Indoor Dining Room - Foreign Cinema, San Francisco, CA

Mezzanine Private Dining Space - Foreign Cinema, San Francisco, CA

Foreign Cinema

Name: Foreign Cinema
Address: 2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA, United States, 94110
Telephone: (415) 648-7600 ext. 0
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

8497 Reviews

$31 to $50

Californian

Top Tags:

Foreign Cinema is a one of a kind, nationally acclaimed restaurant combining independent films with California-Mediterranean cooking. Enjoy an airy yet chic setting, complete with indoor dining room with a fireplace, outdoor courtyard with 35mm film screening starting at dusk, mezzanine, gallery curated by Modernism West & full bar in the main dining room. Foreign Cinema has something for everyone including their DJ/live music bar, Laszlo. Enjoy special happy hours, uniquely craft cocktails, zero proof selections, full Foreign Cinema dinner menu, and lively music to end your evening.

We are currently booking for Outdoor Patio & Indoor/Standard seating 60 days in advance. A ‘standard seating’ reservation is indoor dining. Reservations for 9+ may be booked through private dining department - contact janine@foreigncinema.com for more information.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Apr 21, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 137 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Californian, Mediterranean
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(415) 648-7600 ext. 0
Website
http://www.foreigncinema.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Gayle Pirie & John Clark
Private party facilities
We provide distinctive private dining spaces for up to 350 guests, from intimately sized hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, to large, formal seated events. Our chefs personalize each menu, matching sustainable, seasonal and market availability with guests’ special preferences.Inquire via email, janine@foreigncinema.com
Private party contact
Janine Jacobson: (415) 648-7600 ext. 124

Location
2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood
Mission District
Cross street
Between 21st and 22nd Streets
Parking details
We recommend parking at the Bartlett Garage located on 21st St between Valencia and Mission.
Public transit
MUNI: 14 Mission bus; BART: 16th & 24th/Mission station; Mission-Bartlett Garage: 3255 21st Street San Francisco, CA 94110
Entertainment
We show a film starting at dusk only in the outdoor patio dining room. This is to provide a lovely ambiance, dialogue is not audible. While we take into consideration all requests for courtyard seating none are guaranteed.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Mother's Day Brunch 2024
$70.00 per person
May 12, 2024 only
For Mother's Day Brunch, we are offering a celebratory 3 course pre-fixe menu for $70 per adult & $35 per child (price does not include drinks, tax, or gratuity). There are multiple selections for appetizers, signature brunch main courses, and desserts with vegetarian and vegan options available. This is the only menu available, a la carte options are available at our bars only on a walk-in basis. We have a 48hr cancellation policy for Mother's Day Brunch, it is $30 per person if cancelled after 5pm on Friday 3/9.

What 8,497 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.8Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco Bay Area
Most Booked
San Francisco
Californian
San Francisco
Most Booked

