentive and the ambiance is cool, the food was made for diabetics. Bland, Bland, Bland! You might as well lick the floor for more flavor! I expected my catfish to have a crispy crust, not to be soaked by collard greens and the serving of yams was very small. I've had better soul food for reasonable prices else ware. It is difficult to find parking on the street so be prepare to park at the $10 to the lot next door. A nice variety of specialty drinks are offered but I would never order the food again.
(1)
Bruce S.
Sort of a disappointment. If I could give 2.5 stars, I would. I like the ambiance. Rustic but clever. The music was a bit loud, but it was Friday happy hour and I am probably 20 years older than most of the others there, so that part could just be me. The food was spotty. As appetizers we ordered the hand cut fries (a mix of sweet and white potatoes) and a Cajun shrimp fritter-type thing. The hand cut potatoes had a nice flavor but were soft. I found my self wanting a crust. The Cajun shrimp thingies were very good. A bit of exterior crunch, good flavor with a nice bit of heat. We were also served a plate of jalapeno corn muffins with honey butter. Pleasant, but not remarkable. For entrees, two of us ordered the Fulton Valley Fried Chicken. The crust had a nice crunch, but was bland. The dark meat was juicy and flavorful, but the white meat was dry. The sides were very good. The dirty rice was tasty, and the greens (red chard mixed with some others) were also quite nice. The two other people ordered the pulled pork sandwich and the catfish. I suppose they found them unremarkable, because they didn't say anything, good or bad. We also ordered the mac & cheese. I found the flavor good, but the mouth feel was a bit gritty. We also ordered coffee (blue bottle french press) and dessert. I had the chocolate cake. It was *very* dry. Surprisingly so. The flavor might have been okay if I could have choked it down. One friend had the lemon cake. Also quite dry. These two didn't seem to have been baked today. If I were in the kitchen, I would have soaked both these cakes in something before serving. They were just too dry. A third had the pecan pie. It was very good, although the filling was a bit loose. The flavor was great. The coffee was, surprisingly, not that great. We were served in the french presses, and the server recommended that we brew it for another two minutes. We followed those directions, and it could have easily stood another minute. The flavor seemed good but weak. Will I go back? I think so. But I won't order dessert, the biggest disappointment.
(2)
Coral C.
I have to say, this place was a huge disappointment. I had heard a lot of buzz around it, but hadn't had a chance to make it down. Both my husband and I are huge lovers of southern and creole food (mmmm spicy!), but farmer brown definitely didn't deliver. We went in on a Friday night around 7:45 and it was packed. Thought that was a good sign. I liked the decor and the fact that there was a DJ. After being told it would be at least an hour wait, we decided to come back after the concert we were going to around the corner at The Warfield. They serve till midnight, which is great for people like us who work odd hours and don't get out till late. We ended up back there around 11:15 and the place was almost empty. We waited at the door for at least 5 minutes and there was no one to be found. The host that we had spoke to earlier in the evening was standing near the bar talking with friends, totally ignoring us. We didn't want to be a pain, so we took a seat at the bar, since they serve a full menu there. The food choices looked really good, and we opted to go for the fried chicken, the jambalaya with craw fish and prawns (we added sausage), and the mac and cheese. As soon as we ordered, we were presented with the check, and the bartender didn't even bother to come back to check on us all night. I'm a server, and that really upset me. He only had about 5 people at the bar, so I know he wasn't busy. When the food arrived, it looked good. Big portions. But I soon realized they didn't put the sausage in, even though we were charged $5 for it. Again, I tried to catch the bartenders attention, but couldn't. I flagged down someone else working who took care of it for me. Now, I love jambalaya. Love Love Love it. However, even with the sausage, it just no flavor. No spice, no love. I only ate about 5 bites before stopping. The prawns were good, but our sausage was so burnt, we couldn't eat much of it. The chicken, while it had nice crispy skin, was also lacking. It needed some salt or something! The dirty rice and greens were very bland. The mac and cheese was really yummy though, and that's the only thing we managed to finish. $60 for two, including one beer and one glass of wine. I don't know if it was because we came late or maybe because the place just sucks. I don't think we'll be back. Service was non existent, and food was just bland. Also, pretty overpriced-$21 for jambalaya? Next time I'll stay home and make some Zatarans.
(1)
Justin H.
Nope. No thanks. The food's decent, but in my opinion the service *really* sucked. The bar was definately going off for a Monday, and looking back I kinda wished we just sat @ the bar and ate there. Maybe it's the whole 'soul food/nuevo-urban' vibe that the place had that gave one of our servers his scowl, but for the most part the diverse crowd made up for it. So when we first sat down, we got our drinks and placed our orders within minutes. Not a problem. The fact that our waitress wouldn't let us substitute any of our sides though? Pretty fuckin' annoying. I mean, what kind of customer service is that? For a -soul food- place no less? I never understand places that do that. Regardless - it became a nice topic of conversation after the waitress took our order. So 10 minutes pass and next thing ya know ALL our food was out of the kitchen/on the table (no lie) before we had 2 sips of beer. I even looked down @ our drinks to check just to make sure I wasn't being anal. The apps/entrees literally came out within 3-4 minutes of each other too so before we even finished a quarter of our fried okra/salad, the rest of our meal was on the table. Pretty lame. Compared to other places I've had similar meals (Blue Jay Cafe most recently), the food just didn't stand up. The fried chicken was fine, but the dirty rice reminded me of cheap boxed Zatarain's with how clumpy and heavy it was, while the greens were just plain blah. We didn't even bother with dessert, even tho the pecan pie sounded interesting. Like other reviewers mentioned, they screwed up our bill -- charging us full price for drinks when the waitress pointed out that Monday was all day happy hour. Of course *we* have to be the ones to point this out to our server, which is always a great feeling. If you're really dying for good down south eats, I'd say just check out the Blue Jay on Divis. I've been there twice in the past 8-9 weeks or so, and the food (the blackened catfish/collard greens/black eyed peas!), drink, and ambience is light years better than this place. Maybe I'm just too harsh on new restaurants, but I guess when you're dressing up fried chicken/po' boys and charging people a pretty penny you start paying attention to all the little things that add up to a less than recommendable experience.
(2)
Sharlene C.
$2 beers during happy hour had me sold. happy hour followed by a pork sammy and some catfish. it was delicious. i also had a bite of the fried chicken. i just returned from new orleans, so i had quite a bit of the good ol' southern cooking in my tummy to make a comparison. farmer brown's stacks up abeit with a healthier spin.
(4)
Toussaint M.
So, out for the girlfriends birthday and off to Farmer Brown's. We were all so excited after the birthday girl had been raving about her soul food experience at FB. Well, we were very impressed with the decor & overall ambiance. It's visually stunning in every way and the DJ definitely knew how to keep our ears entertained. From the art work, down to the Mason jars used to serve water & beverages FB was on point. We had the oysters & fried okra as appetizers, and both were delicious. We also enjoyed the mini jalapeno corn bread muffins. Dinner was served and was fabulous. I loved the chicken & dumplings and my friends enjoyed everything from the pulled pork sandwich, gumbo, & friend catfish plate. Now, did I mention it was our girls birthday? Yes, I did. So we ordered a slice of the chocolate cake & the pecan pie. We ran through our version of Stevie Wonder's-Happy Birthday when the dessert arrived at our table, and we had finished singing and thanked our neighbors for their applause when the host comes walking over. He says, "Don't order another round of drinks because we have a 2 hour limit on our reservations here & I have another party to seat." Well, HOW RUDE!!! Not only is it her birthday, and everyone heard our singing(lol), but he couldn't figure out a better way than that to approach us about what was obviously an error on their part? So, pissed off and ready to go, we walk up to his station & offer him payment for the dinner. I also tell him that as a tip, the FB website should advertise the reservation time limit & they should let the customer know prior to making the reservation. His reply a cold, "Thank you." Still no apology and it was as if he just didn't care that he interrupted our birthday dessert, and otherwise perfect dinner. Appalled and trying to figure out whether I would come back with friends, and never recommend to corporate vendors from out of town, who do we meet outside but a friend of the owner & the people who were waiting for our table. She was sweet. She asked us what was going on and we explained. She then told us her reservation was at 8:00. Mind you ours was at 7:00, and if there was a 2 hour reservation limit then we should have been cool until 9:00, but we were rushed from our table at 8:30. We met this young woman outside at 8:40. She stated they had an 8:45pm venue and would not make it. She also stated that she got the same cold, unresponsive attitude from the host who she informed me is named Gladius. Honestly, a 2 rating is being nice considering they broke up our birthday dinner, and totally disregarded the Kira Lewis party who was waiting. I am disappointed and can't say that I will return to Farmer Brown. Considering the b-day girl is a chef, we can definitely get the same or better quality soul food, and we wont feel rushed! Its obvious from my experience and from the reviews I've read below that the lack of professionalism at this restaurant far out weighs any of its good qualities. We wont see you next time.
(2)
Lisa T.
As a foodie/nutrition buff born purely of medical necessity, I was salivating at the mere idea of Farmerbrown: Southern/Cajun/Creole food, attached to the words "vegetarian" (meaning they had a plethora of selections, but lots of meat, too!), "organic," and "sustainable farming." They made it good for the earth and the body, for some reason I was thinking this meant good for the tastebuds, too... Could it be too tall an order? The answer is: yes. The food looked great, the philosophy is music to a politically correct ear. But it ain't like the real thing, still. I said purely medical necessity, people! Five years ago, living on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, my loft backed up to Southern Fires: the ultimate Motor City soul food joint. I know what collard greens and po' boys taste like when made the "bad" way. They taste damn good. Better than they taste at Farmerbrown. That said, they're PRETTY good at Farmerbrown. I had the barbecue tofu po' boy with vegetarian collard greens and sweet potato fries. I was definitely satisfied. But I didn't need anyone to roll me home afterward and put me straight to bed. Perhaps there's less of a noticeable difference with something like friend chicken? That, sadly, I'll never know... Now, here's where Farmerbrown kicked it up a notch... What a vibe! It's worth mentioning that it WAS Mardi Gras when I was there, but the place was a BLAST. Great ambiance, top-notch cocktails, awesome servers who knew how to really shake it to the superb live Dixieland band, and an amazing soundtrack of classic and remixed soul to fill in on the band's breaks that made me feel for a moment as though I was back on Jefferson in the D... And another note about those cocktails... Try the hurricane. It'll blow you over, as it's supposed to, but it's also yummy. Not just a tall glass of rum to struggle through. I'll be back to Farmerbrown. They might have skimmed some of the deliciousness out with the inorganics, but the soul is still there...
(3)
R M.
**This is a pre-review. I went to the organic Fat Tuesday event last night, so I can't really judge the restaurant's everyday faire...yet. ** Fat Tuesday at Farmerbrown's was hot,hot,hot! Music- Bangin', eclectic and booty boppin' Food- So good that you sighed mournfully when it was gone Visuals- Beautiful people everywhere. Mucho eye candy. (I dont know about the decor because there were people wall to wall) Liquor- The specialty cocktails were well chosen: mint juleps, hurricanes, and ginger bourbon. In the name of product knowledge I can attest to having um... 'sampled' each of the afore mentioned cocktails and all were made with respect to flavor and alcohol content. A good balance indeed. Fat Tuesday here was phat! and I didn't have to show my boobies to get beads.
(3)
Baby C.
The first time I went to Farmer Brown's I was peed on while standing outside. Yes, you read that right - pee. I was not certain on the address and looked down to place a call and in that split second a nice man appeared next to me, whipped it out and aimed. I tried not to let this "soil" my experience - and when you walk in it is a completely different world than what is outside. I've been a few times now, and the drinks are fabulous - but a word of caution for you messy monkey's - the bar has no napkins. The food is ok. Some is fantastic, fried okra, and others are amazingly poor, mac and cheese. The ambiance is nice and the wait staff is friendly. But, it is a bit pricey. And you have to like what they are doing - organic and brining a little class to the 'lion. I just wish the neighborhood folks would keep the barn doors closed.
(3)
Colleen B.
Sometimes the cosmos send you a sign, when this happens it is best to obey. I never heed my own best advice though. I was told Farmer Brown doesn't do brunch, but I was hellbent on having my brunch there by golly, so I discovered that on Sundays they do indeed. I wouldn't recommend it though. We rode downtown and found this little restaurant, tucked amidst the crackheads and zooming cars. I'd heard tell of the amazing fried chicken and even upon being seated was told by everyone inside what a great gastronomical experience we were about to embark upon. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I arrived first, was asked to sit at a table scrunched against the wall and next to a four top, one of the only 4 tables that were full. I suggested another table nearby so as not to make the server work too hard for her money (she clearly doesn't). My friend arrived after searching around Mason & Market a bit. We ordered & received two of the smallest mimosas in all of San Francisco, I've been served larger 'shots' in the Mission. They were tasty though and we sipped slowly so as to enjoy every drop. We chose not to have another, though were never asked either. While I like the refreshing cucumber water at the spa, I do not find it terribly appealing with my eggs, besides not too sure what sort of life span they are trying to eke out of those cuke slices. When we finally saw our server again we asked for plain water, which comes handy in a carafe. We both ordered biscuit sandwiches with eggs and bacon (she had andouille) with grits. My friend knows her some southern comfort food, I just know that I like my grits creamy. We were both disappointed. Grits-undercooked, bacon-waayy over cooked, andouille-dry. Our server plopped down the plates & walked away never to return despite the fact there were 2 tables seated next to us, she never glanced over, asked how we were doing or inquired as to why we might have left 2 completely untouched bowls of grits. Why should she care? We had to ask for the check, she brought the wrong one, to which we had to chase her down to get her attention even though we metioned immediately the error. Perhaps she is deaf? The table next to us got their bill at the same time, we are fairly sure they had our bill, we asked, they gave blank stares paid and left. The decor is quaint, not all of it goes together, we pondered that they may have rushed to get the place open and just put up what they had or could find on short notice. I think with time that can be improved upon. The food and service....well, that is really up to the kitchen and whoever hires the staff. I wish them well, but I will likely never know.
(2)
Valentina D.
My martini cost way too much for what it was, and since I'd ordered it specifically for the vaunted cayenne-pepper chocolateyness I was disappointed to basically get Nestles Quick with a dab of cayenne and sugar around the rim. I liked the ambiance, but it was a bit too dark and definitely too noisy. It tires me out to shout to be heard, and I really wanted to hear James' great conversation and his saucy stories of bad boys gone wild in San Francisco. We shared a platter of the fried okra, which is definitely an acquired taste. I acquired it when I lived in the South for a while, and I can definitely say that fried okra--or okra of any sort--can be either bad, really bad, or tolerable. BUT the chef had somehow miraculously de-slimed the little green buggers and you bit through a nice textury cornmeal crust to get to a crispy and flavorul green vegetable beneath. We ate it all, and then I daintily picked at all the little crumbles on the plate while trying to distract James so he wouldn't take any. My entree was the jambalaya, with the added andouille sausage. It wasn't the best jambalaya I'd ever had, but it had the requisite amount of file and lots of shrimp and chicken pieces. It was sassy but lacked bite, and could have done with something a bit more garlicky in the sauce. The andouille sausage was fine but how can you screw up sausage? Sausage exists in an excellent universe of its own, placid and all-seeing, salty and chewy, comforting and bad for you. Someday I'll write a little chapbook of poems about sausage and bacon. They say write about the things you love, right? We didn't have room for dessert, so I'll have to go back, try a few more things, eat less, and save space. I'm giving Farmerbrown four stars but it's really kind of a three-and-a-half. I like that it's there, and that it's organic, and that it's in the Tenderloin. They just need to work a bit harder on the soul in the soul food. It ain't N'Awlins yet...
(4)
Renee D.
You call that macaroni and cheese? Please. I've had better macaroni and cheese from a box. At least the drinks were yummy.
(2)
Daniel C.
To be frank, I was underwhelmed by all the talk around Farmer Brown. I love my southern cooking, but this wasn't it. The ambience is cozy, but the fried chicken was definitely dry. The fried coating was the only piece of the chicken with any flavor, which is unfortunate because it was actually good.
(3)
Scott J.
When reviewing this restaurant, I have to ask why would I recommend this restaurant over others - and I can't answer that with any resounding conviction. The pork I ordered was dry and the portion was silly. The rest of my group didn't rave about their dishes. The drinks are great - opt for a mint julep. The service is ok. The ambience is ok. The neighborhood is the pits. Overall, I would recommend you go somewhere else. If you like soul food, go to Hard Knox - get great food, portions, and free parking.
(2)
Yan M.
We didn't get to eat here but came by to see a friend and it's a really nice scene. All the tables were filled including the bar counter area on a Thurs night at 10:30pm. The interior is nice, dimly lit, very industrial yet modern and trendy. Definitely a good vibe. We'll come back to try the food soon.
(4)
A I.
Came here on a Friday night, with about 5 other friends... It was quite the experience because there were many things going on: One friend was meeting a Match.com date, depsite the fact that one very elgible bachelor kept hitting on her all night. Another friend found something to complain about every 15minutes or so, (maybe it was to remind us he was there.) Mr. Match.com shows up a little late, fully decked out like a lumber jack: beanie, plaid flannel shirt, jeans, brown belt, beard... interesting outfit. Ok ok, on with the food and service. The waitress was really distant, and didn't seem like she liked our table. Which was really strange because she seemed fine with the other tables surrounding us... She never smiled once and acted annoyed when we had questions about the food... which was only 2 by the way.. I had the hibiscus drink, as it said on the menu, but the waitress corrected me and said PUNCH! the hibiscus PUNCH! fuck, lady, look at the menu, it says drink. We order an appetizer of the french fries which was a delicious mixture including sweet potato.. delicious! We then get some jalepeno cornbread with sweet butter!! YUMMY! When the server finally decides to come back to the table, we had been waiting for about 15minutes after the appetizer was finished, not placed on the table, finished.She seemed annoyed at taking our order! I ordered the Fried Chicken with Dirty Rice and tomato sauce. Others at the table ordered Catfish, and Fried Chicken.. We get the food, it smells really good. But theres one thing that gets my attention... the sauce is smothered all over the chicken and rice! The menu did not say Smothered chicken, but I ate most of it anyway. the sauce was getting to be too rich.. and there was too much of it on the plate for me to finish. Mr.Complainaboutsomethingevery15minutes was definately not feelin it. So at a first date, does the gentleman pay for the lady? Generally speaking yes... but we're talking about a lumber jack here. he did not pay for my little friend which I thought that was tacky. If there's a box for that, check that off on match.com : likes to pay for first dates, check. Paying for a meal divided up by 6 people, can get tricky, especially when you think your friends date is going to pay for her... so everyone puts money in the pot, and I usually check it out and delegate who pays what, including the tip... but not that night... The funky server takes the money, and comes back saying we left too little. We did. We corrected it and over compensated for our mistake and her poor service. like 25% over compensated. What can I say? I worked in a restaurant, I know how hard it is, and I will never do it again. But I at least smiled at all the clients that dined with me. Did I take the leftovers, yes I sure did. I will be back, but cautious of that one server who acted funky to us.
(4)
Ryan W.
it's hard for me to understand all the positive reviews of farmer brown. this is either another classic example of people (a) falling for the hype/ image/ trendiness of a newish quasi-organic fusion place that they feel they're 'supposed to' like or (b) a precipitous decline in quality has occured here for some reason - it almost seems like they lost some good people from the kitchen or management staff, and everything went to hell (notice all the recent reviews are less than stellar)... i actually went to this joint because i met some good folks who work there at another watering hole on their night off and they talked it up fairly enthusiastically & encouraged me to stop by in a non-salespitchy kind of way... of course, the night i went, none of them were there. alright, whatever - i'm a big boy, i can pay for my drinks. so i hunkered down at the bar and proceeded to be 'actively ignored' by the bartender serving my end of the line-up - she actually took special pains to avoid my gaze, even though i was nothing but polite and never pushy about it. it was actually amazed at the focus and concentration - the effort it took her NOT to glance at me, because the place really wasn't THAT busy and this chick really wasn't anywhere near THAT hot to be throwing this sort of 'tude. (i watched this uber-bitch freeze out several other would-be cocktail-consumers over the course of the next hour, so i quickly realized i wasn't at all special...) so after about 10 minutes of sitting at a bar without anyone even asking if i wanted a drink, i flagged down the other lady bartender from the far end - it was her first night on the job and she hadn't yet been infected with whatever weird anti-customer grudge this other byatch was carrying so proudly. the one - and ONLY quarter star the farmer gets is for serving Racer5 on tap - but this newbie bartender poured my 'jameson's, splash of water' like it was a diet coke - whiskey in a bucket of ice and a ton of H20...it was her first night, but still. (i had to correct her for #2 & i hate that) the Canadian tourist to my left - who was making her first EVER trip to SF, ordered one of the $9 foo-foo cocktails with some b.s. quasi-exotic name from the 'drink specials' board. the drink consisted of grapefruit juice and vodka with salt around the rim of the glass...we call that a greyhound with salt, and it should never be $9 - organic yadda yadda yadda or no...i almost felt like paying for it, i was so embarrassed for my city. (Almost. I am not a rich man and I can't make it my business to cover for the farmer's blunders - if I did, my work would never end.) as a final desparate attempt to find the 'good stuff' i had expected and was yet to find here, i decided to try some of the farmer's grinds...mind you, my idea of soul food is Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles: yelp.com/biz/pAWfcO6e2ae… but in taking an informal poll of some of the other dinner patrons, to a (wo)man, everyone was shakey on his or her meal - there were a lot of 'it was okays' and not one single 'it was great/ excellent/ tastey' or even a 'very good' - which is never a good sign. i ended up trying the tempura fried okra appetizer, only because i was hungry, and i figured: how badly can you mess up a vegetable app? pretty badly, it turned out: when the little pig-in-blanket looking 2-bite rolls came, they weren't completely fried - they were soft and gooey, not crispy and crunchy - and were only lukewarm...it felt like you were eating some sort of snail or slug. yecch - nasty. even thinking about now it actually makes me cringe. i was really hungry and i couldn't even finish 3 of them, even though they probably cost me $12. all in all, this place is 'soul food' in name only - its really just another mediocre upscale restaurant who's gimmick/ theme is 'soul/cajun food'...the decor felt forced and artificial - almost like a house of blues kind of theme park or something - and the crack deals on the street corner out front were a turn-off, but the service (or lack thereof), whack pours, and yucky food were more than enough to keep me away. consider yourselves warned. i definitely won't be back - too many good places to waste another minute or dollar here... farmer brown needs to keep it btwn he and mrs. brown in a shed in some red state somewhere, cuz the farm all done gone to pot here.
(1)
Katy D.
i read the reviews and was excited to go with a group. we made reservations and had to wait for 20 minutes for a crappy crowded table in the corner. the food wasnt hot, just luke warm ie. pulled pork sandwich which was not very flavorful but the coleslaw was good. nothing special. service was slow. couldn't see what i was eating cuz it was too dark..
(2)
Julie K.
Farmer Brown's ambience is better than their actual food unfortunately. Their layout and decor is pretty cool with a DJ that spins in the corner while you eat to the old school bike that serves as the hand towel rack. The jambalaya however was pretty bland and came up short.
(3)
Hilde L.
Food was deliciously executed and the portions were huge. I usually don't think of that as a selling point but I am just mentioning that for A)really hungry people B)sharing people. Plates are a bit expensive but again...if you take it home or share it, you've got two solid meals. The service was alright. I wouldn't go if I were in some kind of rush, but if you want to go for drinks and a lengthy meal with pals this is a great place. Fried catfish and macaroni and cheese! Yum yum....Slurricane (rum, passion fruite beverage) =tipsy and divine Fat and happy at Farmerbrown
(4)
Jill K.
I definitely went back and forth on the stars with this one. I was wavering between 3 and 4 but I just didn't feel that the food was strong enough for a 4. Perhaps I ordered the wrong things... The service was absolutely excellent. Our waitress was extremely attentive and took great care of us. Another huge plus is the decor and atmosphere. If I had to describe it in a few words, I'd say Farmerbrown's look is modern urban with a rustic flair. What does this mean? Distressed metal panels on the walls, dark paint, and a great lighting design. Loved the old bicycle in the ladies' room which used the basket as a paper towel holder. The food, though, was really somewhat average. I started with the chopped salad, which consisted of radicchio, snap peas, Fuji apples, and a few other veggies with a sweet mustard vinaigrette. It wasn't quite as crispy and refreshing as I would have hoped. There was nothing wrong with it, but it was also not all that memorable. I did really enjoy the small plate of fresh southern breads that was served before the main meal: mini biscuits and mini cornbread muffins. Yum! Upon the waitress' recommendation, i tried the 'special' of a dungeness crab cake sandwich. She said she preferred it to the pulled pork sandwich. I was so hungry at the time I ordered that I didn't really pay attention to the prices. Later I realized that the pork sandwich was $11.50 and the special was $21.00! No wonder she recommended it!! Beyond the price, I found the sandwich rather average... The crab cake had a nice spicy heat to it but was lacking in overall interesting flavor. The roll it was on was fresh and soft but a little too thick and doughy, detracting the focus from the crab. I really loved the coleslaw on the side... it was with a sweet and tangy vinaigrette dressing rather than slathered in mayonnaise. Awesome :) The chocolate cake we had for dessert was pretty average... it was covered with a ganache. I did, however, enjoy the large amount of fresh, sweet strawberries on the side. Overall... despite the great service and vibe at Farmerbrown, I felt that the prices were a bit high and the food not quite up to par. I would definitely return to try more things on the menu, though... I had a bite of my friend's mac and cheese and it was extremely tasty!
(3)
Philip L.
I was excited to go to Farmer Brown's. I liked that it was in a dodgy neighborhood, upping it's potential for a "hidden" gem. I also appreciate the attention supposedly paid to using organic or quality ingredients. Sort of a NOPA goes Cajun I was hoping. There was no street parking in a few passes, so I parked in the lot as the website recommends. The parking attendant was unusually careful to warn me that if I stayed over 2.5 hours, it would be $25 instead of $10. I thought, how could we stay for over 2.5 hours? (I ended up paying $25 for 3 hours as some of our party arrived late...). My friends who parked on the street had some "locals" who were enjoying their inebrients leaning on their car, but the street neighbors were not threatening. I would say, though, if you're a girl, you'd probably feel safer being escorted or driven to your car. Bar drinks--not bad. Ginger punches, mint juleps, wine... $8/drink--so about normal for SF. Spicy peanuts in cute cast iron miniature pans. 6 of us ordered 1 appetizer, 6 entrees, some alcohol and paid $30/person including a semi generous tip. Decor was not bad--dark, candles, DJ playing good music a tad bit too loud to have deeper conversation. The food recommendations from the bar guy and waitress: fried chicken!, pork chop, braised ribs, gumbo, and catfish. vegetable tempura appetizer: easy to share, but soggy. I think it was a mistake to put the tempura on a papertowel on the plate. It looks crappy and worse, leads to steaming the fried batter so it ends up soggy, not crisp. The tempura was Okra, green beans?, and yams. Stick with a Japanese restaurant for this and try something else for a starter. Cornbread: nice, standard mini muffins. fried chicken: none of us "loved" it. it was okay, breast was dry. dark meat/drumsticks were fine. served with mac and cheese which did not stay much together in a glop, but stayed sort of separated, which was not bad. my friend from louisiana still prefers Popeye's. I myself still prefer the fried chicken at Lake Merritt Bakery in Oakland (chicken and waffles) which are done technically correct. eat it, you will see what i mean when you taste the chicken and notice the batter does not come off in a sheet off the chicken flesh. braised ribs: too salty and not fork tender. was not cooked long and slow enough in my opinion. it was served with potato chips, instead of something neutral, so the end result was more salt. hmm. go to tra vigne for the best (comes with cheddar polenta i think). scala if you need to get a quick SF fix. gumbo: not generous enough. the two people who ordered this left hungry. catfish: the best of the bunch? the fried breading was salty, so it wasn't bland. dessert: bourbon pecan pie. not bad. strong on bourbon and some strawberries and cream on the side. (who thought of that pairing?) I'm glad I went so I could see what the fuss is about. I thought the service was okay. The owner and host and bartender were nice. The food was pretty much oversalted for my taste. And despite the care in ingredient selection, I don' t think the execution was great. It wasn't bad, but it was not a experience for me to repeat.
