I was pleasantly surprised. Â It's a Big restaurant with a Thick menu, so I was expecting a generic Bennigans / TGI Fridays kind of soulless, corporate restaurant. Â I was wrong - it's a friendly place with genuine, non-robotic servers and extremely good food. Â And of course the view is wonderful.
There was a big crowd of people waiting outside, so I assume the wait to be seated was very long. Â We were glad we had reservations!
First time going to an Elephant bar and last time coming. We were a party of 20 and while we were waiting for our food my buddy and I went to the bar to grab a drink   . The bar tender told us that we are not able to buy a drink at the bar because we have a table. But we asked why is that he told us its because we have a gratuity added to out tab on the table and it is to make sure we tip. So I went back to the table and out server never showed. I'm sorry but it is the worst service I have had in a while. I say that if you are looking for a place to eat with a party more than 6 find some where else to spend your hundreds of dollars instead of this place that admitted they only want your money.
Review Source:On my trip to San Fran I was looking for a restaurant near my hotel that offered decent take out. Elephant Bar hit the spot!
I walked along the Bay Path which took me right behind the place, so the convenience factor was high. When I arrived I found the decor a little Tommy Bahama meets Ralph Lauren. Interesting, but not a big deal for me as I was getting my food to-go.
I got the cobb salad which was okay. If nothing else the ingredients appeared to be fresh, and the price was tolerable at about $9 for a pretty large salad.
The wait here is RIDICULOUS. My usual wait is around 20-30 minutes. It was 20-30 minutes even with a reservation.
The atmosphere is a nice place to eat at with an amazing view of the airplanes flying out and flying in.
The food is pretty good. Sometime the dishes are too good, nor too bad. The desserts are always good as usual.
Service is pretty good. They like to have conversations with the customers and super nice!
WHAT IN THE WORLD. Why do people like this place?? Cheesecake factory is 108134910239132x better!
I love this area though, with the beautiful view. That's the only plus...plus one dish that was good and some of the drAAnks.
The ambiance is nice. Hmm, what else? I guess most of the workers are nice too. Through the years, I've tried plenty of dishes here especially when my friend worked there. However, I've always been disappointed and left hungry because I just didn't like it. I'm not THAT picky and will eat whatever, but some of the things here are just plain blah.
What is the type of food served here anyway? Dishes from around the world? I don't get it.
I remember from past experiences that the sushi was disgusting, the salads were useless and bland and small and ugh...(cheesecake factory salads...OMG SO GOOD), the chicken was covered in way too much sauce, and I don't even remember the rest because I blocked it from my memory.
The mojitos were delish and their other drinks are super good too. The ONLY dish I've liked so far are the chicken wraps.
Elephant bar...you going in the trunk.
Do not eat here!!!  The view is awesome and but the food and staff are mediocre at best.  Our  server did not know the menu and when the food came it was over cooked and lacked flavor.  Paid way too much for the food.  The owners should close this chain and put a better restaurant in to match the view.
Review Source:A chain. This one is on the bay looking out toward SF airport. It's a cool place to watch airplanes coming and going from a distance (you can see them landing on the runway). Â Other than that I'd see no reason to eat here. It's an upscale Denny's. Even the plastic menu binder reminds me of Denny's and the food was average at best IMO. The service wasn't great. They tried and were friendly but on this visit our server seemed confused and new to the job. I would not return (unless stuck at an airport hotel near this place on a layover).
Review Source:I was very disappointed. I haven't been to this elephant bar in over 10 years and it's really gone down hill. I came for dinner and our server seemed out of it. He was never to be found, forgot one of our dishes. Everyone was halfway through their meal and my friend had to basically shout for another server to ask why his hasnt come out yet. Our waiter was very inenthusiastic. At first, I felt bad for the guy because unlike other waiters, he was slim so he couldn't carry all the plates like the other waiters can on one arm. He had to make many trips. But his customer service overall so poor that it didn't matter, we felt like he barely acknowledged us, he just didn't seem "present". To make matters worse, we paid separately and he CRUMPLED our receipt. Seriously? He told us, he didn't 'get it'? What is there to get-- we wrote the credit cards with the amount on the receipt. When we came back to sign for it, he didnt give us pens. We saw him feel his pockets for them but just left us without pens to sign. Luckily someone at the table had one so we used hers. It was just absurd.