8,504 Reviews

J
James
San Francisco
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
The food is not as good as before, and the service is also not that great. I think I am not going to visit again in the near future.
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z
zaidi
San Antonio
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best service; our waiter was phenomenal, very pleasant, courteous and our food was great, love the steak here
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Foreign cinema has usually been a fun experience. The service is nice and the vibe is charming.
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F
Foodyum
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was better than ever tonight. I tried my husband's swordfish and my mom's pork chop and devoured my own pasta. 10/10
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PP
PaulaP
San Francisco
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
I first visited for brunch and had an excellent experience. However, my recent dinner visit was disappointing. While nothing was inherently wrong with the food, it lacked the wow factor one would expect for the price point. It was all decent, but nothing stood out as exceptional. Considering the cost, I expected more in terms of taste and creativity. I would still recommend for brunch, but I would hesitate to visit for dinner again.
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OF
OraneF
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was delicious but i took the swordfish and it was very very tiny ! There wasn’t side… except 2 radicchio and a little spoon of peas purée. Really excellent but the size (at that price !!) is not acceptable. All others dishes were so much bigger…
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G
Glen
San Francisco
16 reviews
vip
4.0
16 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Love the food and service. Ate inside for the first time and found the noise level annoying.
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P
jhPa
San Francisco
4 reviews
1.0
4 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
WTH happened to this restaurant after COVID?!? The only times the waiter was actually attentive was giving me the bill. Thanks for ruining a perfectly good date night, since it's so hard refilling water or taking an order which took 30 min after sitting down won't be coming back soon I regret tipping at least the bussers were alert won't be coming back probably ever
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 5
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
Food was great but we booked there for a birthday celebration (already indicated in the booking), even called that afternoon before our dinner to confirm they would arrange a happy birthday plaque and candle on the dessert we order, but nothing happened, the server completely forgot. Very disappointing.
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N
Netta
San Francisco
35 reviews
vip
5.0
35 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Leo is the most gracious and efficient server. We love him!
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f
fanda
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The omelette is amazing! Everything was delicious and the service was excellent
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Came in for my birthday. Service is above and beyond lovely from the second you walk in. Food is superb. Drinks are fantastic. Environment is beautiful and classy. You can’t go wrong here.
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s
sffoodie1
San Francisco
33 reviews
vip
5.0
33 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
best brunch by far in san francisco and no better anywhere in the world. The calamari baked in mole is as good as anything I’ve ever had. And the steak as well as all the egg dishes were remarkably good. The cocktails and wine list were amazing!
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LL
LoveLocalFlavors
San Francisco
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Foreign Cinema continues to deliver great food and great service.
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PG
PatG
San Francisco
24 reviews
vip
5.0
24 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our Third time here over many years. We really enjoyed the whole experience...bar and Restaurant. we'll be back to watch a movie!
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HL
HetL
London
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best pork chop I’ve ever eaten (no exaggeration)! Also, the Lolita cocktail was delicious. Managed to get a courtyard seat and honestly everything was wonderful.
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MC
MChlooo
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing. Stunning environment, decor and ambience. Staff was top notch and so lovely. The food was delicious. I cannot wait to come again.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Vibe is good, service is great, food is yummy, highly recommend.
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f
foodie2
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We had lunch to celebrate my mom's 98th birthday. She loved the noise, the food and the birthday cake slice. She felt young and good to be alive. The service was attentive and great.
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KJ
KJSpeaks
San Francisco
26 reviews
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on April 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
After all these years, Foreign Cinema does not disappoint, in fact, they are still fantastic. We recently went for a brunch on a sunny day in SF and Foreign Cinema was the place to be. Even though it was bustling, the service was great, the food, even greater...yum. We split the Fruit Pop Tart and Lavender-baked goat cheese...double yum. The eggs, as usual, are the stars of the menu, I had the delicious Champagne French omelette and my partner had the Spring Scramble...triple yum. Of course the deserts are well worth saving room for and we polished off a Chocolate pot o creme. Well done Gayle and John, you have kept the experience and quality at the top. We'll be back soon for dinner!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
As outstanding as when they opened twenty five years ago!!
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JS
JasminS
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is my favorite brunch- you really can’t go wrong here, everything is done so well. The baked lavender goat cheese and brown sugar bacon were especially delicious.
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B
Barbara
Seattle
75 reviews
vip
5.0
75 reviews
Dined on April 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything is always fabulous including the service. Fun environment. Great champagne. truffle omelette.
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j
joannr
Los Angeles
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 6, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Yummy food, great service. Nice digs!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 2, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Overall the food is good, however I ordered the swordfish and actually shocked they would serve a piece of fish so small at the price they were selling it for. Was about 3oz of fish for $40+.
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M
Maamsay
San Francisco
31 reviews
vip
5.0
31 reviews
Dined on April 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Foreign Cinema has continually set a high bar for both their food and service. All dishes are thoughtfully prepared with seasonal ingredients. Service from all staff is very attentive and prompt. Definitely a San Francisco treasure.
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J
Jennifer
San Francisco
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on April 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very cool dinning experience. Food was delicious, fantastic cocktails and the movie was part of the ambiance
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BS
BSinger
San Francisco
25 reviews
vip
5.0
25 reviews
Dined on April 1, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We went with another couple that we are just becoming friends with and this was the perfect atmosphere for making new friends over great drinks and food. Our server, Trina, was wonderful and our dishes were so delicious. It was pricey (for us) but can’t wait to come back again, maybe with our soon to be old friends!
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S
Stewartv
Las Vegas
45 reviews
5.0
45 reviews
Dined on March 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our Easter brunch was simply outstanding. I can’t say enough about the staff/they were upbeat, energetic and attentive. Given the crush of patrons and the fact that we had a late reservation , they had to be exhausted. The entrees were superb, the selection was wonderful-seared Tuna couldn’t have been better along with the omlette and scramble. Nothing I could possibly replicate at home. Love the courtyard. Bravo-a San Franciso only gem of a restaurant .
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BS
BelleS
New York City
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on March 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We were there for Easter, which means it was probably busier and louder than usual, but it was our first time. Staff were very nice and friendly, and apologized for a few delays on our orders (though we were okay). Food was excellent. Almost too big of portions for a price fix, but we ate it all anyway! Would go again!!
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s
shainam
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an amazing Easter brunch at Foreign Cinema. Every course was delicious, the outdoor ambiance was beautiful, and the thoughtfulness the hostess and waitstaff put into hiding colored eggs around the restaurant was so sweet! Will definitely plan on returning to Foreign Cinema as a new Easter brunch tradition.
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MC
MomChefof3
Los Angeles
26 reviews
3.0
26 reviews
Dined on March 31, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
We went here for Easter brunch so I can't speak to a "normal" weekend brunch, but it was hugely disappointing. Pros: the space is gorgeous, with beautiful ambience, music, and flowers. We sat outside on the patio but both inside and outside are lovely. Cons: essentially everything else. The food was fine, but definitely not worth the $500 spent for 4 people. Of the first courses, the ceviche was very good, and the French toast was tasty. Main entree, really none were good. We had at our table an omelette, a fish dish, and the steak. The steak was WAY too salty which ruined the entire dish. Fish was bland, and the omelette was nothing special. Desserts, literally were all bad. VERY sub par. On top of that, they charged for coffee!! Coffee at a Easter brunch that was $70/pp and not a huge amount of food on top of that. I expect to pay extra for cocktails or a latte, but drip coffee was a little much. And it was bad! We will not be back.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is my favorite SF restaurant. The ambiance is unbeatable with movies projected on the white wall outside. The wine list and food is beyond excellent. Service never lets you down. Sommelier recommended an excellent, reasonably priced bottle of red Italian wine comparable to a lite Pinot noir.
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S
Swathi
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great vibes, great food! Celebrated my birthday here and had so much fun :)
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B
Blueshares
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 30, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
We generally love Foreign Cinema and consider it a stable, go-to splurge restaurant. This last time we went, it seemed everything went wrong and not much was done to make it right. We were seated in the art gallery - not something I would like again. No ambiance. Our food was NOT good, 2 of the 3 dishes we ordered were incorrect so one person had food while the other waited. The replacement dish still wasn't correct but you don't want to the other person to finish their meal before your dish arrives. The waitress took the order but other people delivered it so had no idea what we had ordered or why it was wrong. We had asked for some soft bread (my Mom is 86 and can't eat hard crusts) and still they brought us toasted (almost black), hard bread. They did write off one entree from the bill (the one they got wrong twice) but no manager ever came over to apologize. It will be a while before we go back and probably not for brunch.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had an amazing experience! I took my girlfriend here for her birthday and asked the staff to help me to plan a “promposal” for my law school, because my partner had never been asked formally before. The staff was so accommodating and helped me arrange creating a special menu with a message on the top of it that we could keep. When we arrived, they escorted us to the table with the special menus, handed my partner a happy birthday card, and handed her a rose I had brought by earlier. The staff then offered to keep the rose and special menus to the side for safe keeping while we were having our meal. On top of that, the staff also brought out a surprise dessert for my partner and made sure it was gluten free, as we had asked a question about a gluten free entree earlier. All in all — it was amazing service, amazing food, and amazing vibes. I would 100000% go back again and recommend it to all of my friends. Thank you for giving us such a wonderful memory!
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SF
SlamFrancisco
San Francisco
12 reviews
4.0
12 reviews
Dined on March 25, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Creative menu - some items were outstanding, others less so. Service was exceptional.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Las Vegas
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on March 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
An iconic legend that hasn’t skipped a beat. From the warm greeting from Ashley, directing me to where my friends were, Amy, our legendary server created a truly memorable experience to some first time guests. Her recommendations in outstanding zero proof beverages, oysters, appetizers, and incredible brunch specialties were full proof! The well staged plates, delicious contrasts in flavors and textures, timing of delivery to our table were sublime!! A quadruple ovation to Foreign Cinema!! An ICONIC LEGEND in San Francisco!!!!!
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A
Add10
San Francisco
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on March 23, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a great experience at Foreign Cinema. Food was excellent and service was great! Love their French omelette!❤️
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AA
ArturoA
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 23, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The service was amazing, so was the food and the drinks. Would recommend getting a mediera as digestif
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FAQs