(2)
Anna S.
Farmerbrown is a wonderful addition to a not-so-wonderful neighborhood of San Francisco. It is a shame that walking up to this establishment, you naturally question what you are in for, as the neighborhood is not one of the most aesthetically pleasing areas of beautiful San Francisco. However, your nerves are eased immediately when you enter the door. Farmerbrown is a beautiful urbane restaurant with some of the best finishing touches in town. The room is dark with very interesting art pieces on the walls. Tables are a distressed copper, mismatched silverware, and mason jars serve as water glasses. I was thoroughly impressed with the consistent attention to detail paid by the owners of this establishment. We went on a Monday night so I was not expecting it to be completely jam packed. And it wasn't. However, if word gets out about the Happy Hour special Farmerbrown has on Mondays, that may change. We sat down for dinner and looked through the menus. Our server pointed out to us immediately that on Monday nights Happy Hour lasts all night long - of which this includes $4 specialty cocktails and $2 draft beers. Immediately the birthday girl was stoked. We each ordered different specialty cocktails to try the range. Watermelon margaritas, ginger rum punch and a hibiscus blossom. The watermelon margarita is most popular. It was crisp and light with a strong tequila finish. The hibiscus blossom was more medium bodied and sweet, but good. My ginger rum punch was very light and refreshing, a good balance to the heavier foods we were about to order. Upon ordering, our server brought us farmerbrown's version of the bread plate. It consisted of a small plate of mini corn muffins and buttermilk biscuits with a huckleberry butter. I thought this was outstanding. The biscuits and muffins were delicious but very small, so it gave you a great tasting but didn't fill you up so much to disallow you to enjoy your entree. The huckleberry butter was unbelievably good. I had strawberry butter before at the Popover Cafe in NYC, but the unique huckleberry flavor blew it away. We ordered an assortment of dishes. First up was the Fried Chicken with Mac n Cheese - the birthday girl's craving. This fried chicken has got to be the best fried chicken I have had in years. The chicken pieces were full of meat, the skin extra crispy, and not oily at all. It really was outstanding and if I ever crave fried chicken this will be my first stop. Next up were sides of grits, grape and fennel stuffing, and mac n cheese. The grits were good - slowly cooked, flavored with plenty of butter and not bland. Grape and fennel stuffing was a very interesting combination, not as heavy as some traditional stuffings I have had. And the mac n cheese was very good, rich, with cheddar and creme flavors. Next up, the pork chop with pear and huckleberry chutney and mashed sweet potatoes. This was absolutely delicious. The pork chop was not dried (which is very common for pork chops I find) and the chutney was unbelievable. And for the finale, we ordered dessert for the bday girl. She ordered banana pudding. People this is not your make at home jell-o pudding. I have never had banana pudding as good as this. It was a large serving of homemade pudding with marinated strawberries. Absolutely scrumptious. It was difficult to limit my taste to a couple bites. I really believe that if farmerbrown were located in an alternative part of the city, it would be one of the most popular restaurants in town. The food is great, the atmosphere hip and the prices awesome. I am hopeful that many other restauranteurs will follow farmerbrown's footsteps into that area of the city and bring some life back into it.
(4)
Linda L.
This restaurant is really weird. I heard lots so suggested coming here for my b-day dinner with 2 girlfriends. I thought the shimmering interior design was sleek, but I couldn't connect the dots between such a choice and a Southern/Cajun restaurant. Presenting a type of cuisine with a twist is trendy, but I just couldn't get comfortable with 'fancied up' soul food. The music was alarmingly loud, and a live band came on that was also too loud, and they were tucked behind some booths and pillars. What's the point of having a live band if your customers can't even see the musicians? I had to try the famous watermelon margarita and was very disappointed; the chayenne pepper on the rim gave it a kick, but the drink tasted nothing like watermelon. Maybe the bartender had an off night? But mostly I knocked off stars for the absolutely horrible service we had. Our server seemed totally incompetent and not welcoming. We ordered the autumn salad (bland), candied yam (cold), and salmon croquette (so-so). For entrees we had the seafood jambalaya (hearty), fried chicken (good mac 'n cheese), and crab cake sandwich (humongous). The first 2 entrees were right, but the 3rd entree was the exact same salmon croquette we just had! And the runner even said this was the sandwich. We pointed this out to our server and she was confused. We were like, "Did you not notice that this is the EXACT same dish we just had? We ordered the crab cake!" She finally realized the mishap, apologized, and fixed it. The cornbread were very yummy, but we had to ask twice to get refill. Finally, good thing my friend checked the bill, but we were charged TWICE for the croquette!!$^#$$&** I was about to go maaaadddd! There really wasn't an excuse for service this bad. In conclusion: if you crave for some downright homely and delicious Southern food, skip the frills of Farmerbrown and head to Powell's in the Fillmore District. You get much better bang for your buck, and you're actually served by people who know how to serve.
(2)
Aaron L.
My best friend digs the drinks at this place, so when he suggested we stop in for dinner after a movie, I eagerly accepted. The environment while industrial-as-all-get-out, was oddly warm and inviting. It kinda seemed like a cross between a speakeasy and a warehouse. We didn't have a reservation, so we were seated right next to the door, which kinda sucked. (The place was pretty empty but later filled up.) There was a live band in that night--on a Monday, who knew?--so that quickly distracted me from the outside chill. Our server, while pleasant, wasn't very helpful. My friend's drink arrived incorrectly, and the pork sandwich that she said "wasn't spicy at all" turned out to be quite the opposite. On the plus side, FB's Mac and Cheese--while certainly not the best in SF-- was pretty yummy. On the whole, my Carolina pork sandwich (aside from being too spicy) was served so hot I had to wait five minutes just to pick it up, while the "chips" it came with were more like greasy potato slices. The tempura starter we tried was just like every other veggie tempura and aioli I'd seen everywhere else. The spicy pork ribs, oddly enough, weren't spicy, but very tasty. If you're a fan of spicy southern-style (with emphasis on "style") food, then FB is probably for you. Next time, I think I'll just follow my friend's lead and sit at the end of the bar with a glass of Maker's. My advice: skip the food and just enjoy the cool-kat environment, especially if the band is playin'.
(2)
Ben P.
Man. This sucks. There's not really anything funny I can say when a restaurant sucks this badly. I mean, making a joke about my experience at Farmerbrown would be like making fun of children with Down Syndrome -- just not fair, you know? The one star is for the drinks, which were strong and decent. And also the one star is because it's impossible to give a rating of "no stars". More the latter than the former really, but I'm feeling magnanimous today. I mean, you sort of HAVE to be magnanimous when you're working with disabled children. Let's keep with this Down Syndrome metaphor/simile, shall we? Like someone with Down Syndrome, Farmerbrown is "slow". For instance, our reservation was for 8:30. Our waiter took our order at 10, maybe later. Left at 11:30. Slow. Slow like a turtle with its legs cut off. Slow like watching a glob of natural peanut butter slide down a tree trunk in Norway. Like someone with Down Syndrome, our waiter had trouble performing tasks that required medium-level cognitive function. Like, for instance, being friendly. Or performing simple arithmetic: we were a party of 12, sitting at two tables, so we asked to have the check split into two (one for each table). Not 12, just two. But he flat out refused this request, no doubt because it would have been too difficult for him. Anyway, after waiting an hour an a half to order and God knows how long for our food, I was fucking hungry. I would have eating ANYTHING. Which is fortuitous: my jambalaya tasted like rice with a fourth cup of salt, and my hot date's gumbo had a thick film on top because it was cold. Not lukewarm; cold. Cold like a 2-day-old corpse. In Norway. Another person in our party ordered gumbo, and, of course, it was cold too. Both were sent back, and probably stuck in the microwave. Our waiter didn't even apologize; instead, he complained: "Careful, don't touch the bowl, it's REALLY HOT." "Oh, I won't. Thanks." My hot date said. "Well *I DID*. And it REALLY HURT." The waiter pouted and marched off. Oh, and he also gave Maria D some major 'tude when she asked him about her drink, which she ordered from somebody else. The entire time, the owner of the place was pacing around, checking in on all the tables and occasionally refilling our water glasses. I mean, being out on the floor is fine. Darla, the owner of Darla's in the Sunset, runs around in her Z-Connection (shoes with springs for heels, reminiscent of the ones Kramer wears in the Seinfeld episode in which he's mistaken for a retard) sweating her ass off while she takes everyone's orders. I mean, I've always thought those shoes were fucking ridiculous, but maybe the owner of Farmerbrown could use a pair, since he seemed to only be capable of pacing and refilling water. He needed some serious Z-Connection bounce in his step. His presence improved neither the service nor the taste nor the temperature of the food. But since three people at our table knew him, we did get free desserts. They were boring and actually went unfinished. If you know me, an unfinished dessert is about as antithetical to my world view as you can get. It's just wrong. After being in Farmerbrown for three hours, I was actually relieved to walk out into the Tenderloin and have crackheads beg me for money. They sure deserved my cash a lot more than anyone working at Farmerbrown did.
(1)
Jason D.
Farmer Brown, can I have those two hours back please? What a waste of my time, and what a dissapointment. I can completely understand most of these reviews now, and some like Jordano's blow me away, were we at the same place? I figured that most of these reviews were written when the place was still in infancy, so gave them the benefit of the doubt. Whoa, was I wrong, five months after opening, they still don't have it together. We went on a Monday night, not realizing that we would need reservations, or that it was "happy hour" all night. So, that is my bad, I'll own it. But I don't believe that gave the "host" (who personally I think should have done away with the striped untucked shirt) the right to have a snippy attitude. We managed to secure some seats at the bar and, again, maybe it was just busy, but whomever does the scheduling should realize they need more bartenders (you have been open 5 months!). Obviously the bar staff was overwhelmed and we waited over 10 minutes for a drink order. I'll cut to the chase because I don't feel like wasting more time on this establishment. Our bartender pretty much ignored us for over an hour, too busy washing dishes...I finally looked at my watch, looked at the kitchen and asked for more spicy nuts. She saw me do this and commented that she checked with the kitchen a minute ago and the food would be up soon. Okay, Bullshit. I've been watching you, and you haven't left the bar area, and If that was the case, you would have said something before I made an overt gesture about it. Needless to say, she went to the kitchen shortly thereafter and brought out our food, one hour and 17 minutes after our arrival. Aaahhh..the special of the night. A Chicken Fried Steak w/ Gravy po'boy. The Special huh? I was told it came with Cole Slaw, no, it came with overly cooked cold chips. In fact the entire dish was cold, well save for my cole slaw which was warm. The "Chicken Fried Steak" tasted like what I would imagine cat food tastes like, bland, with no flavor. A tasteless gravy micro-poured on it and placed on a bland hoagie roll, and the whole thing was cold. Not cool, Cold! The bartender apologied for the lack of cole-slaw and brought my dining companion and I complimentary cole-slaw (warm and bland) and the Mac n Cheese (room temp and nothing more than out of the box flavor). Our other diner had the halibut, over cooked, dry, and shockingly..Cold. We were asked if we would like dessert, and as much as I wanted to see warm "ice cream" and cold "hot chocolate", I just wanted out of here. Our bartender was nice enough to comp one of the specials but proceeded to double charge us for drinks. Cool, take off the $11.95 for the po'boy, but charge us an extra $20 for drinks? Hmm..what a bargain. I will say that this might be a fun place for drinks on a Monday when they are $4, but at $8, forget it. I've had a better $8 cocktail just about everywhere (with better service), and a warmer meal with more flavor at McDonalds. So sad, such a great concept, such poor execution.
(1)
Rouz E.
This placebos all hype. Don't believe the hype. If you live in the Bay Area there are way better souls food options than this spot. This is for white boys who don't know any better. I call this place "the great white hype."
(1)
Michelle A.
Good food, reasonably priced. There were a few details that were not so great. For example, my trout still had all the pin bones in it, but it was smothered with corn, so it was hard to pick out the bones. I didn't think the 'hood was as bad as other reviewers, but I go to school in the heart of the TL, so my tolerance is pretty high for sketch neighborhoods.
(3)
Jason C.
Picture this: You're walking down Market towards Mason Street. Surrounding you are degenerate low lives, junkies, gang bangers, and a random shopper who strayed too far from Union Square. The closed shops are protected by thick rusted iron bars. The stench of concentrated ammonia from an alcohol chugging bum fills your nostrils. But before you vomit, you smell something fried. You look through the window, and there are lots of people drinking, smiling, and eating. Is this an oasis in the TL? It is. And they serve lots of fried food for a decent price. Since they were out of the short rib and tri tip, i got the steak and grilled bacon wrapped pineapple. My date ordered the fried chicken with collard greens, mac & cheese, and a side of fried okra that came with thousand island dipping sauce. The food was good and I was happy. I liked the jazz music that progressed into mellow hip hop as the night went on. In fact, the place was such a surprise I would have given it 5 stars given that Farmerbrown is like a champion boxer who boxed his way out of the ghetto to escape poverty. Too bad the service wasn't up to the fight. The nice waiter forgot to inquire regularly if we wanted more booze (would have been a bigger tip for him) while our glasses and stomachs went without refills. He didn't check up on us 1/2 way through the meal to inquire if everything was alright. He kept wandering off to the DJ booth to bob his head to the beat. But he was nice. So if you're in the neighborhood after scoring some crack and want a good meal, try Farmerbrown.
(3)
philip c.
I met a friend for dinner at FarmerBrown this past Monday. Great re-use of the old Bijou space at Market/Mason. Noisy but pleasant space. Many of the surfaces in the space are metal-clad, so the high-end of the sound spectrum predominates, especially around the bar. Once seated, it does get quieter. The bartender whipped up a great Side Car for me while I waited. When my friend arrived , she snagged a Watermelon margarita's. Those were pretty much the highlight of the evening. Disclosure, I am Southern and I know fried chicken and I know cornbread. Farmerbrown's take on both dissappointed me. The smurfsize cornbread muffins with fruit compote (preserves, pick your emulsion) were uninspired. Where was the hearty cornmeal intensity of real cornbread??? Even nano-muffins could benefit from some better sourcing of raw ingredients. If you are proclaiming your food philosophy to be an organic approach to southern comfort food, well make it known with your breads! Surely there are folks around here who can mill corn.... Look at the masa harina used at Tracy des Jardin's(sp?) "Mijita." Now, that says corn! My friend ordered the wedge of lettuce salad, which I appreciated as much as an appetizer as it's ironic homage to suburbia. My mixed green salad with a berry vinagrette did not contain spinach. That's allI can say about that::-) I ordered the fried chicken, compelled by the number of people who raved about it in the guest book. My friend ordered the Gumbo. Verdict? Gumbo... Good. Good Gumbo. Fried chicken not so good. It was tender, but it came out from the kitchen the color of burnt sienna (indicative of old grease more than anything in the cooking process). The meat was moist, but spare. I guess they were using free-range chickens from a yoga farm... Where was the meat??? Tthe buttermilk fried chicken at TownHall has it beat by a mile. The mac'n'cheese was tasty, but Blue up in the Castro, as well as the Liberty Cafe in Bernal Heights, both whip out MnC far better than Farmerbrowns. We did not sample any desserts, nor did I get the chance to sip down on the Blue Bottle coffee offered on the menu, so I can't review that phase of the dining experience. The menus, btw, are gorgeous. However, you can't eat those. As a bright spot in a challenged part of Market, I applaud the owners and wish them well. If you've never eaten real, honest 'soul food,' then you'd probably enjoy the food; definitely the ambiance and the DJ. If you are on a liquid diet, you'd love the bar! Otherwise, Powell's (btw, RIP 2008 - butcher block paper on the windows is not a design statement) does fried chicken better (and bigger). I'd still go back, but wouldn't recommend it to anyone for a memorable dining experience.
(2)
Anne Sophie B.
I really like this place and i am rooting for it staying open in this "haunted" spot - so many places have opened and closed there. The interior is nice and cozy - we sat at the bar and had glasses of the Pino Noir (very tasty). The Wedge salad was crispy and fresh with yummy creamy blue cheese (but not too blue tasting) and the Mac N' Cheese was fantastic (and I don't really even like Mac N' Cheese). I do think the service can be improved - it wasn't BAD service, but just indifferent (except the host who was very personable and engaging). There were 2 bartenders and a barback with a half full bar - yet we had to flag them down for anything we wanted as they were hanging around chit-chatting about what they did last night. But I would go back for the great food on any rainy cold sf night.
(4)
Heather C.
Went for happy hour ($2 beers and $4 cocktails) and ended up staying for dinner. Everyone left full and happy. I loved that the mac & cheese had a bit of a kick to it -- and was a hearty portion for $4! Sweet...
(4)
Ryoko Y.
I love Farmerbrown! Their Pulled Pork Sandwich is mmm mmm GOOD! The Strawberry Shortcake & Pecan Pie were absolutely delectable! I'll definitely be back for more!
(5)
sabrina e.
Cute, but crowded. The service was great. We were seated quickly, on a Friday without a reservation. Which was good, because I brought my mom & a friend from out of town. The food was yummy, but not better than my mom's southern cookin. The greens were tough. But kudos on dessert!!
(4)
Tina S.
good food and great ambiance (once you get inside)...I love the pulled pork sandwich, the gumbo and the little cornbreads they give you before your meal....the service is a little slow, but one of the waitresses always recognizes me when I go in, which makes me feel important. Also, they have a great Happy Hour
(4)
Suzanne V.
Their mac & cheese and pies are the bomb!!!!!!
(4)
Denis Y.
I went here with a group of friends. Even though we didn't have a reservation, they still seated us in a reasonable amount of time, which was cool. But that's where the good ended. I think we waited an hour for drinks and food, but I'm not sure, since it seemed like we were too busy socializing to care about the service at the time. In any case, my friends started complaining, and then I noticed that we'd been there for an hour and I was getting even more hungry than I had been. Their cornbread is good, but seriously, the prices are not worth it. Also, it's in a pretty run down neighborhood, and there was some guy lecturing my friend while we were waiting outside for half an hour. Pretty amusing for a little while. Overall, not worth the money and over hyped.
(2)
Sharon R.
I am beyond impressed with Jay Foster's farmerbrown. I wasn't sure what to expect and have been wanting to check this spot out for a long time, but he has totally out done himself and has blown both of his previous creative visions, Emmy's Spaghetti Shack and the BlueJay Cafe, out of the water with this sophisticated, stylish and warm soul food restaurant. Seriously, this place has it all. They've got the: --tasty cocktails (watermelon margaritas and mint juleps) --delicious Southern classics with a Bay Area conscience (organic ingredients, responsible agriculture practices, local business partnerships) and less grease --impeccable customer service (the hosts and servers are true professionals but aren't all cold and austere) --stylish dining room with urban elegance that feels both unaffected and well thought out --live tunes to turn the vibe of this eclectic joint up a notch (thanks to Mooney and B-Love) I was recently at farmerbrown for my best friend's birthday on a Friday night and we were treated with such gracious hospitality. Everything was proper. The guest of honor was running very late, but the host let us sit at our table since six of us (from a party of 12) were already there. And even though the birthday girl was more than an hour late, they never rushed us and continued to be extending through to the end of the night. Everything I tried was magnificently executed. I ordered the cornmeal battered catfish with candied yams and green tomatoes. The portion was beyond generous and the flavors represented with equal force. I also tried the fried chicken which was both ample in portion and comprised of pieces that were mostly meat with minimal bones. The mini corn muffins with huckleberry butter that graced the table had it going on. And the mac n' cheese and Kennebeck fries represented. All three desserts on the menu that night were awesome. I focused my attention primarily on Mooney's banana pudding and was not disappointed. But the forkfuls of pecan pie I tried were equally excellent. And the dark chocolate fritters were a unique delight, though I would have hoped for a little more chocolaty goodness and a little less fried fritter batter. The only improvement for farmerbrown that I can think of is to add at least one other women's bathroom. The restaurant is way large and in charge to be rocking a single stall for all of us ladies who like to get our sip on. farmerbrown left me with a happy belly and a warm glow in my heart. I will spread the word and be back again and again and again.
(5)
JP Z.
I guess this a love it or hate type place, because you either defend it for it's style, drinks, atmosphere or knock it for it's service, speed, food, attitude, etc. Normally i don't take the extremes too seriously, the middle ground and my own taste will do just fine, but if that makes an average of opinions, that would be just right for this average place. Everything is just ok. I really wanted to like it, but i wasn't blown away, yuppie guilt set aside. I think it will turn the corner at some point and maybe bring back the spurned, bitter haters. Can i say haters? no? aw heck.
(3)
Ben H.
Farmer Brown is to soul food, as Chevy's is to Mexican food,. The only difference is, they chose to put Farmer Brown in a low income predominately black neighborhood, then raise the prices to a level that no one who lives in the vicinity of can afford. The origin of soul food is completely ignored here, then very carefully marketed toward yuppies who are delighted to pay $20 a plate for an authentic soul food experience... Beer that comes in a mason jar? Genius! For a minute I thought I was actually in New Orleans.
(2)
Nicole C.
I have to agree with a lot of people, not quite the most ideal area, but I think it's worth it to go! My boyfriend and I are always looking for new places to eat and I had heard about this place from some friends. We got there right when they opened, so it was pretty empty. The bar was full within 20 minutes, with the most diverse crowd I have seen in a restaurant in a while. The server was awesome, answered all questions we had. I had the blackberry margarita, for the happy hour price of $6...so I had two! The mini cornbread muffins, were good, but not as good as the strawberry butter it came with! The bf got the fried chicken with mac & cheese....OMG I wish I had gotten the mac & cheese as a side, it was so good. I got the spare ribs and coleslaw. The spare ribs were great and the sauce had a little kick to it. As a side, I got the angel biscuits, SO good! I would recommend this to anyone who is in the area and wants a place where a lot of locals go. Just go when it's still light outside =0)
(4)
Nir B.
There are some positives and negatives about the place. The positive is that they have some very good drinks and the atmosphere is really nice and the workers are very nice. THe negative is the food is EXPENSIVE AS $HIT!! You can get the same quality fried chicken by going over to Popeye's (especially tuesday for 99 cents wing and thigh day). THeir sides aren't that good either. I was blown away that fried chicken dish was like $20!!!
(3)
Benita S.
I love the vibe here! The decor, dim lighting, and DJ will have you doing a double take towards the sign. I love the food, especially the hush puppies. On my last visit, I had their fried chicken with a side of green and yams. Friends had gumbo, and the pulled pork sandwich. Everyone enjoyed their food. They also make a mean Moscow Mule. You should definitely give it chance, you'll be supporting local black farmers. Tip: They have a parking lot behind the restaurant.
(5)
roger k.
Great soul food (fried chicken, grits) in a post-industrial modern setting in the middle of the Tenderloin. Definitely not in the best area of town. The bar looks like some sort of industrial metal. And when you first walk in, the space doesn't look like much, but the food and drinks more than make up for the lack of coziness and warmth in the decor and the environment outside its doors. I highly recommend the fried chicken and sweet tea! Great place to come after a show at the Warfield, Orpheum, or Golden Gate Theatres.
(4)
Chris R.
Mmm... soul food as a trendy, overpriced commodity. That aside, the food was good, the decor was sleek, and the business supports local, black farmers. Why not? Don't be afraid of the 'loin! It's only a few yards north of Market Street.
(4)
Monique T.
I really like this place. The menu is simple and the desserts are great! It's boarding the hood, so...be alert but, it's cool once you are inside.
(5)
Save M.
The 4 stars are all for the drink from the bar. I have never ate there before therefore i have no idea of the food experience. My friend who ate there said it's a bit pricy for the food but the drinks are soooooooooooo good....u get ur money's worth here....
(4)
donna w.
The atmosphere and bread pudding is good and thaaat's about it. We went here for my fiance's birthday party, and my food and my brother's food came out LUKEWARM. I got friend chicken at a soul food restaurant and I expected it to be delicious or at least HOT. It's a little far to travel for only mediocre food. The prices aren't outrageous, but I think that one time was enough for this place. Also, a little side note: the neighborhood isn't the greatest. It's right on the edge of the Tenderloin district in S.F. and if you go one street up, lock your doors.
(2)
Marla W.
they make a FIERCE hot buttered rum.
(4)
One Black Mans POV.. ..
Food was good but not worth going out of your way for. Another soul food spot and only 4 other Black people in sight (including the staff). I was expecting to see some cuties...not that night! It was Thurs and packed, maybe its better on the weekend.
(3)
Beth S.
Andy, Mikey, New Chris and I tried out a new restaurant I'd read about in the Chronicle. I thought I lived in the ghetto. Nope. FarmerBrown is in the goddamn ghetto, and in getting there, we pretty much almost died. Chris and I picked Andy up, rushing to meet Mike already waiting for us at the bar. FarmerBrown is located at Mason and Market, so basically, it's in an actual crack den, and Chris circled the block looking for parking. A one-legged, toothless hobo stood in the middle of the street, staring into the sky oblivious to the cars around him, Andy leaned forward. "Uh, Chris. Run over that bitch." Oh my god. "Boys, we are parking as close to this restaurant as possible. I would give that guy's last leg for a parking place right now." We passed the restaurant again, this time blocked by ambulances and fire trucks rescuing a homeless, wheelchair bound crack whore. Like, right at the front door. "You read about this place where?" "The Chronicle, fancy pants. Relax. It's urban, soul-food fusion." "In the ghetto?" "I guess so. I'm, um, starting to get scared." Another hobo came into the street and started yelling at us, as what I believe to be a tooth exited his mouth and bounced off my window. "Oh my god. That was awesome." With that, a pimp exited his parking space right at the front door. Yes! "You guys are going to kill me. I have to go to the ATM." "Are you kidding me? I don't really feel like getting raped today." Miss Andy eyed the array of firefighters and paramedics standing around. "I do." We pushed our way into the restaurant to find Mike sitting at the bar, sipping a fancy vodka rocks and surrounded by a Benetton ad. "Fabulous!" Turns out, deep down Skid Row, there's a wonderful new upscale soul food place, where we got stuffing and mac and cheese and fried chicken, with great lighting and funky artwork. It wasn't that crazy expensive, either. And our server was the hot guy from the Chronicle, who, while a little too cool for school, is like 12 and owns his own badass restaurant. Plus, you get free cornbread and biscuits with pepper jelly. And a tooth in your window...
(4)
Jennifer s.
I found parking a block away. I proceeded to meet up with one of my dear friends to celebrate her b-day. As I approach the restaurant with my helmet in tow, I am approached by a young man who lets me know how hot I am that I ride in heels. Then he proceeds to tell me is not a bum and that he is having a difficult time and could l ..... At that moment, I just turn around and look at him straight in the eye and say, Thank you for the compliment. However, I never carry cash. Sorry. I briskly cross the street. I enter the restaurant. There is a bottleneck of people to get through the door. I finally reach the hostess and check in. Ah, my party is here and they are at the bar. Bar is extremely crowded at 7:30 on a Thursday night. There are two bartenders and they are hustling. I look at the wine list and they have one of my favorite wineries on there. Esterlina Cabernet Sauvignon. Since it was a warm evening, and I was sweating like a whore in church, I opted to start with a chardonnay. I suppose they could not afford fans or an air conditioner. Had made a reservation two weeks ago for 10 people. We were all there. They decided to seat part of our party. So a few of us were waiting till a 4 top left. It was just awkward. Hence, this place is not optimum for large parties. We waited for the server to bring us menus. She apologized for waiting so long. She really did her best to accommodate us. She was very helpful and friendly. Lots of people seemed to order the vegetarian Jambalaya. It was not very spicy. It was deemed OK. Fried chicken seemed to be the highlight of the table. The ribs were cooked to perfection however, there were moments where it was too tangy. A sharp taste of cider vinegar and brown sugar almost made me gag. Cucumber water that they serve at the table is refreshing Maybe the people that developed the menu need to understand the definition of scalloped potatoes, they were inedible. Watered down potatoes with cayenne that were extremely bland. As we were finishing dinner, a band starts to set up literally behind us. A few moments later they were playing. They were a great band. However, we had to stop conversation because it was so incredibly loud. We did not even stay for dessert. We paid the bill quickly and decided to go back to the bar. There were definitely a few seats available. A few people left and a few of us hung out at the bar for nightcaps and enjoying the music from afar. *Highlights include: Since Guns and Roses were playing next door. The DJ played Sweet child of mine. * There was an Axl look-alike roaming about. *A tourist getting his game on with two escorts, one with a huge tramp stamp. Gotta love the whores. *One last note: Fashion violation for the hostess. White hot pants and leggings with a guns and roses t-shirt with the neck and sleeves cut ala flashdance, and mini cowboy boots was not flattering. If you are going to wear hot pants and whore it up, you got to show some asscheeks, and sport the high heels. Many of my friends agreed.
(2)
Bruce C.
Food was pretty good, hence the 4th star, but on the other hand, it seems a bit too trendy/hip for its own good. I mean, trendy/hip is all good, but it's a wierd combination: trendy/hip (the bar side) meets down-home (the restaurant, both in decor and food style). It's very non-descript from the outside; I almost thought it was closed as its windows look almost newspapered up, but the doorperson saw the confusion in my face and said "Farmerbrown's?". Long wait without reservations at prime time, but bar is friendly with some good drinks, if crowded. Nice fried chicken, though slightly over-msg'd. Good shrimpcakes. Decent service. Worth a return.
(4)
Brian B.
If I go back again and have another great experience, this place will get a fifth star. The food was great. I had the fried chicken (mmm, crispy but not dry), mac 'n' cheese (spicy, very nice) and it came with greens (chard, with some kind of wasabiness). All in all, not only tasty, but a well-balanced plate. My friend had the jambalaya and she liked it. Oh, fried okra was excellent. Beer selection is adequate (Eel River, interesting choice). Our waiter was adorable (I'm sure they hire them that way) and totally nice/attentive. It was pretty crowded when we got there (around 8pm on a Thursday) but we were seated in about half an hour, just enough time to have a beer and catch up at the bar. All in all, a great place. I would give it five stars, but something is holding me back...so I'll have to go again!
(4)
Deb L.
Drinks: The bartender forgot one of our drinks and didn't charge for it. - Nice The kumquat cocktail wasn't as good I thought it would be. Appetizers: Crab Puff & Sweet Potato Fries were GOOOOOOD! Entrees: Not really stands out; not sure if I was already full from the appetizers
(3)
Michelle C.
All you can eat fried chicken at brunch! I think it was only like $15, good deal. Besides the fried chicken though, the other dishes weren't very good. Kinda in the ghetto too.
(3)
Christina C.
Right near my honey's office, always crowded but the food is great.
(4)
Shachi B.
Oh my word! How did I discover the brunch at farmerbrown two days before I moved away from SF?! What the hell is wrong with me?! 15 dollar bottomless mimosas? Check. Yummy pancakes, biscuits & gravy, fresh fruit, grits and live music? Double check. Drinks that come in mason jars? Triple check. Why are you still reading this? Get over to farmerbrown, STAT!
(4)
Dee C.
From start to end, the entire experience was pleasantly pleasing. Our waitress greeted us with a friendly outgoing personality. She had great recommendations that we gladly selected. Freshly Baked Mini Corn Bread = EXCELLENT Farmers Market Salad = EXCELLENT Jambalaya= AMAZINGLY EXCELLENT Pecan Pie = DELICIOUSLY EXCELLENT ENJOY! & CHEERS!
(5)
Mike H.
Amazing dry rub rib eye! Probably one of the best steaks i have ever had. Staff is attentive and friendly and the atmosphere is upbeat & lively.
(5)
Khela C.
Umm, yea, I don't think so. Never having eaten from Farmerbrown before I was treated to a lunch delivery. Upon receipt of the items, my main entree was switched, I ordered Jambalaya, I received a spinach and shrimp omelette? WAY OFF. I also had an order of greens and an order of mac & cheese, $6.50/each. Robbery. For the size that's ridiculous, for the taste I'm even more offended. The greens are in water and have zero seasoning/flavor. The mac & cheese does not taste like mac and cheese, almost like it comes from a powder to make the sauce. Unfortunately, this treated lunch is a treated flop. I myself will never go to Farmerbrown's on my own dime.
(1)
Lauren S.
Overall enjoyed the experience. Food was great. At a bit of a loss as to what we made a reservation for. We waited a little over 20 minutes past our reservation time (for 2 people) and had to ask the hostess again what the status of our table was in order to get seated. Service from our waiter was what I'd call adequate. Not overly friendly and seemed to be rushing us a bit. Food however was very tasty. Had the fried chicken and waffles and it was delish.
(3)
Fedor Z.
We weren't seated in a restaurant even though there were 5 tables which could accommodate us. They there reserved and I could understand that, however we weren't suggested the option of seating at the next free table. We were waiting for our food for an hour, and the food was good but nothing special. Bartender was trying to be nice and accommodating though.
(3)
Carol Y.
Great customer service Bottomless mimosas $20 My friend and I didn't order the buffet but opt for the ala cart. $25 buffet look appetizing but didnt think it was worth for us since we didn't like the choices so we ordered two skillets Glad we did! My friend got the bacon with over easy and I had sunny side up with pulled pork. So good! Best home fries I had too. Very crunchy and flavorful Unlimited mimosas = waitress kept it coming without me asking for more. That's a good thing especially i was sharing with my friend too! Will definitely come again! Close to the mall too Thanks for an awesome sat :)I Ps Their home made japleno sauce is soo good! Worth $5 to buy!
(5)
Vincent A.
The food is great but holy moly the prices are super expensive! $25 for a buffet breakfast!!! The buffet is good so if you want chicken and waffles come here. It's $18 for chicken and waffles alone damn that's way too much money. This place should be known as "The Most Expensive Breakfast Ever!" Food was good but not that good to come back. Service was plain and sub par.
(2)
sheila s.
Despite saying I would never return I felt obligated when my friend was excited about her 30th birthday brunch here. The brunch buffet was okay but way overpriced at $16/person. The service was inattentive and slow. At one point we went to the bar to order a drink for the birthday girl because the waitress was ignoring us. Also, the main reason for the brunch was because they had a jazz band advertised, but the band was dismantling when we were seated.
(2)
Matty H.
My girlfriend has been trying to get me to this place for brunch for months now and we finally made it for their V Day all u can eat brunch! Amazing! I can honestly say that it was the best fried chicken I've ever had! Bacon was thick and well done, but not dry and brittle; angel biscuits were perfect but nothing can top the home-made sausage gravy to drown them in! Only reason I didn't give them 5 stars was due to the fact that their grits weren't all that. All in all, I'll definitely be back for more!!
(4)
Pedro F.
We enjoyed dinner on pride weekend, service was Ok and price a little bit high, but standard on the area outside from Chinese or fast food. Four stars for them.
(4)
Yen T.
Unfortunately, this place took the soul out of soul food. The fried chicken was bland and the mac n cheese was not the creamy or cheesy mac n cheese that I know of. I miss Delilah's back home already. To top it off, my homegirl from Philly came to town and we went there for dinner. It was a big disappointment.
(2)
Deandra B.
The bunch of us were so excited to go here...one we hadn't seen eachother in awhile so that was keen..I was just so not impressed with brunch buffet. For one most of it was totally COLD, personally I am not a fan on cold brunch food. The grits were delish..but none of it really wowed with it's flavor and for 16 bucks I did feel jipped. I will give props to the bottomless mimosa, for those who ordered them they were truly bottomless. The Bayonics rocked the house so it was good to have such a good band at brunch albeit the lack luster food. Don't, don't believe the hype.
(3)
Jim R.
I'd really like to give this place 4 stars, mostly b/c of atmosphere, vibe and $3 PBRs, but my girlfriend didn't feel well about an hour after we left and got sick later that evening. And I have to say I felt a little queasy too. We ate at the bar and she had pork sliders, sweet potato fries, a little bit of jalapeno salsa, and an amber ale. The amber ale tasted funny and she drank only a quarter of it. I had the fried chicken, which was decent but not outstanding. Any one else have problems last night?
(2)
J B.
A Sunday buffet brunch with All-U-Can-Eat Fried Chicken? I had to check it out. The fried chicken was good...meaty...not overly fried. There's also scrambled eggs, potatoes, pancakes, bacon, biscuits/gravy and gritts. And there's a pie tray...I must have picked the wrong one b/c my pumpkin pie was a bit dry. Overall, a good exerperience but -2 starts b/c the waiter forgot the bellins even after we ordered them 2x!
(3)
Jordan W.
Brunch. All you can eat fried chicken? Also, sausage gravy, bacon, waffles (freshly made behind the buffet on the weekends), biscuits, etc? So great. I love this place. Fantastic chicken and the best jalapeno honey sauce. Be prepared for either meat sweats or food coma!
(4)
Monica H.
The ribs were kind of gross, could have been more tender, very sweet almost gamey/old tasting though. The mac n'cheese was ok, if you like the dryer style. The greens were good despite the pool of juice it was swimming in. The chicken could have been good but it was lacking seasoning/salt and slightly dry. The watermelon salad was good only because it had the most unforgettable goat cheese croutons =) wouldn't waste money there again though
(2)
nasim n.
We went here for my hubby's bday this weekend. I loved the ambiance of the place. The DJ was awesome. The food was good. My husband is from the south. He said that the fried catfish was excellent, the yams were OK. I loved their mac and cheese and had the hanger steak, which was very good. I think that their food is a little overpriced for what they serve, but otherwise, great service, good food and good times.
(4)
James S.
Soul Food utterly lacking Soul. Two measly prices of bland fried chicken, runny tasteless Mac n' cheese shells and soggy greens for $18. I was also told I'd have to wait 45 minutes for a table on a half empty Saturday night so chose to be ignored at the bar instead. Pathetic.
(1)
sam h.
Went here for brunch, and it was superb. Be aware, all you can eat is essentially your only option. But it is fantastic. Everything is organic and delicious... eggs, pancakes, bacon, potatoes, biscuits and gravy (sausge and mushroom), home-made yogurt parfaits & breads, and fried chicken. Paired with the bottomless mimosas, needless to say, we left very full. Come hungry and thirsty to get your money's worth.
(4)
eileen r.
The are a mixed bag of reviews here, and it sounds like Farmerbrown has been inconsistent. Lucky for me, I caught them on a good night. I walked in without a reservation and was told that a party of 2 would take 30-40 mins of a wait. OK - well, I didn't want to see the opening band at the Warfield anyways. My friend hadn't arrived yet, so I turned to the bar which was PACKED (and this was during happy hour). I wanted for 5 mins for a bartender, but they never got to me. By then, the hostess tapped me on the shoulder and said that a table was ready - DAMN! But my friend hadn't arrived yet, so I had to wait to be seated. Still, the hostess was holding the table for me. I was sure she was going to give it away. My friend makes it to the restaurant shortly after, and we get out table right away - NICE! I love the ambiance of the entire restaurant, very modern, yet homey. The Jalapeno cornbread tasted great and we should've asked for more, but we split a crisp wedge salad and felt the need to be "good" before our Fried Chicken arrived. I don't know if it was the best friend chicken I've ever tasted, but I still loved every hot bite. The mac & cheese and collard greens were pretty good too. Oh, try the spicy peanuts from the bar if you have a chance. Overall, I had a very positive experience. I'd like to go back to try out the other items.
(4)
Jenny S.
So I'll have to come back here and actually try the food, but this is one of my fave dawg happy hours. From 5-7pm on weeknights, you can enjoy the specialty cocktails for a mere $4 a drink. After trying the mint julep (hello Bourbon!) and the watermelon margarita (cayenne salt rim not as good as expected) the Sweet Ginny took me home! This sweet treat is made with gin and grapes. Not too sweet and goes down way too smoothly. Accompanied by spicy, seasoned peanuts, just try to pull me away from this bar. Why the 5th star? Happy Hour is all night long on Mondays, god bless! Edit: So I finally came here for dinner and left with a full belly and smile on my face. The menu def has a few good choices - not too many to overwhelm you. I chose the Catfish and it was awesome. Fried and served with candied yams and greens. The sweet yams gave the fish a bit of a sweet taste to it. If you like the sweet and savory thing, you'd love this dish. My date had the Jambalaya and although it was tasty - it didn't have any kick. The jalapeno cornbread they serve is delish and dessert was good too. We had donut type things filled with chocolate and served with strawberries and whip cream. Definitely rich (I would have killed for a glass of milk to go w/), but so good! I can't wait to come back!
(5)
Jacqueline S.
To be honest, I had higher expectations. I had the fried chicken, but have had better (The Beast & The Hare in the mission for example). My friend had the pork pulled sandwich, which was the best dish at our table. The drinks, however, didn't disappoint. I'd come back to the bar for a mint julip but doubt I'd make a reservation to eat here again. The art work in the bathroom is fantastic. The ambiance is dark with candles but it's romantic, rather, it's edgy Southern. It would be a good first date for someone who likes Southern food. Valet parking was avaliable.
(3)
Carla F.
I love the The Bayonics! This is also one of the reasons I come here. The food is good, the bottomless mimosas are great when they bring them around. Sometimes it just takes too long and my early buzz is gone. The chicken, biscuits and gravy oh and who can forget the BACON are ALL delicious! Parking sucks (Duh, SF)
(4)
Bri R.
Finally made it out this this spot last weekend for brunch. The live music is awesome on a lively Sunday. We ordered a bloody mary and mimosa. Both were okay but I did like the masonjar the mary came in. For our meals we decided to skip the buffet since we don't trust ourselves lol. I order the baked eggs with bacon and potatoes and my guest ordered the chicken and waffles. I enjoyed my meal but it definitely needed some spice or salt. My husband's dish was delicious yet didn't have any potatoes or sides. Overall I would return but not immediately. There are a few more spots I need to try before returning.
(3)
Bucky K.
Old Mr Brown, he had a farm...e-i-e-i-o. And on the farm, he had some chickens... e-i-e-i-o. And he took one of those chickens, and he lobbed off his head, and he plucked all its feathers, and he cut it into quarters, and he dipped it in some batter, and he dropped it in the fryer, and he put it on a platter, and he put it on my table, and I put in my tummy...e-i-e-I-OOOOOOO! Finally made my way over to try some of the famous Farmerbrownchicken and I liked it. It was accompanied by mac n' cheese and greens. The greens surprised me the most. They were perfect. Just the right vinegar amount. Oh so tasty. But I'm getting ahead of myself.... The drinks. I had the first ever Mint Julep that I actually liked. My wife ordered the Georgia Peach, which was phenomenal. After that I switched to the Poppy Jasper Amber Ale which was a perfect accompaniment to the aforementioned chicken. The service. Always attentive from the moment we walked in til we left. The food. Salad for starters. I had the chicken. She had the dumplins'. For dessert we shared the Pecan Pie. Not one misstep in any of the courses. In fact, this was probably the best Pecan Pie I've ever tasted. The Space. Having just walked through the Tenderloin you are greeted with a beautifully designed restaurant. Warm and modern with some cool pieces of art hanging. The Music. Phenomenal!!! Deep South Blues. Couldn't have chosen better music myself. Farmerbrown was a hit with us as you can tell. We also discussed how this would be a great place to bring out of town guests who didn't like "adventurous" food. Adventurous meaning something foreign from their normal palate. Great all around.
(4)
jodi v.
Food is excellent - try the fried chick. and mac n cheese. Service was a bit unfriendly and the neighborhood, well, let's just say I wouldn't leave the restaurant alone at night.
(4)
Shannon R.
I wanted to take my boyfriend here because he's a southerner and I thought he might enjoy it. Plus, I'm trying to get more into southern food, for his sake, so I thought it would be a good experience for the both of us. We had a reservation and got seated right away. I had a salmon "po boy" sandwich, which was usual but good. Not something I'd typically order, but I do love salmon, so even salmon smothered in BBQ sauce works for me. My BF ordered the catfish, and was slightly disappointed with how it was prepared (they served it with steamed vegetables on top, which he considered to be offensively un-traditional in the way of southern cooking!) The sweet tea was outstanding, and so were the biscuits and cornbread they served before the meal. However, we verified the fact that there free refills on the sweet tea with our server at the outset of the meal, but when the bill came, I looked it over, and she had charged us for three sweet teas, as well as for another item we hadn't ordered! When I pointed it out to her, she seemed annoyed, which I thought was strange, because she was the one who messed up! The other downer was that we were sitting right by the DJ booth, and we kept smelling marijuana smoke wafting through the room. My BF mentioned it to the hostess, and she claimed it was coming from outside (which wouldn't be too shocking in the TL, right?) But it definitely wasn't...it was clearly coming from the DJ! And all throughout the meal, too! Not like I really cared, but not exactly what I had in mind, either!
(3)
Jeremy T.
Awful hostess (20min wait for table for 3 with reservations at 6:30pm, and wasn't even apologetic), food is totally mediocre. Yes the fried chicken was solid, as we're shrimp hush puppies (my real highlight), ribs were dried out, Mac and cheese was flavorless. Amazed how anyone gives 5 stars...
(2)
Katrina H.
Not so good. Went for my friend's birthday and had a really disappointing breakfast. They were out of stuff, under-cooked the eggs and everything was just super sub-par. The service however, was really good...so just find some better cooks to help in the kitchen!
(2)
Yusing W.
Came here with a group of 5 for drinks and dinner. The decor and menu selection is promising, but so far, can't give it my stamp of approval. We got there early, so getting a seat at the bar was no problem, though it did get a bit crowded later on. Dinner was a fiasco. Service was quite slow, as if their entire kitchen staff was completely new and didn't quite know what they were doing. Took us forever to get our food (about 45 minutes), and they even forgot one of party's order, so we had to cancel it. Two of our party ordered the jambalaya, which they said was disappointing - looked it, too...I've purchased better looking jambalya from Safeway. I ordered some kind of pan-fried crusted fish (catfish I think?). The crust had a hint of sweetness - I think it was maple. It was actually pretty good, but I don't know if it's on the menu anymore, since I haven't ever wanted to go back since that experience. They say that this place is known for their fried chicken, but unfortunately didn't get to try it. If you're looking for a nice Southern comfort food place, I wouldn't suggest this place.
(2)
Nicole C.
-great music/atmosphere -great specialty drinks -great food Tried two of the specialty cocktails; both were delicious. Also had the poppers, catfish, and pulled pork. Yum!
(4)
Andrea R.
Awesome food, very cool atmosphere once you get in the door. In love with the Fried Chicken and the shrimp poppers. Great if you go before dark, probably not the safest place for a group of girls to try and hail a cab in "going out" attire.
(4)
Ashley Q.
Dear Farmer Brown, I just wanted to say...I think I'm kinda in love with you! I'm sorry we were 30 minutes late for our reservation, but you're awesome, you still seated us right away. Your funky ambiance and groovin beats were the perfect way to get me in the mood. You won my heart over with your mac n cheese, fried chicken, collard greens, and especially your jambalaya. Then you swept me off my feet with your banana pudding. Your brewed sweet tea is just unforgettable. I have only one request, next time can you serve my jalapeno cornbread warm. =) Until we meet again...
(5)
Lisa H.
I can't believe that I just heard about this place! It has been open for a year now. It is the coolest spot in the Tenderloin. I'm from the South, so I know about soul food. They take a cool little twist on it though. The staff are all beautiful people I'm vegetarian and found it refreshing that they had veggie options. They make a veggie jambalaya. Most items on the menu have a spicy kick too.
(5)
dana l.
A well chosen wine list, with moderately priced tasty options. Without getting into tons of detail, the food was good, and well priced. I had fried chicken, came with mac and cheese and some indeterminate greens. I didn't want to share, but had to in order to get a bite of others' food. Service was fine. We were seated virtually right away at 7pm on a Friday evening. That kind of wigged me out a little. The space is noisy. I mean, really noisy. Thumpy thump music. If dinner had gone on much longer I'd have had a sore throat from yelling during dinner. I probably won't go back just because I detest having that noise level during dinner.
(4)
Lizzy B.
NO STARS (It wouldn't let me so that is why there is one) - THIS PLACE SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN Went with a bunch of friends for my birthday. First of all....Would you go to a Mexican Restaurant that had no Mexicans anywhere in the vicinity (cooks, patrons, etc?) There were no other Black people in this southern, cajun, soul food restaruant. BAD SIGN. Next bad sign was that the lighting was so dim that we could barely see our food Next bad sign was that our waitress seemed to be scared of us and barely gave us the time of day. Next bad sign was that my PORK CHOP was only partially cooked. People we are talking health code issues. Raw pork can KILL you. I am talking so raw, put a knife in it and blood was coming out. Of course I had 3 bites before I knew it because there was a ton of cranberry compote dumped all over it. What the hell is cranberry compote anyway? Then dum dum waitress comes back 20 minutes later finally to check on us...We had a table of 12 and 7 people had to send back their food because it was a. RAW, b. COLD, c. BURNT, d. Disgusting. Then I ordered a drink, just in case my intestines were being eroded by raw pork bugs. It took forever, and when I reminded clueless waitress, she said and I quote. "Sorry, I have a lot going on right now." I think that pretty much somes it up. Any postive responses have got to be from people who work there. Because they are BULLSH*T! Happy Birthday to me, huh? Sec
(1)
Benjy W.
A recent return visit to farmerbrown requires me to, with great regret, knock off a star. I don't know what it was, but nothing seemed that special. They may be coasting on their reputation, or perhaps they are not at their best on Monday nights, but either way, nothing really shined and the menu seemed uninspired and uninspiring. The fried chicken was still great. But, the thing is, fried chicken is great because IT'S FRIED CHICKEN. They make passable fried chicken at Popeye's, for god's sake. Shape up, farmerbrown! I don't want to lose you to the mediocrity that overtakes so many fun new restaurants after the critics go home.
(3)
Peg S.
Like the funky Southern grungy feel of the place. All the entrees (fried chicken, jambalaya, catfish, gumbo) we had were good, but the desserts were great - beignets with chocolate filling, rhubarb pie and pecan pie. Nicely sweet but then I only had a bite of each. Cornbread muffins made me happy (perhaps cuz they could be mistaken for really short and naked cupcakes). Cucumber water. Great for happy hour with strong drinks. Why did the waiters want our finished dishes so badly? They hovered like vultures over our plates eagerly waiting for us to finish our last bite so they could take our plates. It was fun tho' playing the "But I Want to Keep My Plate" game with them . . .
(3)
Chris P.
This place is good. The fried chicken is great and the homemade mac n cheese is the best i have ever had. The restaurant itself is very original and i hear the windows are bullet-proof so you dont have to worry about being shot when enjoying a meal in the tenderloin which is nice.
(4)
Sharon L.
We came here for the Sunday brunch. I had the granola, fried chicken, biscuits with mushroom gravy, and The Best Red Velvet Cake In the Whole World. No way was I going to waste stomach space on regular pancakes, eggs, and bacon (although the bacon looked mighty fine)! I had two pieces of fried chicken. The first piece was a little dry, but the second piece was so ridiculously moist that I did a double take. The accompanying honey jalapeno sauce was creative and interesting. The mushroom gravy was so delicious that I drank it with a spoon. The red velvet cake was so moist and light that I had to fight the urge to bring back five more plates of it to the table.
(5)
Hiyasmin D.
This place has been on my list for such a long time! Was very happy to finally get to eat here. Right off, when I walked in ... I loved it! The decor and atmosphere was very unique and eclectic. They have a very southern/jazz style that makes the place feel hip and trendy. They had a DJ playing when we got there and was seated right away (was at 6:15PM) We were given tiny cornbread with jalepeno to start with. They were delicious! We ordered: - Fried Chicken - Fried Catfish - Prawns and Grits. All were very tasty! The portions were pretty big so we (4 of my friends) decided to just share them all family style. In the end it all worked out.
(4)
Carlin F.
Pork hash was more onion than potatoes or pork, the poached eggs were inconsistently cooked (some hard, some runny). Server seemed eager to upsell us booze after we ordered coffee and was slow to take our orders but too attentive when we were eating (asking questions when I was clearly chewing food). I was going to order the chicken and waffles until I saw it on somebody's plate. Better off driving to Brown Sugar Kitchen if you want a great soul food brunch.
(2)
Danielle R.
I've been here a few times, and if you are in the mood for comfort/southern food (read: you won't find light bites here), this is a good place! Fun specialty cocktails - interesting takes on southern style cocktails. One of my friends I have dined here with is a vegetarian and while he really liked it, I can't say this would be a place I would recommend to vegetarians. The menu is not exactly designed for herbivores. The pulled pork sandwich was yummy, served with a mix of sweet potato and regular fries. I had a special one time -- turkey burger po' boy - just okay. Too messy to eat as a sandwich, and really nothing special. However, the meatloaf with mushroom gravy was great. Lively atmosphere. Was packed on a Thursday between 9 -10pm. While loud, we were still able to have a conversation without shouting.
(4)
Luis M.
You can get all kinds of fancy food in San Francisco. Fancy meatloaf, fancy spaghetti, fancy mac n cheese, fancy hot dogs, fancy ketchup. FANCY FANCY FANCY. Now we have fancy soul food. I'll be honest and say that it just didn't sound quite right to me when I first heard about this place. I still couldn't wait to eat here though. The cucumber slices in the water is wonderful. I really don't like it when my water has a big hunk of lemon floating around in it, but the cucumber is a nice touch. I had the blackened rib eye, grits, and mac n cheese. The rib eye was thin cut into two seperate pieces and tasted great. It may be called blackened rib eye but you better believe it was still juicy. The grits were different than the grits I've eaten before but I still liked them. They were actually refreshing and weren't heavy in my stomach. The mac n cheese was a creamy saucy type rather than a baked style mac n cheese. As with all mac n cheese I would have liked some more cheese in it. The ambiance and decor is very nice. The service was friendly and helpful. I'd love to come back here with some friends again and maybe try the fried chicken that people seem to love.
(4)
Jessica H.
Hoorah for the table carafe of faintly flavored cucumber water! Drink in the freshness while having a private conversation - beautiful. A tasty & perfectly cooked meal, socially condusive environment and attentive service come at the price of $14.50/po' boy and $6/fancy-pants drinks at happy hour. It's not a bad deal; good lighting, snazzy bound metal menus and copper tabletops don't come cheap, even when you are located in a rough block. For you drivers, you may want to consider coming when there are blocks of parking spaces opening up around 6 (N of Market) or 7p (S of Market)
(5)
domini a.
kudos for the happy hour drink special that keeps on giving mad anti-props for the oysters three times i have arrived hoping for the oysters three times they have been out and i've arrived at, like, eight get more oysters guys!