Foreign Cinema offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (415) 648-7600 ext. 0.

Foreign Cinema is rated 4.7 stars by 8497 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Apr 21, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 137 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

2534 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Between 21st and 22nd Streets
Neighborhood
Mission District
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner Mon 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Californian, Mediterranean
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
We recommend parking at the Bartlett Garage located on 21st St between Valencia and Mission.
Public transit
MUNI: 14 Mission bus; BART: 16th & 24th/Mission station; Mission-Bartlett Garage: 3255 21st Street San Francisco, CA 94110
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Gayle Pirie & John Clark
Entertainment
We show a film starting at dusk only in the outdoor patio dining room. This is to provide a lovely ambiance, dialogue is not audible. While we take into consideration all requests for courtyard seating none are guaranteed.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.foreigncinema.com/
Phone number
(415) 648-7600 ext. 0
Private party facilities
We provide distinctive private dining spaces for up to 350 guests, from intimately sized hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, to large, formal seated events. Our chefs personalize each menu, matching sustainable, seasonal and market availability with guests’ special preferences.Inquire via email, janine@foreigncinema.com
Private party contact
Janine Jacobson: (415) 648-7600 ext. 124

Foreign Cinema

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Dining areas

Additional information

Experiences

Mother's Day Brunch 2024

Menu

What 8,497 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

Does Foreign Cinema offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Foreign Cinema restaurant rated?

Is Foreign Cinema currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information