(3)
Ty T.
8-December, 2013 Buffet Offerings: country scrambled eggs, apple smoked bacon, cornmeal catfish, mushroom gravy, sausage gravy, biscuits, waffles, cheesy grits, Cajun potatoes, succotash veggies, famous fried chicken, granola with honey, pecan brownies, banana bread, fruit salad. Couldn't get enough of this fried chicken! The meat was moist, skin was crisp. I feel like fried chicken is a legitimate craving that enters my bloodstream, but it is so hard to find a good place in SF! I definitely have this place bookmarked for future occurrences.
(5)
Anthony B.
The food and cocktails were incredible. And our server, Punch, was absolutely stellar! And amazingly beautiful!
(5)
Sheena C.
We were lucky enough to grab a reservation on a busy Saturday afternoon, post-marathon. We arrived a few minutes early and were able to be seated right away. We've both heard good things about their buffet, but ultimately only one of us got it, since there's no way I could eat $22 worth of food! I was happy with my skillet and bloody mary though - both were delicious and perfectly seasoned. The location is kind of crappy, but once you're inside it's ok. Since we went post marathon, I had consumed quite a bit of water and had to go to the bathroom more than I usually do, and there was a line every.single.time. Very surprising since it wasn't packed!
(4)
brian k.
the sweet potato gnocchi with pulled pork was out of this world... and the strawberry jalapeno margarita was pretty awesome too.
(5)
Vee V.
Friendly doorman, great ambience, lively bar, perfect for large party, decent service. However the food is just a-ok. Ordered watermelon salad, battered okra, fried chicken with greens/mac&cheese. Chicken pot pie was bland(i think the frozen pie crust from Marie Calendar taste better) Washed it all down with Jameson on-the-rocks. Chicken wasn't as tasty as I'd hope, the greens were bit too spicy. I think the best tasting dish was the mini cornbread. Would return for drinks...just make sure your parking is a a safer spot!
(3)
Gus S.
Excellent soul food restaurant right off the Tenderloin. What makes it so damned good? The fried chicken. Basically, there's fried chicken, and then there's fried chicken. You can have the fried chicken your grandma made you, but once you sample Farmerbrown's fried chicken, all you're gonna want to do is slap your grandma in her mouth and cuss her for making you eat such shitty fried chicken all your life. I'm not exaggerating. Seriously, this is the best damned fried chicken you will ever eat.
(4)
D W.
this place is so yummy! i wrote a review for hardknox...but this place is waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy better. full bar, great music, lots of tables, happening place...and great food! decided to try it out on a friday night without reservations...got seated in about 30 minutes...grabbed a drink at the bar...had a mango margarita...pretty strong...ordered fried chicken and my boyfriend had the pulled pork sandwich...super spicy and a side of fries...service is ok...this place can take big parties...food came out fast too...wanted to order dessert but i was way stuffed...i heard the rhubarb pie is good. i've worked across the street for 2 1/2 years and i didn't know that was a restaurant. really cool place...parking probably sucks...down in the loin
(5)
Amanda G.
This place is delicious!!! Just went there for the first time over the weekend and had a great time. I have my Cajun background so I get picky with Soulfood, but was very impressed. I went with a group of friends and we received great service. We ordered tons of food and EVERYTHING was delicious. In fact, the Rhubarb pie was probably the best I've ever eaten!!! soooo good! The decor was also very nice... A+++
(5)
Amy P.
I LOVE this restaurant. It's perfect to take out of town guests who want to go somewhere chic and happening but totally unpretentious. They have awesome hip hop and soul djs, the male barstaff are attentive and nice (so rare!) and dressed uber chic, the exposed steel industrial interior design is gorgeous and stylish, and oh yeah, the food ROCKS! I always get the veggie jumbalaya and spicy mac and cheese. Good cocktails, good times. Good for birthdays and groups. Not for kids.
(5)
Jenny K.
While I acknowledge that the food is an upscale take on Southern comfort food and probably not very authentic, my dinner companions and I really enjoyed the food. I thought the portions were a good size without being overwhelming. The catfish I had was delightful. We also shared some side dishes: mac and cheese, collard greens, and biscuits. Delectable! I washed down dinner with a tasty mint julep and was one very satisfied customer. I liked the modern, almost industrial decor. I thought it was an interesting contrast with the food. The ambience was good and the service very pleasant. I will definitely be eating here again.
(4)
Robert L.
This place was fantastic. I'm originally from the South and what a treat to have the food that I love before me. We went for the buffet and loved it. The host was wonderful and she accommodated my friend who's in a wheelchair so well. The servers were great....a totally wonderful dining experience from arrival to leaving. Highly recommended. The Yelp reservation works well, too. Definitely book ahead so has not to have to wait and/or be disappointed.
(5)
norman g.
Had chicken and waffles. As others have said the chicken could have had a bit more (ie some) spice. Waffle was light and crispy. Nice place in an iffy neighborhood.
(4)
Gabe H.
Great place to meet up friends after work. Excellent happy hour on mondays. the southern "chips" are excellent with beer.
(4)
Nancy B.
4 Ladies on our way to the theater... hungry and thirsty after a long day at work. We think Farmer Brown... In the tenderloin, near the theater, good food, LETS GO! We wait patiently at the host stand to be seated. I notice a very provocative album cover that says "eat out more often".. of course I point it out and we all giggle like school girls. my girl points out quite loudly "That's not obvious at all!" We sit in our little booth and dine on a large assortment of dishes to share. The wedge salad, the shrimp balls, and french fries. For dinner we all shared the chicken and dumpling and fried chicken. Everything is well peppered which is actually really good. Gave everything that southern kick to every bite. We got some Mac and Cheese too and being quite the mac and cheese snob this was just OK compaired to most I have had. What topped off the night? DESERT! We got these puff pastries filled with dark chocolate with a strawberry sauce. Holy sweet god these were good. We almost ordered a second round like fat kids in a candy shop. Service was dull. Nothing exciting. Lost a star because the bus boy dropped a fork on my friends jacket and now she has a fork stained mac and cheese scar on her coat.
(4)
Sarah S.
Cool decor - definitely a surprise given the neighborhood. The drinks were good, the food was ok. I got the fried chicken and it was really dry. Also, the service was only so-so. Wait staff was very attentive, but the host, as well as the bartender, were definitely not on the ball. Good for groups - they had a couple of big tables and it is a fun atmosphere. worth a visit, but probably won't become a favorite.
(3)
Matt K.
Went here on recommendation from a Franciscan and was pleased with the pulled pork sandwich. Farmerbrown has a small menu but an interesting interior and a view of the entertainment on the street from the bar. The bartender gave me a red beer after I asked for a Belgian white, but everything else went smoothly.
(3)
Julie C.
Overall, the food was pretty good, but pretty pricey. I ordered the BBQ back ribs and the Mac and Cheese. We were going to order sides for the table to share, but luckily we didn't since the portions were really small. My Mac and Cheese was served in a tea cup, which would have only been enough for each of us to have a small bite. The ribs were good, but they only served four of them. I do recommend the rum punch though, kind of their version of southern sangria. I would come back here for drinks, but it was pretty pricey for our small dinner portions.
(3)
Jesse G.
Home food done very nice, check it out.
(4)
Bill D.
Never would have noticed this gem had I not been staying at the adjacent hotel. Awesome cocktail program, barrel aged cocktails, house bottled cocktails and more. Came by for Sunday brunch, 1hr 45min wait! But we found a spot at the bar. Good Bloody Mary, ok brunch buffet, awesome chicken and waffles. The staff were all warm, hospitable and soulfully cool
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Hipster Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Ed U.
Farmerbrown, Farmerbrown He's a clown, that Farmerbrown He's gonna get caught Just you wait and see (...Why's everybody always pickin' on me?) Boy howdy, you coulda hung me up by my pickle and tickled my capers with a feather when I realized I've been living in this 'hood for over five years and NEVER dined at Farmerbrown. I pass by it all the time on the way to Union Square, but I guess I'm too busy goose-stepping up Mason to avoid the panhandlers. What a maroon I am 'cause I loves me down-home soul food and don't feel like trekking to the wilds of Oakland to get me some. Four words. Free Diet Coke refills. Three more words. Neverending Corn Muffins. Yes, little morsels of sweet goodness, and they keep coming no matter how many you pop in your mouth. That's just for starters ...and for middlers and enders if you eat enough of 'em. But Jamie W. and I tried to be good....honest! We first shared the $8.50 Chopped Summer Salad - full of corn kernels, jicama, celery, and split cherry tomatoes (see my photo). It was a tad overpriced but awfully refreshing considering the carbs to come. Jamie ordered the $16.50 Fulton Valley Fried Chicken which came with a generous helping of Macaroni and Tillamook Cheddar Cheese and some braised Southern Collard Greens (see my photo). It was really good chicken - not the best in the Bay Area (...that would be Southern Cafe in Fruitvale) - but it was tasty especially with a few squirts of their homemade honey-jalapeno sauce. The mac and cheese was nice and gooey. I went for the $19.50 Marin Sun Farms Braised Shortribs with Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Plantains. It came with one huge Cornmeal Onion Ring on top (see my photo) which really had a nice bite to it. The meat was falling-off-the-bone good, but the true dish-stealer was the mashed sweet potatoes and plantains combo...it was like dessert. You would think we'd be fuller than Ann Coulter at a Republican oral sex convention, especially with corn muffins popping in our mouths every three minutes. But no...we shared the $6 Bourbon Pecan Pie with whipped cream (see my photo). It was gone in four minutes flat...and we weren't even trying. It's a nicer space than I expected with lots of dark rustic touches but with a surprisingly homey feel. It got crowded pretty quick, but I thought the tables were nicely spaced, so conversation was not that difficult. Boy howdy, we were so stuffed we had to unbuckle our belts just like what Michelle Malkin does on her knees to neocons when she's not accusing Rachael Ray of being a terrorist with wardrobe issues. FOOD - 5 stars...down-home Southern cookin' and the ingredients taste fresh and flavorful AMBIANCE - 4 stars...a funky space, more spacious than you think ...hey, I'm used to girding my loins in the TL, so it just don't bug me much SERVICE - 4 stars...nice and speedy but they don't pressure you to wolf it down TOTAL - 5 stars...Diet cokes,corn muffins, mashed sweet potatoes, pecan pie ...damn, what else do you need on a desert island?
(5)Susan D.
I enjoyed the restaurant but the location really does take away from it. I'm torn between 3.5 and 4 stars because of its location. Now the good part is if you drive there is a lot next door and its gated on one side so you can enter the restaurant from the lot. But it does take away from the general ambiance as a whole. Now with that done once you get inside its warm and inviting, the hostess that greeted us was lovely. We had 6:30 reservations on a Friday night, only waited a few minutes to be seated. Now the windows to the street (Turk?) are covered only to let light in, otherwise every Bum would have their face pressed against the window watching you eat. But lets talk about the food. We started with some shrimp cakes as our appetizer, very tasty and the sauce had a nice spicy flavor. Then my husband had the Jambalaya with sausage (looked amazing and lots of folks around us ordered that too). I went for the fried chicken since I never make it anymore at home, and figured it be a real treat. I got three nice pieces of chicken and a huge portion of creamy, cheesy mac and cheese oh and collard greens that where really good. Of course for me this was a mound of food so I'll have lunch for tomorrow. Then my husband and I decided we could squeeeeeeze some dessert in so we shared the strawberry shortcake. It wasn't what he had expected thinking cold fresh strawberry (the dumb hillbillies we are) the strawberries and rhubarb were served warm and there was this fluffy cream with crystallized brown sugar on top. The short cake was a flaky biscuit (my favorite part!) so it really was very good, different but good. My husband had two beers and I had the fresh lemonade and our bill was very reasonable for the two of us and all that food. As I'll say again once inside I really enjoyed the service (our waiter and servers were all fantastic. Food delicious and reasonable. It's such a shame the location is surrounded by the volumes of homeless once you step outside the doors.
(4)K L.
So, my girlfriend took me here for my birthday yesterday, and it was pretty awesome. We've been talking about getting some good ol' Souther Soul Food for a while, and we finally found the time to get some. We got there on a Monday Night at about 8pm, and it took about 5-10 minutes to get us seated. Throughout the night, I noticed that it was still pretty busy with people lined up in the front, and this is a work night during a moderate to bad economic state. So, the first thing I noticed was the decor. Intimately dim setting, candlelights at each table, drapes to cover walls, paintings everywhere. It certainly was a step into another universe. Our waiter seated us over by the kitchen. I enjoy watching chefs at their work and seeing some of the ingredients they use. One of the things that caught my eye, was the Sriracha sauce that was sitting there by the chefs. I didn't see them use it, but I wondered what it might be for. On our table, there were the fork and knife and instead of a paper or cloth napkin, it was a cloth towel, similar to those used in common kitchens (to dry dishes, wipe hands, use as oven mitts). Our cups were little mason jars and the pitcher was an old school glass water jug. My girlfriend and I looked at the menu. For starters we were debating between the Crab and Artichoke Dip with crackers and the Sweet Potato Steak Fries with Aioli. We chose the Fries just because we usually get the Artichoke dip everywhere else. My girlfriend's main course was the Fried chicken with Macaroni and cheese and greens and I ordered the Short Ribs with Mashed Sweet Potatoes+Plantains and Corn-battered Onion Rings. Everything was timed just right. We got our Jalapeo cornbread with butter first. Oh Man. That was good. We had 7 rolls which we split all the way down to the last, which she allowed me to have. The waiter took the empty dish away, and brought our Sweet Potato Steak Fries over. This was pretty delicious. Not too sweet, with salt and cayenne pepper sprinkled on top. The girlfriend used her fork and knife, while me, the barbarian, used my hands. When we were finished with that, i noticed how the waiter took the used utensils away and brought brand new ones over. I also kept an eye out for our food in the kitchen. Magically it appeared while the waiter was putting the new utensils down. It appears that the food was timed just right! The Main Course. The short ribs were ok. Not as tender as I had hoped, still pretty flavorful. The mashed sweet potatoes were awesome! The onion rings were delicious! Her Fried Chicken was pretty good. They have this homemade hot sauce made with jalapenos that we put on it. Sweet with a kick. The mac and cheese also had some kick to it, not as good as I had hoped. And the greens, I just don't like greens, so I wouldn't really have a valid opinion. For dessert, we had the Pecan Pie. That was freaking good with their homemade whipped cream. Overall, this was an awesome experience that I would recommend to friends who just want some soul for cryin' out loud.
(4)Patrick W.
This place was incredible! From the moment I walked in to the time I rolled out of there it was just one of the most amazing places I've been to in SF. I was there as a guest to a 19 person party and there service was extremely quick, efficent and professional... most places fall down in this area, failing to accomodate a large groups, but it was just so effortless for them. Definitely recommended for larger groups. Now onto the food and drinks. Great array of tasty cocktails on the menu and to top it off, all the drinks were served in a jam jar! I guess giving it that old school southern feel. I had the sweet potato fries for starters, delicious!! and the southern fried chickem mac n chees and collard greens.... the chicken was so tender and tasty, with that yummy outer crispy shell of heart stopping goodness. Just a perfect size for my tummy :) Very nice interior, awesome artworks around the place and the dj was spinning some of my fav hip hop and reggae jams. Great thing was it wasn't in your face volume-wise, could easily hear and talk to others, but still get that great musical vibe. Props to the DJ, really made the night. I'll be back soon mr Brown!
(5)Lauren B.
The ambiance is excellent and I was happy with the service and what the menu had to offer. However none of the food executed properly. The summer salad was fine but it was just corn, tomato, cucumber and red onion with a nice vinaigrette. Cornmeal fried okra. The cornmeal crust was nice and thick and really parlayed flavor. However, the dish came out room temperature. I seriously doubt that it shouldn't be piping hot but out of embarrassment to ask, I didn't. It was still alright and the remoulade for dipping was traditional. My taste buds got a little shock with the Gumbo Soup. It was scalding hot and the broth was extremely spicy. I kept wanting a nice mouthful of sausage and broth and rice but all I could handle were small tastes at a time because of the spice. Accompanied by an actually fresh baked biscuit. Most disappointing were the braised short ribs which I had to eat with a fork AND knife! True comforting braised short ribs should be edible with just a fork using no effort at all and just pulling off of the bone. The reason it didn't was clear to me though, it wasn't seared first in the pan and the meat looked gray rather than deep brown. The flavor wasn't bad in the sauce that accompanied. Mash of sweet potato & plantain grew on me and I think I liked it but it actually tasted like mashed overripe banana's. Side of grits tasted like clarified butter but not in the good way. I wanted to actually get to taste the grits too but didn't. And, they were supposed to be "cheesy" but really there was just a slice of cheese atop the bowl of grits. I could get past this if I liked the grits though. And finally a side of greens but hey, considering what i just ordered, I wasn't really into something healthy. We had no dessert but enjoyed an extremely cheap bottle of wine. It was "drinkable" but not the best tasting thing ever. Small list however, just about 5 whites and 5 reds but very reasonable priced. In all, I think i would return and that is why I don't just give them two stars, but I would never order what we had again.
(3)Gracie B.
I gave Mama Marie a list of restaurants that included Jeanty at Jacks, Town Hall, and FarmerBrown to choose for Mother's Day dinner. I was secretly hoping she'd pick here, and yay! she did. We arrived a little bit early for our 5pm dinner reservation and hung out in the car in the parking lot, not realizing that we could have gone in. But when we went in, it was worth the wait in the interesting Tenderloin neighborhood. The restaurant is decorated to give the feel of a shack, while also being very modern. The food has a similar juxtaposition - it is real good soul food...real good. But is fresh and modern. The gumbo is good. The taste is a good sized taste and exactly enough to get you ready for the rest of the yumminess. You MUST get the sweet potato fries. They are so good - fluffy and flavorful. I had the catfish and dare I say that it was....almost, nearly, just about as good as Aunt Ann's back in Indiana (but only almost and shhhhhhhhhhhh don't tell her). The chicken that Mama Marie had was very good. I think I almost got stabbed by a fork for taking a little bit of her last bites of crust. The yams are gooooo-oood and were really good if you get a bite of them with the fried okra (which was not listed on the menu, but made an appearance on my plate instead of pickled onions - which is cool). The greens were a bit bland. I liked that they were just wilted, but could we wilt with a couple shakes of crushed red pepper? Yes - we were stuffed after very nearly, almost cleaning our plates (hush, we hadn't eaten and were waiting for some good food today), but we HAD to try the pecan pie. Yes, it's an imperative. This pie was whoa. It's different from most pies, not real sweet, the bourbon giving it a rich, almost chocolatey taste and served alongside an ice cream sized scoop(!!!!!!) of whipped cream. Yes, no piddlely dollop of whipped cream here...there was plenty to accompany each and every bite. I had it with some of the blue bottle coffee (french-pressed). It was the perfect end to this modern/soul-filled meal. Everything about FarmerBrown is great - the ambiance, the decor, the service. You can tell that a lot of thought has been put into creating a great experience...right on down to the soundtrack of jazz, blues, old school soul, and some newer neo-soul, played at just the right volume to be heard, hummed along to, and dance in your seat (if you're me and you dance everywhere), but not so loud that you can't enjoy your last night's conversation with mama.
(5)Marie B.
This place is divine! Your wonderful experience begins from the moment you walk thru the doors and see the beautifully decorated space. The ambiance is warm, but extremely chic. Phenomenal artwork, great surfaces and textures. You feel as if you are walking into a country cottage and chic loft...all at the same time. The service is superb. Our host was warm and engaged...the waiter was wonderful! Made suggestions...was inquisitive about our needs/perceptions and worked hard to ensure our glasses were never empty and our food was served with impeccable timing. As for the food: The Gumbo was to die for! And, I don't usually like Gumbo. The Sweet Potato fries would make you forgo the low cal diet and the Fried Chicken is beyond description - it is so yummy! The catfish was also very good. The piece de resistance was the pecan pie, which was also quite good. As a southern girl, I found the greens to be a bit on the bland side and not real flavorful...I didn't love the mac and cheese, but it was acceptably cheesy and well seasoned. A wonderful meal for an unbelievably good price!
(5)Eugene F.
A friend from college was visiting from out-of-town and I can just tell you, this girl loves to eat. When she arrived on Sunday, we ate four times in four hours. Yes, we're that good, or should I say, SHE is that good. She was shifting her stay from the South Bay, to San Francisco, and so we met up with one our other friends that she would spending the remainder of her visit with. This other friend and I ate two lunches within an hour of each other, and after going to the gym. Yes, we're that good, or should I say, bad. You can see where I'm going with this, right? So, we made it to Farmerbrown on a Wednesday night without reservations. The host suggested that we make reservations next time because they are consistently booked. For an appetizer, we shared some cornbread-fried okra. It was quite good and not terribly heavy. With the okra, they brought out these cornbread muffins that were bite size, but quite good. As I said, we're eaters. We all ordered the fried chicken that comes with side of mac and cheese, and greens, and an order of biscuits on the side for us to share. The order was HUGE. I'd say it was a good half a chicken. The chicken was seasoned really well, and the skin was fried to a crisp. That's what I attacked first. It was good. At the end of the eating, I had polished off the sides, and only left a bit of the breast from the chicken. My friends had tackled the same, but one took her leftovers home. The biscuits deserve their own paragraph, because they were flat, but light and fluffy. I don't know what was in them, but they were damn good. After we had eaten all that food, since we're eaters, and a special occasion, we ordered some banana bread pudding and sweet potato pie. The crust on the sweet potato pie was killer. SO GOOD. The banana bread pudding had real bananas layered in it, as well. Both came with some of the best whipped cream that I've ever had that looked like tiny scoops of ice cream. So, overall a great visit. We walked away (well, rolled ourselves out) triumphant from the restaurant being all stuffed. When I'm in the city next, I'd definitely make my way back to Farmerbrown.
(5)Gami G.
Whenever I have friends over from out of town, this is the place I take them to. It never fails to make a good impression, despite the rather lackluster location. From a wine list that is both tasty and inexpensive (you can get a glass of Pomelo for $5) to soul food that is scrumptious, this place is a winner. Recommendations: the bowl of gumbo and the shrimp and grits are two of my favorites there. But save room for the pecan pie!
(5)Caroline L.
I made it here for the first time tonight, and my experience was great! Food was good, and I decided to make my first foray into farmerbrown with the fried chicken. It's pretty good, and for the price, they actually give you a whole lot of food (three pieces of chicken, heaping amount of collard greens and mac n cheese). I loved the decor ... for some reason, this was the first time I ever drank out of a mason jar (SWEAR), but I found it to fit in perfectly. I would LOVE to come here again, and I want to drag everyone I know along with me. There's so much I want to try. And I would love to come back for the after 10 special... BEER ME!
(4)Jeani H.
If you are a lucky little vegan who gets to go to NYC on a regular basis like myself, you know there is a city out there where one can eat and eat and eat for a week and still not manage to hit all of the vegan and very vegan friendly restaurants available. Sadly, San Francisco is just a poser cousin when it comes to veggie eats. We talk the talk, but in the end, we don't walk the vegan walk. There are only a hand full of vegan restaurants in this city, and while they're great, a foodie gal can only eat at the same places so often before she's going crazy and has to break the routine! This is where places like Farmer Brown come in. I've made a promise to myself to start eating at more stylish, well-rated restaurants that do not necessarily cater to vegans, Farmer Brown being one of the first, and I was quite pleasantly surprised. The vegan Jambalaya was absolutely perfect and delicious. I don't always like tomatoey stewy thingies, but it was spiced so perfectly and had just the right amount of rice and tender vegetables that I was thrilled. They also had a vegan special, which was good but not amazing. It was one of those wildwood veggie burgers that I normally run screaming from, since they cost like $5 per patty, but it was a friend's birthday so we splurged. The bun was nice, but rather than just leave the thousand island off the plate as I requested, they gave it to me on the side, so it was a waste, and I would rather have gotten a different sauce, so I wasn't handed a dry burger. The drinks were also fabulous, but one little detail bothered me. They had a blood orange bellini on the menu, but in reality it was much more like a mimosa, and there was no reason to call it a bellini (OK I know I'm a total whore, and people will get annoyed with me and throw things at me just like when I distinguish between sparkling wine and Champagne!) Anyway, another issue was the service was a bit slow and inattentive. They took forever getting me ketchup, and they served me a glass of flat blanc de noirs I had to send back. At then end of the meal I was satisfied though, that they had gone out of their way to have veggie dishes and that they were delicious! So, the non vegan resto adventure begins, stay tuned for updates...
(3)Caroline O.
If for nothing else, go for the strawberry rhubarb pie. It was so luscious I wasn't sure I should be eating it in public. Also a big hit: cucumber slices in the water. A simple touch, but very refreshing! We also particularly enjoyed the apple and beet salad, fried chicken, mac and cheese, and ginger rum cocktails. Even my girlfriend, who is meat-phobic and an all-around picky eater, had a fabulous experience, thanks to a waitress who was very patient and accomodating to her special requests. Plus (big bonus!) it was food I could feel good about eating.
(5)Azikiwee A.
Man the food is great and mean great oh yeah did I mention the food is great!!! I loved Jay's cooking when he was holding it down at Blue Jay cafe in the Nopa area but he has stepped it up to the next level 150% I only wish I had a higher metabolism so my big ass could eat there everyday! Respect
(5)Jennifer W.
3 stars for food and 5 stars for drinks means an average score of 4 stars. So, go by the rating that most closely resembles your reason for going there. We were there to both eat and drink before heading over to the Warfield to see Gogol Bordello, who were AMAZING. Highly recommend seeing them sometime. I was ready to get my drink on, so first thing's first: a tangerine margarita, yes please! Now, two weeks ago, I went out for happy hour margaritas with my colleagues and we ended up at El Torito. Clearly, the syrup in a large glass you get at El Torito is no fair comparison to the subtle perfection of "tangerine infused tequila, fresh lime juice and simple syrup". I LOVE tangerine juice and I like a fine tequila, so mix them together and order me three more. Other drinking companions enjoyed the Pineapple & ginger rum punch which is made with "housemade ginger beer, rum and lime". That drink was quite tasty and STRONG to boot. We were also craving sustenance to fortify us for the night of drinking and dancing to gypsy punk ahead, so I ordered the veggie burger Po Boy, my SO ordered something with chicken in it so I didn't pay very close attention. On the other side of the table was a seafood jambalaya, and possibly a breaded catfish. Intermixed with the entrees were the cute as a button mini corn breads (with a kick!) that came out first, then our fun size cornmeal battered okra and oysters appetizer, and sweet potato french fries, and then sides of candied yams and stone ground grits with cheddar. Clearly, there was a lot of fried going on, and I am one to normally take a very firm, anti fry stance. However, in light of the impending activities, a little fried was going to be a good thing. My veggie Po Boy was OK, sort of like a spicier version of a veggie burger on crispy baguette toast instead of institutional wheat bun. I snagged a fork full of my SO's mac n cheese, so for the ardent mac n cheese foodies in this area, you might want to alert yourselves to the one served here. Reports from the other side of the table were consistent: food, good. Sides, OK, or not what I expected. Fried things friend, spicy thing spicy. Decor of the place is worth mentioning- it made my SO decide he wanted to cover his room in rust. Or, corrugated rust panels. With coat hooks conveniently placed all over the room and scrim sheets showcasing prominent photographs. The decor and the dining room itself work together to help demarcate the bar from the dining area, and even within the main dining room, more decor help create smaller and more intimate spaces, nooks and crannies. The bar area was super loud but it was after work, and if I worked in the area, I'd for sure be celebrating the end of many workdays here. Then I might eat somewhere else, unless I was planning a long night of drinking, in which case, load up the fried, spicy, squishy goodness!
(4)Naeem I.
Highlights: shrimp cakes, sweet potato fries, mac and cheese Lowlights: bland on most everything else, overpriced Meh. That about says it. This unassuming place is virtually hidden at its location as others have mentioned. It does have a nice ambiance but it is seemingly mismatched to the soul food that they serve. The service was fine, the food was okay (but far overpriced), but all-in-all, nothing special. Do yourself a favor and go to the Hard Knox Cafe in the dogpatch district instead. MUCH better tasting food (the menu is nearly identical) and it will cost you less than half to boot.
(2)jennye g.
Yep, this restaurant is at the corner of CRACK and HO, fo' sho! That aside, if you can make it past the maelstrom of homelessness, and can ignore the pimp slapping his ho long enough to make it inside, it's worth it I'd say. (Oh, and yes, we actually DID see a pimp slap a ho outside the restaurant, which was pretty priceless.) A bit of advice - come early if you're a normal person who wants to eat. If you're a 24 year old Marina girl who's just there to see and be seen, which yes, this restaurant is guilty of harboring an affinity for, then come at about 9pm on a Saturday when things really start to heat up. Just please, stay away from my table. I'm trying to eat. We got there at about 7pm on a Saturday, no res, and were seated within 5 minutes, if that. Of course, being seated and being served are two totally different things. We waited for about 15 minutes before we saw our waitress. Luckily, we weren't in a hurry, and granted, she was extremely busy, so we were fine with it. The wait was worth it though...we had some fabulous cocktails (well, the other people in my party said they were fab, I'm pregnant and had some pretty decent Arnold Palmers), great appetizers (those shrimp poppers are damn fine) and the entrees were above satisfactory. For my money, I'd have to say that the fried chicken at Maverick is still where it's at, but Farmer Brown's was a contender. The dessert though...Oh. My. God. The Bourbon Pecan Pie is beyond heavenly. Whatever they do to the whip cream that comes on the side, it's perfection. I wish Farmer Brown himself would come to my house and fill up a bathtub with it. I want to swim in that whip cream. So for food...maybe 3 or 4 stars. I'd drop it down to a 3 if only because the aftermath of eating at Farmer Brown requires that you either plant your ass firmly on the couch for about 12 hours, on the toilet for about 1, or a combination of the two. Ambiance was pretty cute - sort of hip-hop-farmhouse-chic. I'm a sucker for bevvies served in mason jars, and the bathroom decor was adorable. I know that's probably not the most important part of your dining experience, but I like mine to be well rounded. A well presented bathroom is a must. Ambiance gets 4 stars. Service was definitely only about 2 stars, but they did what they could, and since we weren't in a big rush, it didn't bother me too much that we waited about 15 minutes before seeing our water jars filled. Overall, I'd give it 3 and a half stars. Since we can only give full stars here though, and taking into account the numerous crack dealers you'll have to bob and weave through to get to the restaurant, 3 stars will have to suffice.
(3)Don H.
What a funky spot. The first thing you walk past on entering is the DJ booth. In a restaurant. Nuts. But the DJ is relatively subtle background music. There's a huge long bar, which unfortunately for us only had one poor nearly overwhelmed tender behind it, so we had to wait a bit for drinks, but when they came they were quite tasty. They've got a small selection of specialty cocktails (the mango margarita is awesome, and truly tequilicious), and a good selection of whisky for mixing other things. They're all priced just slightly below the average high-end cocktail bar level ($8-10). Sitting for dinner, we got a better look at the space. I'd describe it as artfully decorated, low-lit polished concrete, with touches of wood & metal. Cool and semi-modern, with a sort of homebuilt feel. It fits the food. Speaking of the food, we certainly didn't have the negative experiences of some of the other reviewers. They start you with a plate of mini jalapeno sweet cornbreads that were delectable; I wish we could have gotten more! The fried chicken with greens & mac & cheese was great; rich spicy chicken, and homemade mac & cheese with tillamook cheddar (spicy!), not completely melted. Greens were tart, and contrasted well. Soup of the day (a carron/onion/potato) and the gumbo were excellent. Gumbo is very rich, almost sweet. Authentic? I've no clue. But it was yummy. Jambalaya is huge! And this ain't no wussy, cheap-ass jambalaya. I've had plenty of these, where it's maybe 60% rice. This heady mixture was more like maybe 10% rice, and the rest was all seafood - seriously huge piles of it! Shrimp and whitefish and something else I think. And I added the andouille, which was an enormous sausage, sliced in half and arrayed atop the pile. The jambalaya itself didn't have much of any kick to it, but the sausage made up for it with some nice spice. This stuff was great! And damn there was a lot. Also, we got a side of smashed sweet potatoes with plantains - WOW. Genius. Brilliant. Also really large. I could eat that every night. They've also got a nice wine list with the range to accompany the food well (I enjoyed a nice spicy, fruity old-vine zin which handled the jambalaya admirably), including plenty of options by the glass. Service was friendly and knowledgeable; nothing wrong there. Absolutely worth returning!
(4)Shirley L.
i suspect the fried chicken, mac and cheese, and collared greens were all premade and microwaved. our mac and cheese was cold. was not happy paying 17 dollars for what i could made with 4 dollars, or 2.50 during safeway's 2 for 5 stouffer's deals.
(1)Kofi A.
I went on a Sunday night and definitely dug the place. The decor is casual, creative, and cool.l The music they play definitely suits the smoothness of the setting. It reminded m of Bus Boys and Poets out in Washington D.C.. The hostess was excellent and extremely friendly. Our waiter was very accommodating as well. The soul food was faaar from traditionally Southern in preparation but still good. I had the catfish which was great and I didn't mind the baby cornbread either. SF needs more spots like this.
(4)Veronica G.
This place is tasty but is anyone else a little confused when they go here? First off, soul/Southern food and hipster setting (think dark wood, metal accents and a waitstaff all in black) seems to teeter on the thin edge of "too cool for school" and eye rolling. Second, all the little touches of "Southern charm"--the cucumber water in Mason jars, the cutesy napkins and the old bike in the bathroom who's purpose is holding the paper towels could have fallen in the "trying too hard" catgory but yet, it strangly works and doesn't seem to like a novelty that will wear thin. Ok on to the important stuff (drinks, food and the waiting). Drinks (with alcohol) here are reasonably priced and refreshingly different from every other bar in SF. The margarita they have is sublime and they have this drink with gin and peach that is truly different and delicious (and I'm NOT a gin drinker). They also carry Pabst as I'm sure you can tell from the multitude of reviews. Plus if you are a TRUE Southerner they have "real" sweet tea! I'm not from the south so I wouldn't know "real" sweet tea from Snapple but I've gone here a couple of times with folks from Texas, Alabama and Georgia and all have been quite complimentary to this place. The food is tasty. Anyplace that has mac and cheese on the menu that DOESN'T (a) come from a box and (b) isn't regalded solely to the kid's menu is a happy place to me! The fried chicken is good. The catfish po'boy is killer and loaded with perfectly crunchy , thin fillets of catfish. The wedge of lettuce salad actually made me remember that yes, with the right condiments iceburg lettuce can be tasty (did I really just write that?) The jambalaya had enough in the bowl to fill me up with some left over and I was pleased as punch. The little cornbread muffins they give you at the beginning of the meal are quite yummy too, particularly when they're piping hot (they serve 'em with jalapeno jelly but that's not really my thing). Finally, the waiting.....I've heard from more than one person (including someone who works there) that reservations are NOT the way to go unless you have a big party and it will be held at prime feasting time (think like 9ish on a Saturday). Otherwise don't bother. Show up, put your name on the list and hunker down. I know that I've been seated and halfway through my meal with friends just showing up, watching people with reservations sitting in the front of the house waiting for their table to be set. All in all, tasty, fair priced and it has that feisty energy from the South wrapped up in a cool San Francisco package.
(4)Harry H.
I cant believe this place has already been reviewed this many times... I mean I've was here when the place first opened and really wanted to see the new chic and hip place to get fried chicken? The place is very (lack of a better word) cool. The food is okay but the place is fun and the drinks are great. I wish the food was better and I didnt have to pay so god damn much for some fried chicken... come early and enjoy the new look of soul food.
(4)shawn p.
We went here after a concert and were pleasantly surprised at what a hidden little gem this place is. So cute and the food was great. I had the blackened Halibut - super good.
(4)Arissa C.
...and the search for the best fried chicken in city continues onto Farmerbrown's... Thank you Frisco for the recommendation! We started off at the bar waiting for our table on a thursday evening- it was quite busy seating tables for the first date couples from the internet (overheard "You are much better in person") to the boisterous coworkers dining out to start off an early weekend. The festive mood was further cajoled by the entertaining dj music as well as tasty drinks like the mango margarita- tasting just like its namesake with an added spiced salt around the rim...luved it! My friend had the bourbon cocktail- I had a sip of it- and it was like swallowing a mini torpedo- warms you from the inside real quick! Not more than 10 minutes had passed when we were summoned to our table- I like that it was just enough space to the next table without having to hear their or our conversation...and well by the sound of the dj music- it wasn't going to make too much of a difference. The music was a bit on the loud side- often times reverberating from the tin covered walls- cool funky music- but would have loved to have heard some cajun jazz/ southern folk too :-) We started our meal with a salad- mine was the lettuce wedge salad with blue cheese dressing plus the 2 dollars bacon fixin' . My friend had the mixed Farmers green salad with a light sweet lemon vinaigrette. Both were delicious and we basically left our plates clean...I was a little miffed by the bacon- cuz I was expecting to have at least 2 bacon strips- but well it was a measly equivalent of half a bacon of little morsels :-( For my entree I undeniably ordered the Fried chicken with the mac and cheese side and the collard greens. Miffed numero 2- You cannot substitute the sides for another - I asked if I could exchange the mac and cheese for mashed potatoes- and I couldn't believe my ears when he said "No"... To which I replied in my head- Sorry but any farmer would have done it and southern hospitality just cannot deny it! So here's the 411 on the chicks:- 1-Taste/Flavor - Slight dry coating- fried to a bright amber color-slightly bland, not too much seasoning 6.5/10 2-Tenderness/Succulence- deliciously fresh- - moist and tender about 3 pieces 8/10 3-Crunchy factor 7.5/10 4-Overall appeal 6.5/10- Fried chicken is decadent- it CANNOT be a nutritious presentation- I appreciate organic fresh ingredients but it lacks the fireworks that make this meal THE perfect staple for July 4th celebrations. Let me taste that butter, those thick layers of batter fried to a crunchy golden brown- seasoned with oregano, thyme, paprika and garlic /onion powder... these were lacking Miffed #3 I felt cheated :-( My friend ordered the Jambalaya- it didnt have the complexity I was accustomed to tasting- sure it was seasoned well, but I could not get hints of broth used nor the roux factor ... I was dismayed that it did not have the savory andouille sausage or OKRA...folks- okra is the poor man's truffle!!! That was miffed #4 Sure you can open a restaurant- spruce it up with a southern farm decor then then add a dj to boot and procure the best ingredients- this Menu would just strive to comfort the foodie but will still lack in nourishing the soul. I enjoyed the Pecan Pie and the gregarious and friendly Philipe- who made sure our meals and drinks arrived promptly.
(3)Mindy O.
God I love this place. I work around the corner in a hotel and this is one of the first places on my list to send guests. Every single one of my guests raves about this place and if you ever go there you can see why. Great food, great service, and great drinks.
(5)Sabrina L.
Farmerbrown is an example of when Yelp is handy in lowering expectations so you can actually enjoy a meal. You Yelpers are a hard crowd to please!!! But...I wouldn't have it any other way. : P I was supposed to meet up with my cousins at 6 p.m. I called the restaurant to let them know I was running late and that a party of 4 was waiting on me & under my cousin's name. The Farmerbrown guy on the phone asks: "Do you want to talk to her?" and in my shock I say "Uh...sure". So he calls out her name & I hear a bit of a pause and then my cousins picks up the phone: "Hello?" [we're both a bit in shock at this conversation] "Um...sorry Raina. I'm running late. I'll be there in 30 minutes....I'll be there as soon as I can." Anyways, it kinda added a nice touch to our experience because it was like calling someone's home. It gave the place a nice chill feel to it! I know Yelpers had spotty food/service but we went on a very slow Sunday night so our food was all hot and service was fine. Here's my lazy quick list style breakdown: *Decor: Cool. just as everyone said. *Neighborhood: scary. Just as everyone said. (Not so bad thanks to Daylight Savings Time tho!) *Service: Again, it was pretty empty on a Sunday night. I think we were 1of 3 tables so the busboys were super anxious & kept trying to take our plates away because they had nothing else to do. Our waitress was fine & checked up on us. *Music: Good hip hop. We all agreed the music selection was way better than what they play in clubs these days! *Food: --Shrimp Creole Poppers: yum. --meatloaf over mashed potatos: tasty! --Ox-tail: delicious! --Fried chicken: Good. However, I think the skin wasn't as crispy as Hard Knox. But still really good. --Cornmeal-breaded catfish served over collard greens: catfish was good (moist but still really good crust). The collard greens were a bit on the sweet side. --Mac&Cheese: decent! I love cheese so I'm easily won over. Yah it's pricey but I felt the food was pretty quality (I wonder if the organic & sustainable trend would work in LA?!?! Hmm...I guess there aren't any farms in LA...) I liked everything I sampled and would definitely try any of them again upon another visit.
(4)Gabrielle G.
I really, really, really wanted to like this place. I did, I swear. But everything was just...eh. I had the fried chicken and mac and cheese. Seriously, just "eh". Nothing to complain about, but nothing to really be excited about either. For desert we had the chocolate beignets. Not beignets at all, but super dense dough balls filled with solid chocolate. Chocolate wasn't even melted. Not all what i expected and nothing like the beignets I remember from Du Monde. I wouldn't go back.
(3)Kristopher F.
If this is top soul in San Francisco, San Francisco needs more soul.
(3)Dana F.
By bottomless mimosas, they mean hour long. They cut you off and the they're watered down. Forget that.
(2)Hepson C.
I came here for dinner with a group of friends and I'd have to say the music selection was on point! The food was cool and customer service was great but the music definitely made my night. Don't change a thing.
(5)Elena F.
When you make a reservation be sure to request a table away from the live music, otherwise good luck trying to have a conversation with your table companions. The french toast I ate was deliciously sweet, the "fresh fruit" that came on the side wasn't so fresh.
(3)keith m.
Best soul food in S.F. always a go to when in the city
(5)Norman P.
Ya know...i really really really wanted to love this place. I love fried chicken, grits, greens, etc. but honestly my meal was just so so. The cornbread was good but not plentiful and rich. And the fried chicken looked precious. I ordered the jambalaya which was so-so -- not exactly spicy enough and not exactly rich enough. The service was decent but we ate around 5 in the evening right when they opened and the service felt a little light. We were visiting with my cousin and all of had a great time despite the so-so meal -- maybe I will give them another chance. I really hate giving three stars!
(3)Gabriel F.
You gotta be kidding me! How can soul food be so bland and tasteless? Troubling.....I swear the jambalaya I had was made with ketchup....and the price tag??? JC....not worth your time or money. Plus side...the strippers from the peeler club up the road take their breaks here at the bar.....X-) Sorry Farmer Brown....won't be seeing you again....
(1)Jamie B.
ring, ring "hello?" "ummm, hi mom, it's me?" "hey sweetie, are you crying?" "no, uhm, i'm okay." "baby, what's wrong?" "I just wanted some soul food and uh i asked around and was told to go to Farmerbrowns and uh (sniff, sniff).........." "calm down, tell me what happened." "we got there and I ordered...." "what did you order?" "chchchicken" "fried?" "uh huh" "was it bad?" "nnooooo, it was okay, small, crunchy..." "what!?!? soul food isn't small and crunchy!" "i know" "what else did you order Jamie" "greens" "Well I'll be damned!! Jamie, I taught you better than that! Never order greens from a restaurant! (long pause) well, how were they?" "horrible" "Uh huh, You need to learn to listen to me. And let me guess, I bet your dumb ass ordered Mac and Cheese." "ya, mom, I did" "I don't even want to hear this anymore. I tell you the truth. (talking to my dad in the background) J.W you are not going to believe what this fool did......he sure did, out there ordering soul food from strangers. I have told him time and time again, no body makes it like mamma, he needs to bring his ass home and let me cook for him. San Franciscos!! People in San Franciscos don't know how to make soul food. (now back to me) You hear me!?!?" "Yeah mom, I'm sorry (snif, snif)" "Stop all that crying shit! How much was it?" "I don't know, like eighty bucks" "EIGHTY?!?!? For how many people?" "well just two but we ordered other things tooo." "( to my dad) J.W. our boy has lost his natural black mind, they out there being big spenders! Wasting eighty dollars for two people, do you know how many people I could feed the right way with eighty dollars? (back to me) I told you not to be out there wasting your money on stupid dinners. What are you going to do when rent's due? Car payments? Do you have benefits?" "well..." "you don't listen to anything I say! Keep it up! don't come calling me, when your silly ass gets sick, eatin' other peoples greens, you don't know if they cleaned them right or not............Oh damn, now you got me running late for bingo, I have to go, love you." Click!! "uhm mom? mom?"
(2)CINDY K.
Seems the current average is 3.5 stars for Farmerbrown, and I concur completely. The food was pretty good, but not very good, and definitely not oh-fuck-me-good. I had the pork chops plate for $22 - I've had bigger portions and equal quality at Zuni's Cafe up a few more blocks up Market. Sushi Freak Buddy's fried chicken was good, but I think Powell's Place is just as good (though their sides aren't as quality as Farmerbrown). Luis M.'s buttermilk mashed potatoes were pretty stellar, but Pookie's wedge salad....well let's just say I thought it looked like a mound of cream. WHERE's the LETTUCE? The extra half star is for those extra details - fun alcohol and non-alcoholic drink selection (mmm hibiscus) and GREAT MUSIC. It totally made up for my poorly brewed half-press of coffee, and then some. "Keep, oo-oo-on movin'...don't stop like the hands of time..."
(3)Jenny K.
Lately I haven't felt like getting dolled up and looking hot for other people, and I especially don't feel like I should have to work so hard just to grab a meal and suck down some drinks. Crabby? Maybe. Mostly, just feeling stressed and don't really give a shit about what anyone thinks of me. Bigger fish to fry, you know? So... when I read that Farmerbrown was rated "Casual" by other Yelpers, I was thrilled to meet friends for dinner and drinks in my baggy maternity shirt and fat pants. Yay, fat pants!! From the exterior, one would have no idea that the inside of Farmerbrown was as chill and so well put together. They are located in a bar-gated corner space at Mason, just off Market in the 'Loin. Once you walk through the door, you're greeted with sexy candle-lit darkness and a mixture of music that works perfectly with the spotlit art, the jam jar water glasses, antique flatware, re-upholstered dining chairs and the hip coffee tones. This is a place that pulls off urban-cool and down-home at the same time. Arrive early and grab a drink at the bar staffed by bartenders who are simultaneously laid-back AND competent. Quite a concept, eh? They offer jars of spicy peanuts to accompany the flavorful cocktails (the grapefruit gimlet is so damn good!!) at the bar, and if you're nice they'll let you snag the jar and take it to enjoy at your table. I wore my fat pants, so you know I had to order the fried chicken platter. Unlike my friends who ordered the chicken and yuck-lings (read: disappointing chicken and dumplings), I loved my chicken!!! It was so good that I ate it in a shamelessly unladylike way... finger-licking, bone-sucking and all. The macaroni and cheese was okay (the noodles were a little softer than I would have liked), but the greens rocked with their layers of flavor and firm consistency ... not overcooked, fit only to be consumed by babies or toofless crack-hos. The pork loin was okay, but not so good that I would order it myself (tasted the BF's). What were excellent were the mini corn bread muffins (was that jalapeno in there?) that were served with highly addictive maple-butter. My dream meal here: * pitcher of grapefruit gimlets * bucket of fried chicken * pot of greens * pan of corn bread * in my fat pants
(4)Nikki N.
Although the service was attentive and the ambiance is cool, the food was made for diabetics. Bland, Bland, Bland! You might as well lick the floor for more flavor! I expected my catfish to have a crispy crust, not to be soaked by collard greens and the serving of yams was very small. I've had better soul food for reasonable prices else ware. It is difficult to find parking on the street so be prepare to park at the $10 to the lot next door. A nice variety of specialty drinks are offered but I would never order the food again.
(1)Bruce S.
Sort of a disappointment. If I could give 2.5 stars, I would. I like the ambiance. Rustic but clever. The music was a bit loud, but it was Friday happy hour and I am probably 20 years older than most of the others there, so that part could just be me. The food was spotty. As appetizers we ordered the hand cut fries (a mix of sweet and white potatoes) and a Cajun shrimp fritter-type thing. The hand cut potatoes had a nice flavor but were soft. I found my self wanting a crust. The Cajun shrimp thingies were very good. A bit of exterior crunch, good flavor with a nice bit of heat. We were also served a plate of jalapeno corn muffins with honey butter. Pleasant, but not remarkable. For entrees, two of us ordered the Fulton Valley Fried Chicken. The crust had a nice crunch, but was bland. The dark meat was juicy and flavorful, but the white meat was dry. The sides were very good. The dirty rice was tasty, and the greens (red chard mixed with some others) were also quite nice. The two other people ordered the pulled pork sandwich and the catfish. I suppose they found them unremarkable, because they didn't say anything, good or bad. We also ordered the mac & cheese. I found the flavor good, but the mouth feel was a bit gritty. We also ordered coffee (blue bottle french press) and dessert. I had the chocolate cake. It was *very* dry. Surprisingly so. The flavor might have been okay if I could have choked it down. One friend had the lemon cake. Also quite dry. These two didn't seem to have been baked today. If I were in the kitchen, I would have soaked both these cakes in something before serving. They were just too dry. A third had the pecan pie. It was very good, although the filling was a bit loose. The flavor was great. The coffee was, surprisingly, not that great. We were served in the french presses, and the server recommended that we brew it for another two minutes. We followed those directions, and it could have easily stood another minute. The flavor seemed good but weak. Will I go back? I think so. But I won't order dessert, the biggest disappointment.
(2)Coral C.
I have to say, this place was a huge disappointment. I had heard a lot of buzz around it, but hadn't had a chance to make it down. Both my husband and I are huge lovers of southern and creole food (mmmm spicy!), but farmer brown definitely didn't deliver. We went in on a Friday night around 7:45 and it was packed. Thought that was a good sign. I liked the decor and the fact that there was a DJ. After being told it would be at least an hour wait, we decided to come back after the concert we were going to around the corner at The Warfield. They serve till midnight, which is great for people like us who work odd hours and don't get out till late. We ended up back there around 11:15 and the place was almost empty. We waited at the door for at least 5 minutes and there was no one to be found. The host that we had spoke to earlier in the evening was standing near the bar talking with friends, totally ignoring us. We didn't want to be a pain, so we took a seat at the bar, since they serve a full menu there. The food choices looked really good, and we opted to go for the fried chicken, the jambalaya with craw fish and prawns (we added sausage), and the mac and cheese. As soon as we ordered, we were presented with the check, and the bartender didn't even bother to come back to check on us all night. I'm a server, and that really upset me. He only had about 5 people at the bar, so I know he wasn't busy. When the food arrived, it looked good. Big portions. But I soon realized they didn't put the sausage in, even though we were charged $5 for it. Again, I tried to catch the bartenders attention, but couldn't. I flagged down someone else working who took care of it for me. Now, I love jambalaya. Love Love Love it. However, even with the sausage, it just no flavor. No spice, no love. I only ate about 5 bites before stopping. The prawns were good, but our sausage was so burnt, we couldn't eat much of it. The chicken, while it had nice crispy skin, was also lacking. It needed some salt or something! The dirty rice and greens were very bland. The mac and cheese was really yummy though, and that's the only thing we managed to finish. $60 for two, including one beer and one glass of wine. I don't know if it was because we came late or maybe because the place just sucks. I don't think we'll be back. Service was non existent, and food was just bland. Also, pretty overpriced-$21 for jambalaya? Next time I'll stay home and make some Zatarans.
(1)Justin H.
Nope. No thanks. The food's decent, but in my opinion the service *really* sucked. The bar was definately going off for a Monday, and looking back I kinda wished we just sat @ the bar and ate there. Maybe it's the whole 'soul food/nuevo-urban' vibe that the place had that gave one of our servers his scowl, but for the most part the diverse crowd made up for it. So when we first sat down, we got our drinks and placed our orders within minutes. Not a problem. The fact that our waitress wouldn't let us substitute any of our sides though? Pretty fuckin' annoying. I mean, what kind of customer service is that? For a -soul food- place no less? I never understand places that do that. Regardless - it became a nice topic of conversation after the waitress took our order. So 10 minutes pass and next thing ya know ALL our food was out of the kitchen/on the table (no lie) before we had 2 sips of beer. I even looked down @ our drinks to check just to make sure I wasn't being anal. The apps/entrees literally came out within 3-4 minutes of each other too so before we even finished a quarter of our fried okra/salad, the rest of our meal was on the table. Pretty lame. Compared to other places I've had similar meals (Blue Jay Cafe most recently), the food just didn't stand up. The fried chicken was fine, but the dirty rice reminded me of cheap boxed Zatarain's with how clumpy and heavy it was, while the greens were just plain blah. We didn't even bother with dessert, even tho the pecan pie sounded interesting. Like other reviewers mentioned, they screwed up our bill -- charging us full price for drinks when the waitress pointed out that Monday was all day happy hour. Of course *we* have to be the ones to point this out to our server, which is always a great feeling. If you're really dying for good down south eats, I'd say just check out the Blue Jay on Divis. I've been there twice in the past 8-9 weeks or so, and the food (the blackened catfish/collard greens/black eyed peas!), drink, and ambience is light years better than this place. Maybe I'm just too harsh on new restaurants, but I guess when you're dressing up fried chicken/po' boys and charging people a pretty penny you start paying attention to all the little things that add up to a less than recommendable experience.
(2)Sharlene C.
$2 beers during happy hour had me sold. happy hour followed by a pork sammy and some catfish. it was delicious. i also had a bite of the fried chicken. i just returned from new orleans, so i had quite a bit of the good ol' southern cooking in my tummy to make a comparison. farmer brown's stacks up abeit with a healthier spin.
(4)Toussaint M.
So, out for the girlfriends birthday and off to Farmer Brown's. We were all so excited after the birthday girl had been raving about her soul food experience at FB. Well, we were very impressed with the decor & overall ambiance. It's visually stunning in every way and the DJ definitely knew how to keep our ears entertained. From the art work, down to the Mason jars used to serve water & beverages FB was on point. We had the oysters & fried okra as appetizers, and both were delicious. We also enjoyed the mini jalapeno corn bread muffins. Dinner was served and was fabulous. I loved the chicken & dumplings and my friends enjoyed everything from the pulled pork sandwich, gumbo, & friend catfish plate. Now, did I mention it was our girls birthday? Yes, I did. So we ordered a slice of the chocolate cake & the pecan pie. We ran through our version of Stevie Wonder's-Happy Birthday when the dessert arrived at our table, and we had finished singing and thanked our neighbors for their applause when the host comes walking over. He says, "Don't order another round of drinks because we have a 2 hour limit on our reservations here & I have another party to seat." Well, HOW RUDE!!! Not only is it her birthday, and everyone heard our singing(lol), but he couldn't figure out a better way than that to approach us about what was obviously an error on their part? So, pissed off and ready to go, we walk up to his station & offer him payment for the dinner. I also tell him that as a tip, the FB website should advertise the reservation time limit & they should let the customer know prior to making the reservation. His reply a cold, "Thank you." Still no apology and it was as if he just didn't care that he interrupted our birthday dessert, and otherwise perfect dinner. Appalled and trying to figure out whether I would come back with friends, and never recommend to corporate vendors from out of town, who do we meet outside but a friend of the owner & the people who were waiting for our table. She was sweet. She asked us what was going on and we explained. She then told us her reservation was at 8:00. Mind you ours was at 7:00, and if there was a 2 hour reservation limit then we should have been cool until 9:00, but we were rushed from our table at 8:30. We met this young woman outside at 8:40. She stated they had an 8:45pm venue and would not make it. She also stated that she got the same cold, unresponsive attitude from the host who she informed me is named Gladius. Honestly, a 2 rating is being nice considering they broke up our birthday dinner, and totally disregarded the Kira Lewis party who was waiting. I am disappointed and can't say that I will return to Farmer Brown. Considering the b-day girl is a chef, we can definitely get the same or better quality soul food, and we wont feel rushed! Its obvious from my experience and from the reviews I've read below that the lack of professionalism at this restaurant far out weighs any of its good qualities. We wont see you next time.
(2)Lisa T.
As a foodie/nutrition buff born purely of medical necessity, I was salivating at the mere idea of Farmerbrown: Southern/Cajun/Creole food, attached to the words "vegetarian" (meaning they had a plethora of selections, but lots of meat, too!), "organic," and "sustainable farming." They made it good for the earth and the body, for some reason I was thinking this meant good for the tastebuds, too... Could it be too tall an order? The answer is: yes. The food looked great, the philosophy is music to a politically correct ear. But it ain't like the real thing, still. I said purely medical necessity, people! Five years ago, living on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, my loft backed up to Southern Fires: the ultimate Motor City soul food joint. I know what collard greens and po' boys taste like when made the "bad" way. They taste damn good. Better than they taste at Farmerbrown. That said, they're PRETTY good at Farmerbrown. I had the barbecue tofu po' boy with vegetarian collard greens and sweet potato fries. I was definitely satisfied. But I didn't need anyone to roll me home afterward and put me straight to bed. Perhaps there's less of a noticeable difference with something like friend chicken? That, sadly, I'll never know... Now, here's where Farmerbrown kicked it up a notch... What a vibe! It's worth mentioning that it WAS Mardi Gras when I was there, but the place was a BLAST. Great ambiance, top-notch cocktails, awesome servers who knew how to really shake it to the superb live Dixieland band, and an amazing soundtrack of classic and remixed soul to fill in on the band's breaks that made me feel for a moment as though I was back on Jefferson in the D... And another note about those cocktails... Try the hurricane. It'll blow you over, as it's supposed to, but it's also yummy. Not just a tall glass of rum to struggle through. I'll be back to Farmerbrown. They might have skimmed some of the deliciousness out with the inorganics, but the soul is still there...
(3)R M.
**This is a pre-review. I went to the organic Fat Tuesday event last night, so I can't really judge the restaurant's everyday faire...yet. ** Fat Tuesday at Farmerbrown's was hot,hot,hot! Music- Bangin', eclectic and booty boppin' Food- So good that you sighed mournfully when it was gone Visuals- Beautiful people everywhere. Mucho eye candy. (I dont know about the decor because there were people wall to wall) Liquor- The specialty cocktails were well chosen: mint juleps, hurricanes, and ginger bourbon. In the name of product knowledge I can attest to having um... 'sampled' each of the afore mentioned cocktails and all were made with respect to flavor and alcohol content. A good balance indeed. Fat Tuesday here was phat! and I didn't have to show my boobies to get beads.
(3)Baby C.
The first time I went to Farmer Brown's I was peed on while standing outside. Yes, you read that right - pee. I was not certain on the address and looked down to place a call and in that split second a nice man appeared next to me, whipped it out and aimed. I tried not to let this "soil" my experience - and when you walk in it is a completely different world than what is outside. I've been a few times now, and the drinks are fabulous - but a word of caution for you messy monkey's - the bar has no napkins. The food is ok. Some is fantastic, fried okra, and others are amazingly poor, mac and cheese. The ambiance is nice and the wait staff is friendly. But, it is a bit pricey. And you have to like what they are doing - organic and brining a little class to the 'lion. I just wish the neighborhood folks would keep the barn doors closed.
(3)Colleen B.
Sometimes the cosmos send you a sign, when this happens it is best to obey. I never heed my own best advice though. I was told Farmer Brown doesn't do brunch, but I was hellbent on having my brunch there by golly, so I discovered that on Sundays they do indeed. I wouldn't recommend it though. We rode downtown and found this little restaurant, tucked amidst the crackheads and zooming cars. I'd heard tell of the amazing fried chicken and even upon being seated was told by everyone inside what a great gastronomical experience we were about to embark upon. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I arrived first, was asked to sit at a table scrunched against the wall and next to a four top, one of the only 4 tables that were full. I suggested another table nearby so as not to make the server work too hard for her money (she clearly doesn't). My friend arrived after searching around Mason & Market a bit. We ordered & received two of the smallest mimosas in all of San Francisco, I've been served larger 'shots' in the Mission. They were tasty though and we sipped slowly so as to enjoy every drop. We chose not to have another, though were never asked either. While I like the refreshing cucumber water at the spa, I do not find it terribly appealing with my eggs, besides not too sure what sort of life span they are trying to eke out of those cuke slices. When we finally saw our server again we asked for plain water, which comes handy in a carafe. We both ordered biscuit sandwiches with eggs and bacon (she had andouille) with grits. My friend knows her some southern comfort food, I just know that I like my grits creamy. We were both disappointed. Grits-undercooked, bacon-waayy over cooked, andouille-dry. Our server plopped down the plates & walked away never to return despite the fact there were 2 tables seated next to us, she never glanced over, asked how we were doing or inquired as to why we might have left 2 completely untouched bowls of grits. Why should she care? We had to ask for the check, she brought the wrong one, to which we had to chase her down to get her attention even though we metioned immediately the error. Perhaps she is deaf? The table next to us got their bill at the same time, we are fairly sure they had our bill, we asked, they gave blank stares paid and left. The decor is quaint, not all of it goes together, we pondered that they may have rushed to get the place open and just put up what they had or could find on short notice. I think with time that can be improved upon. The food and service....well, that is really up to the kitchen and whoever hires the staff. I wish them well, but I will likely never know.
(2)Valentina D.
My martini cost way too much for what it was, and since I'd ordered it specifically for the vaunted cayenne-pepper chocolateyness I was disappointed to basically get Nestles Quick with a dab of cayenne and sugar around the rim. I liked the ambiance, but it was a bit too dark and definitely too noisy. It tires me out to shout to be heard, and I really wanted to hear James' great conversation and his saucy stories of bad boys gone wild in San Francisco. We shared a platter of the fried okra, which is definitely an acquired taste. I acquired it when I lived in the South for a while, and I can definitely say that fried okra--or okra of any sort--can be either bad, really bad, or tolerable. BUT the chef had somehow miraculously de-slimed the little green buggers and you bit through a nice textury cornmeal crust to get to a crispy and flavorul green vegetable beneath. We ate it all, and then I daintily picked at all the little crumbles on the plate while trying to distract James so he wouldn't take any. My entree was the jambalaya, with the added andouille sausage. It wasn't the best jambalaya I'd ever had, but it had the requisite amount of file and lots of shrimp and chicken pieces. It was sassy but lacked bite, and could have done with something a bit more garlicky in the sauce. The andouille sausage was fine but how can you screw up sausage? Sausage exists in an excellent universe of its own, placid and all-seeing, salty and chewy, comforting and bad for you. Someday I'll write a little chapbook of poems about sausage and bacon. They say write about the things you love, right? We didn't have room for dessert, so I'll have to go back, try a few more things, eat less, and save space. I'm giving Farmerbrown four stars but it's really kind of a three-and-a-half. I like that it's there, and that it's organic, and that it's in the Tenderloin. They just need to work a bit harder on the soul in the soul food. It ain't N'Awlins yet...
(4)Renee D.
You call that macaroni and cheese? Please. I've had better macaroni and cheese from a box. At least the drinks were yummy.
(2)Daniel C.
To be frank, I was underwhelmed by all the talk around Farmer Brown. I love my southern cooking, but this wasn't it. The ambience is cozy, but the fried chicken was definitely dry. The fried coating was the only piece of the chicken with any flavor, which is unfortunate because it was actually good.
(3)Scott J.
When reviewing this restaurant, I have to ask why would I recommend this restaurant over others - and I can't answer that with any resounding conviction. The pork I ordered was dry and the portion was silly. The rest of my group didn't rave about their dishes. The drinks are great - opt for a mint julep. The service is ok. The ambience is ok. The neighborhood is the pits. Overall, I would recommend you go somewhere else. If you like soul food, go to Hard Knox - get great food, portions, and free parking.
(2)Yan M.
We didn't get to eat here but came by to see a friend and it's a really nice scene. All the tables were filled including the bar counter area on a Thurs night at 10:30pm. The interior is nice, dimly lit, very industrial yet modern and trendy. Definitely a good vibe. We'll come back to try the food soon.
(4)A I.
Came here on a Friday night, with about 5 other friends... It was quite the experience because there were many things going on: One friend was meeting a Match.com date, depsite the fact that one very elgible bachelor kept hitting on her all night. Another friend found something to complain about every 15minutes or so, (maybe it was to remind us he was there.) Mr. Match.com shows up a little late, fully decked out like a lumber jack: beanie, plaid flannel shirt, jeans, brown belt, beard... interesting outfit. Ok ok, on with the food and service. The waitress was really distant, and didn't seem like she liked our table. Which was really strange because she seemed fine with the other tables surrounding us... She never smiled once and acted annoyed when we had questions about the food... which was only 2 by the way.. I had the hibiscus drink, as it said on the menu, but the waitress corrected me and said PUNCH! the hibiscus PUNCH! fuck, lady, look at the menu, it says drink. We order an appetizer of the french fries which was a delicious mixture including sweet potato.. delicious! We then get some jalepeno cornbread with sweet butter!! YUMMY! When the server finally decides to come back to the table, we had been waiting for about 15minutes after the appetizer was finished, not placed on the table, finished.She seemed annoyed at taking our order! I ordered the Fried Chicken with Dirty Rice and tomato sauce. Others at the table ordered Catfish, and Fried Chicken.. We get the food, it smells really good. But theres one thing that gets my attention... the sauce is smothered all over the chicken and rice! The menu did not say Smothered chicken, but I ate most of it anyway. the sauce was getting to be too rich.. and there was too much of it on the plate for me to finish. Mr.Complainaboutsomethingevery15minutes was definately not feelin it. So at a first date, does the gentleman pay for the lady? Generally speaking yes... but we're talking about a lumber jack here. he did not pay for my little friend which I thought that was tacky. If there's a box for that, check that off on match.com : likes to pay for first dates, check. Paying for a meal divided up by 6 people, can get tricky, especially when you think your friends date is going to pay for her... so everyone puts money in the pot, and I usually check it out and delegate who pays what, including the tip... but not that night... The funky server takes the money, and comes back saying we left too little. We did. We corrected it and over compensated for our mistake and her poor service. like 25% over compensated. What can I say? I worked in a restaurant, I know how hard it is, and I will never do it again. But I at least smiled at all the clients that dined with me. Did I take the leftovers, yes I sure did. I will be back, but cautious of that one server who acted funky to us.
(4)Ryan W.
it's hard for me to understand all the positive reviews of farmer brown. this is either another classic example of people (a) falling for the hype/ image/ trendiness of a newish quasi-organic fusion place that they feel they're 'supposed to' like or (b) a precipitous decline in quality has occured here for some reason - it almost seems like they lost some good people from the kitchen or management staff, and everything went to hell (notice all the recent reviews are less than stellar)... i actually went to this joint because i met some good folks who work there at another watering hole on their night off and they talked it up fairly enthusiastically & encouraged me to stop by in a non-salespitchy kind of way... of course, the night i went, none of them were there. alright, whatever - i'm a big boy, i can pay for my drinks. so i hunkered down at the bar and proceeded to be 'actively ignored' by the bartender serving my end of the line-up - she actually took special pains to avoid my gaze, even though i was nothing but polite and never pushy about it. it was actually amazed at the focus and concentration - the effort it took her NOT to glance at me, because the place really wasn't THAT busy and this chick really wasn't anywhere near THAT hot to be throwing this sort of 'tude. (i watched this uber-bitch freeze out several other would-be cocktail-consumers over the course of the next hour, so i quickly realized i wasn't at all special...) so after about 10 minutes of sitting at a bar without anyone even asking if i wanted a drink, i flagged down the other lady bartender from the far end - it was her first night on the job and she hadn't yet been infected with whatever weird anti-customer grudge this other byatch was carrying so proudly. the one - and ONLY quarter star the farmer gets is for serving Racer5 on tap - but this newbie bartender poured my 'jameson's, splash of water' like it was a diet coke - whiskey in a bucket of ice and a ton of H20...it was her first night, but still. (i had to correct her for #2 & i hate that) the Canadian tourist to my left - who was making her first EVER trip to SF, ordered one of the $9 foo-foo cocktails with some b.s. quasi-exotic name from the 'drink specials' board. the drink consisted of grapefruit juice and vodka with salt around the rim of the glass...we call that a greyhound with salt, and it should never be $9 - organic yadda yadda yadda or no...i almost felt like paying for it, i was so embarrassed for my city. (Almost. I am not a rich man and I can't make it my business to cover for the farmer's blunders - if I did, my work would never end.) as a final desparate attempt to find the 'good stuff' i had expected and was yet to find here, i decided to try some of the farmer's grinds...mind you, my idea of soul food is Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles: yelp.com/biz/pAWfcO6e2ae… but in taking an informal poll of some of the other dinner patrons, to a (wo)man, everyone was shakey on his or her meal - there were a lot of 'it was okays' and not one single 'it was great/ excellent/ tastey' or even a 'very good' - which is never a good sign. i ended up trying the tempura fried okra appetizer, only because i was hungry, and i figured: how badly can you mess up a vegetable app? pretty badly, it turned out: when the little pig-in-blanket looking 2-bite rolls came, they weren't completely fried - they were soft and gooey, not crispy and crunchy - and were only lukewarm...it felt like you were eating some sort of snail or slug. yecch - nasty. even thinking about now it actually makes me cringe. i was really hungry and i couldn't even finish 3 of them, even though they probably cost me $12. all in all, this place is 'soul food' in name only - its really just another mediocre upscale restaurant who's gimmick/ theme is 'soul/cajun food'...the decor felt forced and artificial - almost like a house of blues kind of theme park or something - and the crack deals on the street corner out front were a turn-off, but the service (or lack thereof), whack pours, and yucky food were more than enough to keep me away. consider yourselves warned. i definitely won't be back - too many good places to waste another minute or dollar here... farmer brown needs to keep it btwn he and mrs. brown in a shed in some red state somewhere, cuz the farm all done gone to pot here.
(1)Katy D.
i read the reviews and was excited to go with a group. we made reservations and had to wait for 20 minutes for a crappy crowded table in the corner. the food wasnt hot, just luke warm ie. pulled pork sandwich which was not very flavorful but the coleslaw was good. nothing special. service was slow. couldn't see what i was eating cuz it was too dark..
(2)Julie K.
Farmer Brown's ambience is better than their actual food unfortunately. Their layout and decor is pretty cool with a DJ that spins in the corner while you eat to the old school bike that serves as the hand towel rack. The jambalaya however was pretty bland and came up short.
(3)Hilde L.
Food was deliciously executed and the portions were huge. I usually don't think of that as a selling point but I am just mentioning that for A)really hungry people B)sharing people. Plates are a bit expensive but again...if you take it home or share it, you've got two solid meals. The service was alright. I wouldn't go if I were in some kind of rush, but if you want to go for drinks and a lengthy meal with pals this is a great place. Fried catfish and macaroni and cheese! Yum yum....Slurricane (rum, passion fruite beverage) =tipsy and divine Fat and happy at Farmerbrown
(4)Jill K.
I definitely went back and forth on the stars with this one. I was wavering between 3 and 4 but I just didn't feel that the food was strong enough for a 4. Perhaps I ordered the wrong things... The service was absolutely excellent. Our waitress was extremely attentive and took great care of us. Another huge plus is the decor and atmosphere. If I had to describe it in a few words, I'd say Farmerbrown's look is modern urban with a rustic flair. What does this mean? Distressed metal panels on the walls, dark paint, and a great lighting design. Loved the old bicycle in the ladies' room which used the basket as a paper towel holder. The food, though, was really somewhat average. I started with the chopped salad, which consisted of radicchio, snap peas, Fuji apples, and a few other veggies with a sweet mustard vinaigrette. It wasn't quite as crispy and refreshing as I would have hoped. There was nothing wrong with it, but it was also not all that memorable. I did really enjoy the small plate of fresh southern breads that was served before the main meal: mini biscuits and mini cornbread muffins. Yum! Upon the waitress' recommendation, i tried the 'special' of a dungeness crab cake sandwich. She said she preferred it to the pulled pork sandwich. I was so hungry at the time I ordered that I didn't really pay attention to the prices. Later I realized that the pork sandwich was $11.50 and the special was $21.00! No wonder she recommended it!! Beyond the price, I found the sandwich rather average... The crab cake had a nice spicy heat to it but was lacking in overall interesting flavor. The roll it was on was fresh and soft but a little too thick and doughy, detracting the focus from the crab. I really loved the coleslaw on the side... it was with a sweet and tangy vinaigrette dressing rather than slathered in mayonnaise. Awesome :) The chocolate cake we had for dessert was pretty average... it was covered with a ganache. I did, however, enjoy the large amount of fresh, sweet strawberries on the side. Overall... despite the great service and vibe at Farmerbrown, I felt that the prices were a bit high and the food not quite up to par. I would definitely return to try more things on the menu, though... I had a bite of my friend's mac and cheese and it was extremely tasty!
(3)Philip L.
I was excited to go to Farmer Brown's. I liked that it was in a dodgy neighborhood, upping it's potential for a "hidden" gem. I also appreciate the attention supposedly paid to using organic or quality ingredients. Sort of a NOPA goes Cajun I was hoping. There was no street parking in a few passes, so I parked in the lot as the website recommends. The parking attendant was unusually careful to warn me that if I stayed over 2.5 hours, it would be $25 instead of $10. I thought, how could we stay for over 2.5 hours? (I ended up paying $25 for 3 hours as some of our party arrived late...). My friends who parked on the street had some "locals" who were enjoying their inebrients leaning on their car, but the street neighbors were not threatening. I would say, though, if you're a girl, you'd probably feel safer being escorted or driven to your car. Bar drinks--not bad. Ginger punches, mint juleps, wine... $8/drink--so about normal for SF. Spicy peanuts in cute cast iron miniature pans. 6 of us ordered 1 appetizer, 6 entrees, some alcohol and paid $30/person including a semi generous tip. Decor was not bad--dark, candles, DJ playing good music a tad bit too loud to have deeper conversation. The food recommendations from the bar guy and waitress: fried chicken!, pork chop, braised ribs, gumbo, and catfish. vegetable tempura appetizer: easy to share, but soggy. I think it was a mistake to put the tempura on a papertowel on the plate. It looks crappy and worse, leads to steaming the fried batter so it ends up soggy, not crisp. The tempura was Okra, green beans?, and yams. Stick with a Japanese restaurant for this and try something else for a starter. Cornbread: nice, standard mini muffins. fried chicken: none of us "loved" it. it was okay, breast was dry. dark meat/drumsticks were fine. served with mac and cheese which did not stay much together in a glop, but stayed sort of separated, which was not bad. my friend from louisiana still prefers Popeye's. I myself still prefer the fried chicken at Lake Merritt Bakery in Oakland (chicken and waffles) which are done technically correct. eat it, you will see what i mean when you taste the chicken and notice the batter does not come off in a sheet off the chicken flesh. braised ribs: too salty and not fork tender. was not cooked long and slow enough in my opinion. it was served with potato chips, instead of something neutral, so the end result was more salt. hmm. go to tra vigne for the best (comes with cheddar polenta i think). scala if you need to get a quick SF fix. gumbo: not generous enough. the two people who ordered this left hungry. catfish: the best of the bunch? the fried breading was salty, so it wasn't bland. dessert: bourbon pecan pie. not bad. strong on bourbon and some strawberries and cream on the side. (who thought of that pairing?) I'm glad I went so I could see what the fuss is about. I thought the service was okay. The owner and host and bartender were nice. The food was pretty much oversalted for my taste. And despite the care in ingredient selection, I don' t think the execution was great. It wasn't bad, but it was not a experience for me to repeat.
(2)Anna S.
Farmerbrown is a wonderful addition to a not-so-wonderful neighborhood of San Francisco. It is a shame that walking up to this establishment, you naturally question what you are in for, as the neighborhood is not one of the most aesthetically pleasing areas of beautiful San Francisco. However, your nerves are eased immediately when you enter the door. Farmerbrown is a beautiful urbane restaurant with some of the best finishing touches in town. The room is dark with very interesting art pieces on the walls. Tables are a distressed copper, mismatched silverware, and mason jars serve as water glasses. I was thoroughly impressed with the consistent attention to detail paid by the owners of this establishment. We went on a Monday night so I was not expecting it to be completely jam packed. And it wasn't. However, if word gets out about the Happy Hour special Farmerbrown has on Mondays, that may change. We sat down for dinner and looked through the menus. Our server pointed out to us immediately that on Monday nights Happy Hour lasts all night long - of which this includes $4 specialty cocktails and $2 draft beers. Immediately the birthday girl was stoked. We each ordered different specialty cocktails to try the range. Watermelon margaritas, ginger rum punch and a hibiscus blossom. The watermelon margarita is most popular. It was crisp and light with a strong tequila finish. The hibiscus blossom was more medium bodied and sweet, but good. My ginger rum punch was very light and refreshing, a good balance to the heavier foods we were about to order. Upon ordering, our server brought us farmerbrown's version of the bread plate. It consisted of a small plate of mini corn muffins and buttermilk biscuits with a huckleberry butter. I thought this was outstanding. The biscuits and muffins were delicious but very small, so it gave you a great tasting but didn't fill you up so much to disallow you to enjoy your entree. The huckleberry butter was unbelievably good. I had strawberry butter before at the Popover Cafe in NYC, but the unique huckleberry flavor blew it away. We ordered an assortment of dishes. First up was the Fried Chicken with Mac n Cheese - the birthday girl's craving. This fried chicken has got to be the best fried chicken I have had in years. The chicken pieces were full of meat, the skin extra crispy, and not oily at all. It really was outstanding and if I ever crave fried chicken this will be my first stop. Next up were sides of grits, grape and fennel stuffing, and mac n cheese. The grits were good - slowly cooked, flavored with plenty of butter and not bland. Grape and fennel stuffing was a very interesting combination, not as heavy as some traditional stuffings I have had. And the mac n cheese was very good, rich, with cheddar and creme flavors. Next up, the pork chop with pear and huckleberry chutney and mashed sweet potatoes. This was absolutely delicious. The pork chop was not dried (which is very common for pork chops I find) and the chutney was unbelievable. And for the finale, we ordered dessert for the bday girl. She ordered banana pudding. People this is not your make at home jell-o pudding. I have never had banana pudding as good as this. It was a large serving of homemade pudding with marinated strawberries. Absolutely scrumptious. It was difficult to limit my taste to a couple bites. I really believe that if farmerbrown were located in an alternative part of the city, it would be one of the most popular restaurants in town. The food is great, the atmosphere hip and the prices awesome. I am hopeful that many other restauranteurs will follow farmerbrown's footsteps into that area of the city and bring some life back into it.
(4)Linda L.
This restaurant is really weird. I heard lots so suggested coming here for my b-day dinner with 2 girlfriends. I thought the shimmering interior design was sleek, but I couldn't connect the dots between such a choice and a Southern/Cajun restaurant. Presenting a type of cuisine with a twist is trendy, but I just couldn't get comfortable with 'fancied up' soul food. The music was alarmingly loud, and a live band came on that was also too loud, and they were tucked behind some booths and pillars. What's the point of having a live band if your customers can't even see the musicians? I had to try the famous watermelon margarita and was very disappointed; the chayenne pepper on the rim gave it a kick, but the drink tasted nothing like watermelon. Maybe the bartender had an off night? But mostly I knocked off stars for the absolutely horrible service we had. Our server seemed totally incompetent and not welcoming. We ordered the autumn salad (bland), candied yam (cold), and salmon croquette (so-so). For entrees we had the seafood jambalaya (hearty), fried chicken (good mac 'n cheese), and crab cake sandwich (humongous). The first 2 entrees were right, but the 3rd entree was the exact same salmon croquette we just had! And the runner even said this was the sandwich. We pointed this out to our server and she was confused. We were like, "Did you not notice that this is the EXACT same dish we just had? We ordered the crab cake!" She finally realized the mishap, apologized, and fixed it. The cornbread were very yummy, but we had to ask twice to get refill. Finally, good thing my friend checked the bill, but we were charged TWICE for the croquette!!$^#$$&** I was about to go maaaadddd! There really wasn't an excuse for service this bad. In conclusion: if you crave for some downright homely and delicious Southern food, skip the frills of Farmerbrown and head to Powell's in the Fillmore District. You get much better bang for your buck, and you're actually served by people who know how to serve.
(2)Aaron L.
My best friend digs the drinks at this place, so when he suggested we stop in for dinner after a movie, I eagerly accepted. The environment while industrial-as-all-get-out, was oddly warm and inviting. It kinda seemed like a cross between a speakeasy and a warehouse. We didn't have a reservation, so we were seated right next to the door, which kinda sucked. (The place was pretty empty but later filled up.) There was a live band in that night--on a Monday, who knew?--so that quickly distracted me from the outside chill. Our server, while pleasant, wasn't very helpful. My friend's drink arrived incorrectly, and the pork sandwich that she said "wasn't spicy at all" turned out to be quite the opposite. On the plus side, FB's Mac and Cheese--while certainly not the best in SF-- was pretty yummy. On the whole, my Carolina pork sandwich (aside from being too spicy) was served so hot I had to wait five minutes just to pick it up, while the "chips" it came with were more like greasy potato slices. The tempura starter we tried was just like every other veggie tempura and aioli I'd seen everywhere else. The spicy pork ribs, oddly enough, weren't spicy, but very tasty. If you're a fan of spicy southern-style (with emphasis on "style") food, then FB is probably for you. Next time, I think I'll just follow my friend's lead and sit at the end of the bar with a glass of Maker's. My advice: skip the food and just enjoy the cool-kat environment, especially if the band is playin'.
(2)Ben P.
Man. This sucks. There's not really anything funny I can say when a restaurant sucks this badly. I mean, making a joke about my experience at Farmerbrown would be like making fun of children with Down Syndrome -- just not fair, you know? The one star is for the drinks, which were strong and decent. And also the one star is because it's impossible to give a rating of "no stars". More the latter than the former really, but I'm feeling magnanimous today. I mean, you sort of HAVE to be magnanimous when you're working with disabled children. Let's keep with this Down Syndrome metaphor/simile, shall we? Like someone with Down Syndrome, Farmerbrown is "slow". For instance, our reservation was for 8:30. Our waiter took our order at 10, maybe later. Left at 11:30. Slow. Slow like a turtle with its legs cut off. Slow like watching a glob of natural peanut butter slide down a tree trunk in Norway. Like someone with Down Syndrome, our waiter had trouble performing tasks that required medium-level cognitive function. Like, for instance, being friendly. Or performing simple arithmetic: we were a party of 12, sitting at two tables, so we asked to have the check split into two (one for each table). Not 12, just two. But he flat out refused this request, no doubt because it would have been too difficult for him. Anyway, after waiting an hour an a half to order and God knows how long for our food, I was fucking hungry. I would have eating ANYTHING. Which is fortuitous: my jambalaya tasted like rice with a fourth cup of salt, and my hot date's gumbo had a thick film on top because it was cold. Not lukewarm; cold. Cold like a 2-day-old corpse. In Norway. Another person in our party ordered gumbo, and, of course, it was cold too. Both were sent back, and probably stuck in the microwave. Our waiter didn't even apologize; instead, he complained: "Careful, don't touch the bowl, it's REALLY HOT." "Oh, I won't. Thanks." My hot date said. "Well *I DID*. And it REALLY HURT." The waiter pouted and marched off. Oh, and he also gave Maria D some major 'tude when she asked him about her drink, which she ordered from somebody else. The entire time, the owner of the place was pacing around, checking in on all the tables and occasionally refilling our water glasses. I mean, being out on the floor is fine. Darla, the owner of Darla's in the Sunset, runs around in her Z-Connection (shoes with springs for heels, reminiscent of the ones Kramer wears in the Seinfeld episode in which he's mistaken for a retard) sweating her ass off while she takes everyone's orders. I mean, I've always thought those shoes were fucking ridiculous, but maybe the owner of Farmerbrown could use a pair, since he seemed to only be capable of pacing and refilling water. He needed some serious Z-Connection bounce in his step. His presence improved neither the service nor the taste nor the temperature of the food. But since three people at our table knew him, we did get free desserts. They were boring and actually went unfinished. If you know me, an unfinished dessert is about as antithetical to my world view as you can get. It's just wrong. After being in Farmerbrown for three hours, I was actually relieved to walk out into the Tenderloin and have crackheads beg me for money. They sure deserved my cash a lot more than anyone working at Farmerbrown did.
(1)Jason D.
Farmer Brown, can I have those two hours back please? What a waste of my time, and what a dissapointment. I can completely understand most of these reviews now, and some like Jordano's blow me away, were we at the same place? I figured that most of these reviews were written when the place was still in infancy, so gave them the benefit of the doubt. Whoa, was I wrong, five months after opening, they still don't have it together. We went on a Monday night, not realizing that we would need reservations, or that it was "happy hour" all night. So, that is my bad, I'll own it. But I don't believe that gave the "host" (who personally I think should have done away with the striped untucked shirt) the right to have a snippy attitude. We managed to secure some seats at the bar and, again, maybe it was just busy, but whomever does the scheduling should realize they need more bartenders (you have been open 5 months!). Obviously the bar staff was overwhelmed and we waited over 10 minutes for a drink order. I'll cut to the chase because I don't feel like wasting more time on this establishment. Our bartender pretty much ignored us for over an hour, too busy washing dishes...I finally looked at my watch, looked at the kitchen and asked for more spicy nuts. She saw me do this and commented that she checked with the kitchen a minute ago and the food would be up soon. Okay, Bullshit. I've been watching you, and you haven't left the bar area, and If that was the case, you would have said something before I made an overt gesture about it. Needless to say, she went to the kitchen shortly thereafter and brought out our food, one hour and 17 minutes after our arrival. Aaahhh..the special of the night. A Chicken Fried Steak w/ Gravy po'boy. The Special huh? I was told it came with Cole Slaw, no, it came with overly cooked cold chips. In fact the entire dish was cold, well save for my cole slaw which was warm. The "Chicken Fried Steak" tasted like what I would imagine cat food tastes like, bland, with no flavor. A tasteless gravy micro-poured on it and placed on a bland hoagie roll, and the whole thing was cold. Not cool, Cold! The bartender apologied for the lack of cole-slaw and brought my dining companion and I complimentary cole-slaw (warm and bland) and the Mac n Cheese (room temp and nothing more than out of the box flavor). Our other diner had the halibut, over cooked, dry, and shockingly..Cold. We were asked if we would like dessert, and as much as I wanted to see warm "ice cream" and cold "hot chocolate", I just wanted out of here. Our bartender was nice enough to comp one of the specials but proceeded to double charge us for drinks. Cool, take off the $11.95 for the po'boy, but charge us an extra $20 for drinks? Hmm..what a bargain. I will say that this might be a fun place for drinks on a Monday when they are $4, but at $8, forget it. I've had a better $8 cocktail just about everywhere (with better service), and a warmer meal with more flavor at McDonalds. So sad, such a great concept, such poor execution.
(1)Rouz E.
This placebos all hype. Don't believe the hype. If you live in the Bay Area there are way better souls food options than this spot. This is for white boys who don't know any better. I call this place "the great white hype."
(1)Michelle A.
Good food, reasonably priced. There were a few details that were not so great. For example, my trout still had all the pin bones in it, but it was smothered with corn, so it was hard to pick out the bones. I didn't think the 'hood was as bad as other reviewers, but I go to school in the heart of the TL, so my tolerance is pretty high for sketch neighborhoods.
(3)Jason C.
Picture this: You're walking down Market towards Mason Street. Surrounding you are degenerate low lives, junkies, gang bangers, and a random shopper who strayed too far from Union Square. The closed shops are protected by thick rusted iron bars. The stench of concentrated ammonia from an alcohol chugging bum fills your nostrils. But before you vomit, you smell something fried. You look through the window, and there are lots of people drinking, smiling, and eating. Is this an oasis in the TL? It is. And they serve lots of fried food for a decent price. Since they were out of the short rib and tri tip, i got the steak and grilled bacon wrapped pineapple. My date ordered the fried chicken with collard greens, mac & cheese, and a side of fried okra that came with thousand island dipping sauce. The food was good and I was happy. I liked the jazz music that progressed into mellow hip hop as the night went on. In fact, the place was such a surprise I would have given it 5 stars given that Farmerbrown is like a champion boxer who boxed his way out of the ghetto to escape poverty. Too bad the service wasn't up to the fight. The nice waiter forgot to inquire regularly if we wanted more booze (would have been a bigger tip for him) while our glasses and stomachs went without refills. He didn't check up on us 1/2 way through the meal to inquire if everything was alright. He kept wandering off to the DJ booth to bob his head to the beat. But he was nice. So if you're in the neighborhood after scoring some crack and want a good meal, try Farmerbrown.
(3)philip c.
I met a friend for dinner at FarmerBrown this past Monday. Great re-use of the old Bijou space at Market/Mason. Noisy but pleasant space. Many of the surfaces in the space are metal-clad, so the high-end of the sound spectrum predominates, especially around the bar. Once seated, it does get quieter. The bartender whipped up a great Side Car for me while I waited. When my friend arrived , she snagged a Watermelon margarita's. Those were pretty much the highlight of the evening. Disclosure, I am Southern and I know fried chicken and I know cornbread. Farmerbrown's take on both dissappointed me. The smurfsize cornbread muffins with fruit compote (preserves, pick your emulsion) were uninspired. Where was the hearty cornmeal intensity of real cornbread??? Even nano-muffins could benefit from some better sourcing of raw ingredients. If you are proclaiming your food philosophy to be an organic approach to southern comfort food, well make it known with your breads! Surely there are folks around here who can mill corn.... Look at the masa harina used at Tracy des Jardin's(sp?) "Mijita." Now, that says corn! My friend ordered the wedge of lettuce salad, which I appreciated as much as an appetizer as it's ironic homage to suburbia. My mixed green salad with a berry vinagrette did not contain spinach. That's allI can say about that::-) I ordered the fried chicken, compelled by the number of people who raved about it in the guest book. My friend ordered the Gumbo. Verdict? Gumbo... Good. Good Gumbo. Fried chicken not so good. It was tender, but it came out from the kitchen the color of burnt sienna (indicative of old grease more than anything in the cooking process). The meat was moist, but spare. I guess they were using free-range chickens from a yoga farm... Where was the meat??? Tthe buttermilk fried chicken at TownHall has it beat by a mile. The mac'n'cheese was tasty, but Blue up in the Castro, as well as the Liberty Cafe in Bernal Heights, both whip out MnC far better than Farmerbrowns. We did not sample any desserts, nor did I get the chance to sip down on the Blue Bottle coffee offered on the menu, so I can't review that phase of the dining experience. The menus, btw, are gorgeous. However, you can't eat those. As a bright spot in a challenged part of Market, I applaud the owners and wish them well. If you've never eaten real, honest 'soul food,' then you'd probably enjoy the food; definitely the ambiance and the DJ. If you are on a liquid diet, you'd love the bar! Otherwise, Powell's (btw, RIP 2008 - butcher block paper on the windows is not a design statement) does fried chicken better (and bigger). I'd still go back, but wouldn't recommend it to anyone for a memorable dining experience.
(2)Anne Sophie B.
I really like this place and i am rooting for it staying open in this "haunted" spot - so many places have opened and closed there. The interior is nice and cozy - we sat at the bar and had glasses of the Pino Noir (very tasty). The Wedge salad was crispy and fresh with yummy creamy blue cheese (but not too blue tasting) and the Mac N' Cheese was fantastic (and I don't really even like Mac N' Cheese). I do think the service can be improved - it wasn't BAD service, but just indifferent (except the host who was very personable and engaging). There were 2 bartenders and a barback with a half full bar - yet we had to flag them down for anything we wanted as they were hanging around chit-chatting about what they did last night. But I would go back for the great food on any rainy cold sf night.
(4)Heather C.
Went for happy hour ($2 beers and $4 cocktails) and ended up staying for dinner. Everyone left full and happy. I loved that the mac & cheese had a bit of a kick to it -- and was a hearty portion for $4! Sweet...
(4)Ryoko Y.
I love Farmerbrown! Their Pulled Pork Sandwich is mmm mmm GOOD! The Strawberry Shortcake & Pecan Pie were absolutely delectable! I'll definitely be back for more!
(5)sabrina e.
Cute, but crowded. The service was great. We were seated quickly, on a Friday without a reservation. Which was good, because I brought my mom & a friend from out of town. The food was yummy, but not better than my mom's southern cookin. The greens were tough. But kudos on dessert!!
(4)Tina S.
good food and great ambiance (once you get inside)...I love the pulled pork sandwich, the gumbo and the little cornbreads they give you before your meal....the service is a little slow, but one of the waitresses always recognizes me when I go in, which makes me feel important. Also, they have a great Happy Hour
(4)Suzanne V.
Their mac & cheese and pies are the bomb!!!!!!
(4)Denis Y.
I went here with a group of friends. Even though we didn't have a reservation, they still seated us in a reasonable amount of time, which was cool. But that's where the good ended. I think we waited an hour for drinks and food, but I'm not sure, since it seemed like we were too busy socializing to care about the service at the time. In any case, my friends started complaining, and then I noticed that we'd been there for an hour and I was getting even more hungry than I had been. Their cornbread is good, but seriously, the prices are not worth it. Also, it's in a pretty run down neighborhood, and there was some guy lecturing my friend while we were waiting outside for half an hour. Pretty amusing for a little while. Overall, not worth the money and over hyped.
(2)Sharon R.
I am beyond impressed with Jay Foster's farmerbrown. I wasn't sure what to expect and have been wanting to check this spot out for a long time, but he has totally out done himself and has blown both of his previous creative visions, Emmy's Spaghetti Shack and the BlueJay Cafe, out of the water with this sophisticated, stylish and warm soul food restaurant. Seriously, this place has it all. They've got the: --tasty cocktails (watermelon margaritas and mint juleps) --delicious Southern classics with a Bay Area conscience (organic ingredients, responsible agriculture practices, local business partnerships) and less grease --impeccable customer service (the hosts and servers are true professionals but aren't all cold and austere) --stylish dining room with urban elegance that feels both unaffected and well thought out --live tunes to turn the vibe of this eclectic joint up a notch (thanks to Mooney and B-Love) I was recently at farmerbrown for my best friend's birthday on a Friday night and we were treated with such gracious hospitality. Everything was proper. The guest of honor was running very late, but the host let us sit at our table since six of us (from a party of 12) were already there. And even though the birthday girl was more than an hour late, they never rushed us and continued to be extending through to the end of the night. Everything I tried was magnificently executed. I ordered the cornmeal battered catfish with candied yams and green tomatoes. The portion was beyond generous and the flavors represented with equal force. I also tried the fried chicken which was both ample in portion and comprised of pieces that were mostly meat with minimal bones. The mini corn muffins with huckleberry butter that graced the table had it going on. And the mac n' cheese and Kennebeck fries represented. All three desserts on the menu that night were awesome. I focused my attention primarily on Mooney's banana pudding and was not disappointed. But the forkfuls of pecan pie I tried were equally excellent. And the dark chocolate fritters were a unique delight, though I would have hoped for a little more chocolaty goodness and a little less fried fritter batter. The only improvement for farmerbrown that I can think of is to add at least one other women's bathroom. The restaurant is way large and in charge to be rocking a single stall for all of us ladies who like to get our sip on. farmerbrown left me with a happy belly and a warm glow in my heart. I will spread the word and be back again and again and again.
(5)JP Z.
I guess this a love it or hate type place, because you either defend it for it's style, drinks, atmosphere or knock it for it's service, speed, food, attitude, etc. Normally i don't take the extremes too seriously, the middle ground and my own taste will do just fine, but if that makes an average of opinions, that would be just right for this average place. Everything is just ok. I really wanted to like it, but i wasn't blown away, yuppie guilt set aside. I think it will turn the corner at some point and maybe bring back the spurned, bitter haters. Can i say haters? no? aw heck.
(3)Ben H.
Farmer Brown is to soul food, as Chevy's is to Mexican food,. The only difference is, they chose to put Farmer Brown in a low income predominately black neighborhood, then raise the prices to a level that no one who lives in the vicinity of can afford. The origin of soul food is completely ignored here, then very carefully marketed toward yuppies who are delighted to pay $20 a plate for an authentic soul food experience... Beer that comes in a mason jar? Genius! For a minute I thought I was actually in New Orleans.
(2)Nicole C.
I have to agree with a lot of people, not quite the most ideal area, but I think it's worth it to go! My boyfriend and I are always looking for new places to eat and I had heard about this place from some friends. We got there right when they opened, so it was pretty empty. The bar was full within 20 minutes, with the most diverse crowd I have seen in a restaurant in a while. The server was awesome, answered all questions we had. I had the blackberry margarita, for the happy hour price of $6...so I had two! The mini cornbread muffins, were good, but not as good as the strawberry butter it came with! The bf got the fried chicken with mac & cheese....OMG I wish I had gotten the mac & cheese as a side, it was so good. I got the spare ribs and coleslaw. The spare ribs were great and the sauce had a little kick to it. As a side, I got the angel biscuits, SO good! I would recommend this to anyone who is in the area and wants a place where a lot of locals go. Just go when it's still light outside =0)
(4)Nir B.
There are some positives and negatives about the place. The positive is that they have some very good drinks and the atmosphere is really nice and the workers are very nice. THe negative is the food is EXPENSIVE AS $HIT!! You can get the same quality fried chicken by going over to Popeye's (especially tuesday for 99 cents wing and thigh day). THeir sides aren't that good either. I was blown away that fried chicken dish was like $20!!!
(3)Benita S.
I love the vibe here! The decor, dim lighting, and DJ will have you doing a double take towards the sign. I love the food, especially the hush puppies. On my last visit, I had their fried chicken with a side of green and yams. Friends had gumbo, and the pulled pork sandwich. Everyone enjoyed their food. They also make a mean Moscow Mule. You should definitely give it chance, you'll be supporting local black farmers. Tip: They have a parking lot behind the restaurant.
(5)roger k.
Great soul food (fried chicken, grits) in a post-industrial modern setting in the middle of the Tenderloin. Definitely not in the best area of town. The bar looks like some sort of industrial metal. And when you first walk in, the space doesn't look like much, but the food and drinks more than make up for the lack of coziness and warmth in the decor and the environment outside its doors. I highly recommend the fried chicken and sweet tea! Great place to come after a show at the Warfield, Orpheum, or Golden Gate Theatres.
(4)Chris R.
Mmm... soul food as a trendy, overpriced commodity. That aside, the food was good, the decor was sleek, and the business supports local, black farmers. Why not? Don't be afraid of the 'loin! It's only a few yards north of Market Street.
(4)Monique T.
I really like this place. The menu is simple and the desserts are great! It's boarding the hood, so...be alert but, it's cool once you are inside.
(5)Save M.
The 4 stars are all for the drink from the bar. I have never ate there before therefore i have no idea of the food experience. My friend who ate there said it's a bit pricy for the food but the drinks are soooooooooooo good....u get ur money's worth here....
(4)donna w.
The atmosphere and bread pudding is good and thaaat's about it. We went here for my fiance's birthday party, and my food and my brother's food came out LUKEWARM. I got friend chicken at a soul food restaurant and I expected it to be delicious or at least HOT. It's a little far to travel for only mediocre food. The prices aren't outrageous, but I think that one time was enough for this place. Also, a little side note: the neighborhood isn't the greatest. It's right on the edge of the Tenderloin district in S.F. and if you go one street up, lock your doors.
(2)Marla W.
they make a FIERCE hot buttered rum.
(4)One Black Mans POV.. ..
Food was good but not worth going out of your way for. Another soul food spot and only 4 other Black people in sight (including the staff). I was expecting to see some cuties...not that night! It was Thurs and packed, maybe its better on the weekend.
(3)Beth S.
Andy, Mikey, New Chris and I tried out a new restaurant I'd read about in the Chronicle. I thought I lived in the ghetto. Nope. FarmerBrown is in the goddamn ghetto, and in getting there, we pretty much almost died. Chris and I picked Andy up, rushing to meet Mike already waiting for us at the bar. FarmerBrown is located at Mason and Market, so basically, it's in an actual crack den, and Chris circled the block looking for parking. A one-legged, toothless hobo stood in the middle of the street, staring into the sky oblivious to the cars around him, Andy leaned forward. "Uh, Chris. Run over that bitch." Oh my god. "Boys, we are parking as close to this restaurant as possible. I would give that guy's last leg for a parking place right now." We passed the restaurant again, this time blocked by ambulances and fire trucks rescuing a homeless, wheelchair bound crack whore. Like, right at the front door. "You read about this place where?" "The Chronicle, fancy pants. Relax. It's urban, soul-food fusion." "In the ghetto?" "I guess so. I'm, um, starting to get scared." Another hobo came into the street and started yelling at us, as what I believe to be a tooth exited his mouth and bounced off my window. "Oh my god. That was awesome." With that, a pimp exited his parking space right at the front door. Yes! "You guys are going to kill me. I have to go to the ATM." "Are you kidding me? I don't really feel like getting raped today." Miss Andy eyed the array of firefighters and paramedics standing around. "I do." We pushed our way into the restaurant to find Mike sitting at the bar, sipping a fancy vodka rocks and surrounded by a Benetton ad. "Fabulous!" Turns out, deep down Skid Row, there's a wonderful new upscale soul food place, where we got stuffing and mac and cheese and fried chicken, with great lighting and funky artwork. It wasn't that crazy expensive, either. And our server was the hot guy from the Chronicle, who, while a little too cool for school, is like 12 and owns his own badass restaurant. Plus, you get free cornbread and biscuits with pepper jelly. And a tooth in your window...
(4)Jennifer s.
I found parking a block away. I proceeded to meet up with one of my dear friends to celebrate her b-day. As I approach the restaurant with my helmet in tow, I am approached by a young man who lets me know how hot I am that I ride in heels. Then he proceeds to tell me is not a bum and that he is having a difficult time and could l ..... At that moment, I just turn around and look at him straight in the eye and say, Thank you for the compliment. However, I never carry cash. Sorry. I briskly cross the street. I enter the restaurant. There is a bottleneck of people to get through the door. I finally reach the hostess and check in. Ah, my party is here and they are at the bar. Bar is extremely crowded at 7:30 on a Thursday night. There are two bartenders and they are hustling. I look at the wine list and they have one of my favorite wineries on there. Esterlina Cabernet Sauvignon. Since it was a warm evening, and I was sweating like a whore in church, I opted to start with a chardonnay. I suppose they could not afford fans or an air conditioner. Had made a reservation two weeks ago for 10 people. We were all there. They decided to seat part of our party. So a few of us were waiting till a 4 top left. It was just awkward. Hence, this place is not optimum for large parties. We waited for the server to bring us menus. She apologized for waiting so long. She really did her best to accommodate us. She was very helpful and friendly. Lots of people seemed to order the vegetarian Jambalaya. It was not very spicy. It was deemed OK. Fried chicken seemed to be the highlight of the table. The ribs were cooked to perfection however, there were moments where it was too tangy. A sharp taste of cider vinegar and brown sugar almost made me gag. Cucumber water that they serve at the table is refreshing Maybe the people that developed the menu need to understand the definition of scalloped potatoes, they were inedible. Watered down potatoes with cayenne that were extremely bland. As we were finishing dinner, a band starts to set up literally behind us. A few moments later they were playing. They were a great band. However, we had to stop conversation because it was so incredibly loud. We did not even stay for dessert. We paid the bill quickly and decided to go back to the bar. There were definitely a few seats available. A few people left and a few of us hung out at the bar for nightcaps and enjoying the music from afar. *Highlights include: Since Guns and Roses were playing next door. The DJ played Sweet child of mine. * There was an Axl look-alike roaming about. *A tourist getting his game on with two escorts, one with a huge tramp stamp. Gotta love the whores. *One last note: Fashion violation for the hostess. White hot pants and leggings with a guns and roses t-shirt with the neck and sleeves cut ala flashdance, and mini cowboy boots was not flattering. If you are going to wear hot pants and whore it up, you got to show some asscheeks, and sport the high heels. Many of my friends agreed.
(2)Bruce C.
Food was pretty good, hence the 4th star, but on the other hand, it seems a bit too trendy/hip for its own good. I mean, trendy/hip is all good, but it's a wierd combination: trendy/hip (the bar side) meets down-home (the restaurant, both in decor and food style). It's very non-descript from the outside; I almost thought it was closed as its windows look almost newspapered up, but the doorperson saw the confusion in my face and said "Farmerbrown's?". Long wait without reservations at prime time, but bar is friendly with some good drinks, if crowded. Nice fried chicken, though slightly over-msg'd. Good shrimpcakes. Decent service. Worth a return.
(4)Brian B.
If I go back again and have another great experience, this place will get a fifth star. The food was great. I had the fried chicken (mmm, crispy but not dry), mac 'n' cheese (spicy, very nice) and it came with greens (chard, with some kind of wasabiness). All in all, not only tasty, but a well-balanced plate. My friend had the jambalaya and she liked it. Oh, fried okra was excellent. Beer selection is adequate (Eel River, interesting choice). Our waiter was adorable (I'm sure they hire them that way) and totally nice/attentive. It was pretty crowded when we got there (around 8pm on a Thursday) but we were seated in about half an hour, just enough time to have a beer and catch up at the bar. All in all, a great place. I would give it five stars, but something is holding me back...so I'll have to go again!
(4)Deb L.
Drinks: The bartender forgot one of our drinks and didn't charge for it. - Nice The kumquat cocktail wasn't as good I thought it would be. Appetizers: Crab Puff & Sweet Potato Fries were GOOOOOOD! Entrees: Not really stands out; not sure if I was already full from the appetizers
(3)Michelle C.
All you can eat fried chicken at brunch! I think it was only like $15, good deal. Besides the fried chicken though, the other dishes weren't very good. Kinda in the ghetto too.
(3)Christina C.
Right near my honey's office, always crowded but the food is great.
(4)Shachi B.
Oh my word! How did I discover the brunch at farmerbrown two days before I moved away from SF?! What the hell is wrong with me?! 15 dollar bottomless mimosas? Check. Yummy pancakes, biscuits & gravy, fresh fruit, grits and live music? Double check. Drinks that come in mason jars? Triple check. Why are you still reading this? Get over to farmerbrown, STAT!
(4)Dee C.
From start to end, the entire experience was pleasantly pleasing. Our waitress greeted us with a friendly outgoing personality. She had great recommendations that we gladly selected. Freshly Baked Mini Corn Bread = EXCELLENT Farmers Market Salad = EXCELLENT Jambalaya= AMAZINGLY EXCELLENT Pecan Pie = DELICIOUSLY EXCELLENT ENJOY! & CHEERS!
(5)Mike H.
Amazing dry rub rib eye! Probably one of the best steaks i have ever had. Staff is attentive and friendly and the atmosphere is upbeat & lively.
(5)Khela C.
Umm, yea, I don't think so. Never having eaten from Farmerbrown before I was treated to a lunch delivery. Upon receipt of the items, my main entree was switched, I ordered Jambalaya, I received a spinach and shrimp omelette? WAY OFF. I also had an order of greens and an order of mac & cheese, $6.50/each. Robbery. For the size that's ridiculous, for the taste I'm even more offended. The greens are in water and have zero seasoning/flavor. The mac & cheese does not taste like mac and cheese, almost like it comes from a powder to make the sauce. Unfortunately, this treated lunch is a treated flop. I myself will never go to Farmerbrown's on my own dime.
(1)Lauren S.
Overall enjoyed the experience. Food was great. At a bit of a loss as to what we made a reservation for. We waited a little over 20 minutes past our reservation time (for 2 people) and had to ask the hostess again what the status of our table was in order to get seated. Service from our waiter was what I'd call adequate. Not overly friendly and seemed to be rushing us a bit. Food however was very tasty. Had the fried chicken and waffles and it was delish.
(3)Fedor Z.
We weren't seated in a restaurant even though there were 5 tables which could accommodate us. They there reserved and I could understand that, however we weren't suggested the option of seating at the next free table. We were waiting for our food for an hour, and the food was good but nothing special. Bartender was trying to be nice and accommodating though.
(3)Carol Y.
Great customer service Bottomless mimosas $20 My friend and I didn't order the buffet but opt for the ala cart. $25 buffet look appetizing but didnt think it was worth for us since we didn't like the choices so we ordered two skillets Glad we did! My friend got the bacon with over easy and I had sunny side up with pulled pork. So good! Best home fries I had too. Very crunchy and flavorful Unlimited mimosas = waitress kept it coming without me asking for more. That's a good thing especially i was sharing with my friend too! Will definitely come again! Close to the mall too Thanks for an awesome sat :)I Ps Their home made japleno sauce is soo good! Worth $5 to buy!
(5)Vincent A.
The food is great but holy moly the prices are super expensive! $25 for a buffet breakfast!!! The buffet is good so if you want chicken and waffles come here. It's $18 for chicken and waffles alone damn that's way too much money. This place should be known as "The Most Expensive Breakfast Ever!" Food was good but not that good to come back. Service was plain and sub par.
(2)sheila s.
Despite saying I would never return I felt obligated when my friend was excited about her 30th birthday brunch here. The brunch buffet was okay but way overpriced at $16/person. The service was inattentive and slow. At one point we went to the bar to order a drink for the birthday girl because the waitress was ignoring us. Also, the main reason for the brunch was because they had a jazz band advertised, but the band was dismantling when we were seated.
(2)Matty H.
My girlfriend has been trying to get me to this place for brunch for months now and we finally made it for their V Day all u can eat brunch! Amazing! I can honestly say that it was the best fried chicken I've ever had! Bacon was thick and well done, but not dry and brittle; angel biscuits were perfect but nothing can top the home-made sausage gravy to drown them in! Only reason I didn't give them 5 stars was due to the fact that their grits weren't all that. All in all, I'll definitely be back for more!!
(4)Pedro F.
We enjoyed dinner on pride weekend, service was Ok and price a little bit high, but standard on the area outside from Chinese or fast food. Four stars for them.
(4)Yen T.
Unfortunately, this place took the soul out of soul food. The fried chicken was bland and the mac n cheese was not the creamy or cheesy mac n cheese that I know of. I miss Delilah's back home already. To top it off, my homegirl from Philly came to town and we went there for dinner. It was a big disappointment.
(2)Deandra B.
The bunch of us were so excited to go here...one we hadn't seen eachother in awhile so that was keen..I was just so not impressed with brunch buffet. For one most of it was totally COLD, personally I am not a fan on cold brunch food. The grits were delish..but none of it really wowed with it's flavor and for 16 bucks I did feel jipped. I will give props to the bottomless mimosa, for those who ordered them they were truly bottomless. The Bayonics rocked the house so it was good to have such a good band at brunch albeit the lack luster food. Don't, don't believe the hype.
(3)Jim R.
I'd really like to give this place 4 stars, mostly b/c of atmosphere, vibe and $3 PBRs, but my girlfriend didn't feel well about an hour after we left and got sick later that evening. And I have to say I felt a little queasy too. We ate at the bar and she had pork sliders, sweet potato fries, a little bit of jalapeno salsa, and an amber ale. The amber ale tasted funny and she drank only a quarter of it. I had the fried chicken, which was decent but not outstanding. Any one else have problems last night?
(2)J B.
A Sunday buffet brunch with All-U-Can-Eat Fried Chicken? I had to check it out. The fried chicken was good...meaty...not overly fried. There's also scrambled eggs, potatoes, pancakes, bacon, biscuits/gravy and gritts. And there's a pie tray...I must have picked the wrong one b/c my pumpkin pie was a bit dry. Overall, a good exerperience but -2 starts b/c the waiter forgot the bellins even after we ordered them 2x!
(3)Jordan W.
Brunch. All you can eat fried chicken? Also, sausage gravy, bacon, waffles (freshly made behind the buffet on the weekends), biscuits, etc? So great. I love this place. Fantastic chicken and the best jalapeno honey sauce. Be prepared for either meat sweats or food coma!
(4)Monica H.
The ribs were kind of gross, could have been more tender, very sweet almost gamey/old tasting though. The mac n'cheese was ok, if you like the dryer style. The greens were good despite the pool of juice it was swimming in. The chicken could have been good but it was lacking seasoning/salt and slightly dry. The watermelon salad was good only because it had the most unforgettable goat cheese croutons =) wouldn't waste money there again though
(2)nasim n.
We went here for my hubby's bday this weekend. I loved the ambiance of the place. The DJ was awesome. The food was good. My husband is from the south. He said that the fried catfish was excellent, the yams were OK. I loved their mac and cheese and had the hanger steak, which was very good. I think that their food is a little overpriced for what they serve, but otherwise, great service, good food and good times.
(4)James S.
Soul Food utterly lacking Soul. Two measly prices of bland fried chicken, runny tasteless Mac n' cheese shells and soggy greens for $18. I was also told I'd have to wait 45 minutes for a table on a half empty Saturday night so chose to be ignored at the bar instead. Pathetic.
(1)sam h.
Went here for brunch, and it was superb. Be aware, all you can eat is essentially your only option. But it is fantastic. Everything is organic and delicious... eggs, pancakes, bacon, potatoes, biscuits and gravy (sausge and mushroom), home-made yogurt parfaits & breads, and fried chicken. Paired with the bottomless mimosas, needless to say, we left very full. Come hungry and thirsty to get your money's worth.
(4)eileen r.
The are a mixed bag of reviews here, and it sounds like Farmerbrown has been inconsistent. Lucky for me, I caught them on a good night. I walked in without a reservation and was told that a party of 2 would take 30-40 mins of a wait. OK - well, I didn't want to see the opening band at the Warfield anyways. My friend hadn't arrived yet, so I turned to the bar which was PACKED (and this was during happy hour). I wanted for 5 mins for a bartender, but they never got to me. By then, the hostess tapped me on the shoulder and said that a table was ready - DAMN! But my friend hadn't arrived yet, so I had to wait to be seated. Still, the hostess was holding the table for me. I was sure she was going to give it away. My friend makes it to the restaurant shortly after, and we get out table right away - NICE! I love the ambiance of the entire restaurant, very modern, yet homey. The Jalapeno cornbread tasted great and we should've asked for more, but we split a crisp wedge salad and felt the need to be "good" before our Fried Chicken arrived. I don't know if it was the best friend chicken I've ever tasted, but I still loved every hot bite. The mac & cheese and collard greens were pretty good too. Oh, try the spicy peanuts from the bar if you have a chance. Overall, I had a very positive experience. I'd like to go back to try out the other items.
(4)Jenny S.
So I'll have to come back here and actually try the food, but this is one of my fave dawg happy hours. From 5-7pm on weeknights, you can enjoy the specialty cocktails for a mere $4 a drink. After trying the mint julep (hello Bourbon!) and the watermelon margarita (cayenne salt rim not as good as expected) the Sweet Ginny took me home! This sweet treat is made with gin and grapes. Not too sweet and goes down way too smoothly. Accompanied by spicy, seasoned peanuts, just try to pull me away from this bar. Why the 5th star? Happy Hour is all night long on Mondays, god bless! Edit: So I finally came here for dinner and left with a full belly and smile on my face. The menu def has a few good choices - not too many to overwhelm you. I chose the Catfish and it was awesome. Fried and served with candied yams and greens. The sweet yams gave the fish a bit of a sweet taste to it. If you like the sweet and savory thing, you'd love this dish. My date had the Jambalaya and although it was tasty - it didn't have any kick. The jalapeno cornbread they serve is delish and dessert was good too. We had donut type things filled with chocolate and served with strawberries and whip cream. Definitely rich (I would have killed for a glass of milk to go w/), but so good! I can't wait to come back!
(5)Jacqueline S.
To be honest, I had higher expectations. I had the fried chicken, but have had better (The Beast & The Hare in the mission for example). My friend had the pork pulled sandwich, which was the best dish at our table. The drinks, however, didn't disappoint. I'd come back to the bar for a mint julip but doubt I'd make a reservation to eat here again. The art work in the bathroom is fantastic. The ambiance is dark with candles but it's romantic, rather, it's edgy Southern. It would be a good first date for someone who likes Southern food. Valet parking was avaliable.
(3)Carla F.
I love the The Bayonics! This is also one of the reasons I come here. The food is good, the bottomless mimosas are great when they bring them around. Sometimes it just takes too long and my early buzz is gone. The chicken, biscuits and gravy oh and who can forget the BACON are ALL delicious! Parking sucks (Duh, SF)
(4)Bri R.
Finally made it out this this spot last weekend for brunch. The live music is awesome on a lively Sunday. We ordered a bloody mary and mimosa. Both were okay but I did like the masonjar the mary came in. For our meals we decided to skip the buffet since we don't trust ourselves lol. I order the baked eggs with bacon and potatoes and my guest ordered the chicken and waffles. I enjoyed my meal but it definitely needed some spice or salt. My husband's dish was delicious yet didn't have any potatoes or sides. Overall I would return but not immediately. There are a few more spots I need to try before returning.
(3)Bucky K.
Old Mr Brown, he had a farm...e-i-e-i-o. And on the farm, he had some chickens... e-i-e-i-o. And he took one of those chickens, and he lobbed off his head, and he plucked all its feathers, and he cut it into quarters, and he dipped it in some batter, and he dropped it in the fryer, and he put it on a platter, and he put it on my table, and I put in my tummy...e-i-e-I-OOOOOOO! Finally made my way over to try some of the famous Farmerbrownchicken and I liked it. It was accompanied by mac n' cheese and greens. The greens surprised me the most. They were perfect. Just the right vinegar amount. Oh so tasty. But I'm getting ahead of myself.... The drinks. I had the first ever Mint Julep that I actually liked. My wife ordered the Georgia Peach, which was phenomenal. After that I switched to the Poppy Jasper Amber Ale which was a perfect accompaniment to the aforementioned chicken. The service. Always attentive from the moment we walked in til we left. The food. Salad for starters. I had the chicken. She had the dumplins'. For dessert we shared the Pecan Pie. Not one misstep in any of the courses. In fact, this was probably the best Pecan Pie I've ever tasted. The Space. Having just walked through the Tenderloin you are greeted with a beautifully designed restaurant. Warm and modern with some cool pieces of art hanging. The Music. Phenomenal!!! Deep South Blues. Couldn't have chosen better music myself. Farmerbrown was a hit with us as you can tell. We also discussed how this would be a great place to bring out of town guests who didn't like "adventurous" food. Adventurous meaning something foreign from their normal palate. Great all around.
(4)jodi v.
Food is excellent - try the fried chick. and mac n cheese. Service was a bit unfriendly and the neighborhood, well, let's just say I wouldn't leave the restaurant alone at night.
(4)Shannon R.
I wanted to take my boyfriend here because he's a southerner and I thought he might enjoy it. Plus, I'm trying to get more into southern food, for his sake, so I thought it would be a good experience for the both of us. We had a reservation and got seated right away. I had a salmon "po boy" sandwich, which was usual but good. Not something I'd typically order, but I do love salmon, so even salmon smothered in BBQ sauce works for me. My BF ordered the catfish, and was slightly disappointed with how it was prepared (they served it with steamed vegetables on top, which he considered to be offensively un-traditional in the way of southern cooking!) The sweet tea was outstanding, and so were the biscuits and cornbread they served before the meal. However, we verified the fact that there free refills on the sweet tea with our server at the outset of the meal, but when the bill came, I looked it over, and she had charged us for three sweet teas, as well as for another item we hadn't ordered! When I pointed it out to her, she seemed annoyed, which I thought was strange, because she was the one who messed up! The other downer was that we were sitting right by the DJ booth, and we kept smelling marijuana smoke wafting through the room. My BF mentioned it to the hostess, and she claimed it was coming from outside (which wouldn't be too shocking in the TL, right?) But it definitely wasn't...it was clearly coming from the DJ! And all throughout the meal, too! Not like I really cared, but not exactly what I had in mind, either!
(3)Jeremy T.
Awful hostess (20min wait for table for 3 with reservations at 6:30pm, and wasn't even apologetic), food is totally mediocre. Yes the fried chicken was solid, as we're shrimp hush puppies (my real highlight), ribs were dried out, Mac and cheese was flavorless. Amazed how anyone gives 5 stars...
(2)Katrina H.
Not so good. Went for my friend's birthday and had a really disappointing breakfast. They were out of stuff, under-cooked the eggs and everything was just super sub-par. The service however, was really good...so just find some better cooks to help in the kitchen!
(2)Yusing W.
Came here with a group of 5 for drinks and dinner. The decor and menu selection is promising, but so far, can't give it my stamp of approval. We got there early, so getting a seat at the bar was no problem, though it did get a bit crowded later on. Dinner was a fiasco. Service was quite slow, as if their entire kitchen staff was completely new and didn't quite know what they were doing. Took us forever to get our food (about 45 minutes), and they even forgot one of party's order, so we had to cancel it. Two of our party ordered the jambalaya, which they said was disappointing - looked it, too...I've purchased better looking jambalya from Safeway. I ordered some kind of pan-fried crusted fish (catfish I think?). The crust had a hint of sweetness - I think it was maple. It was actually pretty good, but I don't know if it's on the menu anymore, since I haven't ever wanted to go back since that experience. They say that this place is known for their fried chicken, but unfortunately didn't get to try it. If you're looking for a nice Southern comfort food place, I wouldn't suggest this place.
(2)Nicole C.
-great music/atmosphere -great specialty drinks -great food Tried two of the specialty cocktails; both were delicious. Also had the poppers, catfish, and pulled pork. Yum!
(4)Andrea R.
Awesome food, very cool atmosphere once you get in the door. In love with the Fried Chicken and the shrimp poppers. Great if you go before dark, probably not the safest place for a group of girls to try and hail a cab in "going out" attire.
(4)Ashley Q.
Dear Farmer Brown, I just wanted to say...I think I'm kinda in love with you! I'm sorry we were 30 minutes late for our reservation, but you're awesome, you still seated us right away. Your funky ambiance and groovin beats were the perfect way to get me in the mood. You won my heart over with your mac n cheese, fried chicken, collard greens, and especially your jambalaya. Then you swept me off my feet with your banana pudding. Your brewed sweet tea is just unforgettable. I have only one request, next time can you serve my jalapeno cornbread warm. =) Until we meet again...
(5)Lisa H.
I can't believe that I just heard about this place! It has been open for a year now. It is the coolest spot in the Tenderloin. I'm from the South, so I know about soul food. They take a cool little twist on it though. The staff are all beautiful people I'm vegetarian and found it refreshing that they had veggie options. They make a veggie jambalaya. Most items on the menu have a spicy kick too.
(5)dana l.
A well chosen wine list, with moderately priced tasty options. Without getting into tons of detail, the food was good, and well priced. I had fried chicken, came with mac and cheese and some indeterminate greens. I didn't want to share, but had to in order to get a bite of others' food. Service was fine. We were seated virtually right away at 7pm on a Friday evening. That kind of wigged me out a little. The space is noisy. I mean, really noisy. Thumpy thump music. If dinner had gone on much longer I'd have had a sore throat from yelling during dinner. I probably won't go back just because I detest having that noise level during dinner.
(4)Lizzy B.
NO STARS (It wouldn't let me so that is why there is one) - THIS PLACE SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN Went with a bunch of friends for my birthday. First of all....Would you go to a Mexican Restaurant that had no Mexicans anywhere in the vicinity (cooks, patrons, etc?) There were no other Black people in this southern, cajun, soul food restaruant. BAD SIGN. Next bad sign was that the lighting was so dim that we could barely see our food Next bad sign was that our waitress seemed to be scared of us and barely gave us the time of day. Next bad sign was that my PORK CHOP was only partially cooked. People we are talking health code issues. Raw pork can KILL you. I am talking so raw, put a knife in it and blood was coming out. Of course I had 3 bites before I knew it because there was a ton of cranberry compote dumped all over it. What the hell is cranberry compote anyway? Then dum dum waitress comes back 20 minutes later finally to check on us...We had a table of 12 and 7 people had to send back their food because it was a. RAW, b. COLD, c. BURNT, d. Disgusting. Then I ordered a drink, just in case my intestines were being eroded by raw pork bugs. It took forever, and when I reminded clueless waitress, she said and I quote. "Sorry, I have a lot going on right now." I think that pretty much somes it up. Any postive responses have got to be from people who work there. Because they are BULLSH*T! Happy Birthday to me, huh? Sec
(1)Benjy W.
A recent return visit to farmerbrown requires me to, with great regret, knock off a star. I don't know what it was, but nothing seemed that special. They may be coasting on their reputation, or perhaps they are not at their best on Monday nights, but either way, nothing really shined and the menu seemed uninspired and uninspiring. The fried chicken was still great. But, the thing is, fried chicken is great because IT'S FRIED CHICKEN. They make passable fried chicken at Popeye's, for god's sake. Shape up, farmerbrown! I don't want to lose you to the mediocrity that overtakes so many fun new restaurants after the critics go home.
(3)Peg S.
Like the funky Southern grungy feel of the place. All the entrees (fried chicken, jambalaya, catfish, gumbo) we had were good, but the desserts were great - beignets with chocolate filling, rhubarb pie and pecan pie. Nicely sweet but then I only had a bite of each. Cornbread muffins made me happy (perhaps cuz they could be mistaken for really short and naked cupcakes). Cucumber water. Great for happy hour with strong drinks. Why did the waiters want our finished dishes so badly? They hovered like vultures over our plates eagerly waiting for us to finish our last bite so they could take our plates. It was fun tho' playing the "But I Want to Keep My Plate" game with them . . .
(3)Chris P.
This place is good. The fried chicken is great and the homemade mac n cheese is the best i have ever had. The restaurant itself is very original and i hear the windows are bullet-proof so you dont have to worry about being shot when enjoying a meal in the tenderloin which is nice.
(4)Sharon L.
We came here for the Sunday brunch. I had the granola, fried chicken, biscuits with mushroom gravy, and The Best Red Velvet Cake In the Whole World. No way was I going to waste stomach space on regular pancakes, eggs, and bacon (although the bacon looked mighty fine)! I had two pieces of fried chicken. The first piece was a little dry, but the second piece was so ridiculously moist that I did a double take. The accompanying honey jalapeno sauce was creative and interesting. The mushroom gravy was so delicious that I drank it with a spoon. The red velvet cake was so moist and light that I had to fight the urge to bring back five more plates of it to the table.
(5)Hiyasmin D.
This place has been on my list for such a long time! Was very happy to finally get to eat here. Right off, when I walked in ... I loved it! The decor and atmosphere was very unique and eclectic. They have a very southern/jazz style that makes the place feel hip and trendy. They had a DJ playing when we got there and was seated right away (was at 6:15PM) We were given tiny cornbread with jalepeno to start with. They were delicious! We ordered: - Fried Chicken - Fried Catfish - Prawns and Grits. All were very tasty! The portions were pretty big so we (4 of my friends) decided to just share them all family style. In the end it all worked out.
(4)Carlin F.
Pork hash was more onion than potatoes or pork, the poached eggs were inconsistently cooked (some hard, some runny). Server seemed eager to upsell us booze after we ordered coffee and was slow to take our orders but too attentive when we were eating (asking questions when I was clearly chewing food). I was going to order the chicken and waffles until I saw it on somebody's plate. Better off driving to Brown Sugar Kitchen if you want a great soul food brunch.
(2)Danielle R.
I've been here a few times, and if you are in the mood for comfort/southern food (read: you won't find light bites here), this is a good place! Fun specialty cocktails - interesting takes on southern style cocktails. One of my friends I have dined here with is a vegetarian and while he really liked it, I can't say this would be a place I would recommend to vegetarians. The menu is not exactly designed for herbivores. The pulled pork sandwich was yummy, served with a mix of sweet potato and regular fries. I had a special one time -- turkey burger po' boy - just okay. Too messy to eat as a sandwich, and really nothing special. However, the meatloaf with mushroom gravy was great. Lively atmosphere. Was packed on a Thursday between 9 -10pm. While loud, we were still able to have a conversation without shouting.
(4)Luis M.
You can get all kinds of fancy food in San Francisco. Fancy meatloaf, fancy spaghetti, fancy mac n cheese, fancy hot dogs, fancy ketchup. FANCY FANCY FANCY. Now we have fancy soul food. I'll be honest and say that it just didn't sound quite right to me when I first heard about this place. I still couldn't wait to eat here though. The cucumber slices in the water is wonderful. I really don't like it when my water has a big hunk of lemon floating around in it, but the cucumber is a nice touch. I had the blackened rib eye, grits, and mac n cheese. The rib eye was thin cut into two seperate pieces and tasted great. It may be called blackened rib eye but you better believe it was still juicy. The grits were different than the grits I've eaten before but I still liked them. They were actually refreshing and weren't heavy in my stomach. The mac n cheese was a creamy saucy type rather than a baked style mac n cheese. As with all mac n cheese I would have liked some more cheese in it. The ambiance and decor is very nice. The service was friendly and helpful. I'd love to come back here with some friends again and maybe try the fried chicken that people seem to love.
(4)Jessica H.
Hoorah for the table carafe of faintly flavored cucumber water! Drink in the freshness while having a private conversation - beautiful. A tasty & perfectly cooked meal, socially condusive environment and attentive service come at the price of $14.50/po' boy and $6/fancy-pants drinks at happy hour. It's not a bad deal; good lighting, snazzy bound metal menus and copper tabletops don't come cheap, even when you are located in a rough block. For you drivers, you may want to consider coming when there are blocks of parking spaces opening up around 6 (N of Market) or 7p (S of Market)
(5)domini a.
kudos for the happy hour drink special that keeps on giving mad anti-props for the oysters three times i have arrived hoping for the oysters three times they have been out and i've arrived at, like, eight get more oysters guys!
(3)Ty T.
8-December, 2013 Buffet Offerings: country scrambled eggs, apple smoked bacon, cornmeal catfish, mushroom gravy, sausage gravy, biscuits, waffles, cheesy grits, Cajun potatoes, succotash veggies, famous fried chicken, granola with honey, pecan brownies, banana bread, fruit salad. Couldn't get enough of this fried chicken! The meat was moist, skin was crisp. I feel like fried chicken is a legitimate craving that enters my bloodstream, but it is so hard to find a good place in SF! I definitely have this place bookmarked for future occurrences.
(5)Anthony B.
The food and cocktails were incredible. And our server, Punch, was absolutely stellar! And amazingly beautiful!
(5)Sheena C.
We were lucky enough to grab a reservation on a busy Saturday afternoon, post-marathon. We arrived a few minutes early and were able to be seated right away. We've both heard good things about their buffet, but ultimately only one of us got it, since there's no way I could eat $22 worth of food! I was happy with my skillet and bloody mary though - both were delicious and perfectly seasoned. The location is kind of crappy, but once you're inside it's ok. Since we went post marathon, I had consumed quite a bit of water and had to go to the bathroom more than I usually do, and there was a line every.single.time. Very surprising since it wasn't packed!
(4)brian k.
the sweet potato gnocchi with pulled pork was out of this world... and the strawberry jalapeno margarita was pretty awesome too.
(5)Vee V.
Friendly doorman, great ambience, lively bar, perfect for large party, decent service. However the food is just a-ok. Ordered watermelon salad, battered okra, fried chicken with greens/mac&cheese. Chicken pot pie was bland(i think the frozen pie crust from Marie Calendar taste better) Washed it all down with Jameson on-the-rocks. Chicken wasn't as tasty as I'd hope, the greens were bit too spicy. I think the best tasting dish was the mini cornbread. Would return for drinks...just make sure your parking is a a safer spot!
(3)Gus S.
Excellent soul food restaurant right off the Tenderloin. What makes it so damned good? The fried chicken. Basically, there's fried chicken, and then there's fried chicken. You can have the fried chicken your grandma made you, but once you sample Farmerbrown's fried chicken, all you're gonna want to do is slap your grandma in her mouth and cuss her for making you eat such shitty fried chicken all your life. I'm not exaggerating. Seriously, this is the best damned fried chicken you will ever eat.
(4)D W.
this place is so yummy! i wrote a review for hardknox...but this place is waaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy better. full bar, great music, lots of tables, happening place...and great food! decided to try it out on a friday night without reservations...got seated in about 30 minutes...grabbed a drink at the bar...had a mango margarita...pretty strong...ordered fried chicken and my boyfriend had the pulled pork sandwich...super spicy and a side of fries...service is ok...this place can take big parties...food came out fast too...wanted to order dessert but i was way stuffed...i heard the rhubarb pie is good. i've worked across the street for 2 1/2 years and i didn't know that was a restaurant. really cool place...parking probably sucks...down in the loin
(5)Amanda G.
This place is delicious!!! Just went there for the first time over the weekend and had a great time. I have my Cajun background so I get picky with Soulfood, but was very impressed. I went with a group of friends and we received great service. We ordered tons of food and EVERYTHING was delicious. In fact, the Rhubarb pie was probably the best I've ever eaten!!! soooo good! The decor was also very nice... A+++
(5)Amy P.
I LOVE this restaurant. It's perfect to take out of town guests who want to go somewhere chic and happening but totally unpretentious. They have awesome hip hop and soul djs, the male barstaff are attentive and nice (so rare!) and dressed uber chic, the exposed steel industrial interior design is gorgeous and stylish, and oh yeah, the food ROCKS! I always get the veggie jumbalaya and spicy mac and cheese. Good cocktails, good times. Good for birthdays and groups. Not for kids.
(5)Jenny K.
While I acknowledge that the food is an upscale take on Southern comfort food and probably not very authentic, my dinner companions and I really enjoyed the food. I thought the portions were a good size without being overwhelming. The catfish I had was delightful. We also shared some side dishes: mac and cheese, collard greens, and biscuits. Delectable! I washed down dinner with a tasty mint julep and was one very satisfied customer. I liked the modern, almost industrial decor. I thought it was an interesting contrast with the food. The ambience was good and the service very pleasant. I will definitely be eating here again.
(4)Robert L.
This place was fantastic. I'm originally from the South and what a treat to have the food that I love before me. We went for the buffet and loved it. The host was wonderful and she accommodated my friend who's in a wheelchair so well. The servers were great....a totally wonderful dining experience from arrival to leaving. Highly recommended. The Yelp reservation works well, too. Definitely book ahead so has not to have to wait and/or be disappointed.
(5)norman g.
Had chicken and waffles. As others have said the chicken could have had a bit more (ie some) spice. Waffle was light and crispy. Nice place in an iffy neighborhood.
(4)Gabe H.
Great place to meet up friends after work. Excellent happy hour on mondays. the southern "chips" are excellent with beer.
(4)Nancy B.
4 Ladies on our way to the theater... hungry and thirsty after a long day at work. We think Farmer Brown... In the tenderloin, near the theater, good food, LETS GO! We wait patiently at the host stand to be seated. I notice a very provocative album cover that says "eat out more often".. of course I point it out and we all giggle like school girls. my girl points out quite loudly "That's not obvious at all!" We sit in our little booth and dine on a large assortment of dishes to share. The wedge salad, the shrimp balls, and french fries. For dinner we all shared the chicken and dumpling and fried chicken. Everything is well peppered which is actually really good. Gave everything that southern kick to every bite. We got some Mac and Cheese too and being quite the mac and cheese snob this was just OK compaired to most I have had. What topped off the night? DESERT! We got these puff pastries filled with dark chocolate with a strawberry sauce. Holy sweet god these were good. We almost ordered a second round like fat kids in a candy shop. Service was dull. Nothing exciting. Lost a star because the bus boy dropped a fork on my friends jacket and now she has a fork stained mac and cheese scar on her coat.
(4)Sarah S.
Cool decor - definitely a surprise given the neighborhood. The drinks were good, the food was ok. I got the fried chicken and it was really dry. Also, the service was only so-so. Wait staff was very attentive, but the host, as well as the bartender, were definitely not on the ball. Good for groups - they had a couple of big tables and it is a fun atmosphere. worth a visit, but probably won't become a favorite.
(3)Matt K.
Went here on recommendation from a Franciscan and was pleased with the pulled pork sandwich. Farmerbrown has a small menu but an interesting interior and a view of the entertainment on the street from the bar. The bartender gave me a red beer after I asked for a Belgian white, but everything else went smoothly.
(3)Julie C.
Overall, the food was pretty good, but pretty pricey. I ordered the BBQ back ribs and the Mac and Cheese. We were going to order sides for the table to share, but luckily we didn't since the portions were really small. My Mac and Cheese was served in a tea cup, which would have only been enough for each of us to have a small bite. The ribs were good, but they only served four of them. I do recommend the rum punch though, kind of their version of southern sangria. I would come back here for drinks, but it was pretty pricey for our small dinner portions.
(3)Jesse G.
Home food done very nice, check it out.
(4)Bill D.
Never would have noticed this gem had I not been staying at the adjacent hotel. Awesome cocktail program, barrel aged cocktails, house bottled cocktails and more. Came by for Sunday brunch, 1hr 45min wait! But we found a spot at the bar. Good Bloody Mary, ok brunch buffet, awesome chicken and waffles. The staff were all warm, hospitable and soulfully cool
(4)