When the food came, I ordered a steak and prawn dish. It didn't look anything like the picture. The steak was so minuscule in comparison, I didn't complain because it  tasted good and had a long day. But most people at my table were appalled when they saw it. And the dish wasn't cheap- it was $20 so I felt like I wasted money and wasn't satisfied. Other people ordered some food and their meat was also very tiny. It made me wonder if elephant bar is skimping due to financial reasons... I used to come here all the time when I was in high school and it was just such a different experience this time, I won't be coming here for dinner again. sad.
This place is a strange combination of what they call global cuisine and wok cuisine. Â The only interesting thing that I found on the menu was a hamburger. Â They made it all so fancy with a 'build your burger' section. Â I was astonished when I was asked how I wanted my hamburger cooked, I went for medium rare. Â So many places just cook it to death in order to protect themselves from lawsuits b/c they source their meat from places that have too high a risk of contamination. Â So good on these guys.
The service was very nice but rather slow.
There was a pretty unique view of a shallow bay and one of the approach runways of SFO so I got to watch planes land.
Parking: Good luck. Though it is an open lot, you probably have to go over to another person's lot to find parking.
Definitely come here early since it gets packed quickly. Coming here you are paying for the scenery and the view of the ocean and SFO. The food wasn't amazing since it was a very american asian fusion type restaurant. Imagine an upscale panada express or PF Chang's slower littler brother and you get elephant bar. The nice thing about this place is that there is a lot more american food than asian. The food isn't huge portion but for that price you would want the portions to be a bit bigger or atleast the taste to be better.
The view isn't that great since the sky is usually gloomy and if you come here during dinner, it is pretty much pitch black outside. I wouldn't come here unless you want to eat at a place with a view. Though I would rather spend the money on my food than on the view.
Multiple visits, averaging 2-3 times a month
Elephant Bar Restaurant is a chian that features the usual American fares with an Asian twist. For a chain they are not all bad at all in terms of food and service. This particular location affords the view of 28L/28R runway of SFO. I always come here on weekend to get a window booth and watch the planes.
The menu is huge--think Cheesecake Factory huge. Page after page of burgers, sandwiches, appetizers, and wok-fry dishes. I usually steer clear of the high-calorie wok stir-fry and deep fried entrees. Most likely I'll get a combination of:
*Artichoke dip: chips always warm and crispy, generous artichoke, you can always ask for more chips. I like this better than the appetizer platter because I don't care for the bruchettas and chicken tenders.
*Coconut shrimp skewers: recently this has been a favorite. Battered shrimps with shredded coconut with a zesty sweet-and-sour dip.
*Santa Barbara burger: Â Avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, jack cheese. Tasty and good-value just under $10. Avocado mashed over the burger. Ripe and flavorful.
*California fruit salad with chicken: this has been my staple and is a winner. Very tasty and healthy (550 calorie with chicken) with strawberries, orange, blueberries, and mixed greens with citrus dressing.
*Arugula salad with five-spiced chicken: surprisingly tasty and flavorful for a low-calorie selection (330 calorie), even lower than the California fruit salad. Wok-fired chicken seasoned with a flavorful five-spice blend tossed with arugula, fresh apples and beets.
*Iceberg wedge: my boyfriend's favorite, with 1000 Island dressing.
*French dip: the least appealing dish ever here. Menu said au jus but the dip tastes like a sweet teriyaki sauce. Nothing special and the meat very bland. I won't recommend this one.
Service is always friendly and attentive. They are very busy with after-church crowd on Sunday so come early, especially if you prefer the window booths. Usually it is no more than a 20-minute wait for two.
*Tips: Parking can be difficult on weekends. You can park in the El Torito lot next door. Come early. Busiest between 12 noon and 2. The Millbrae location has very nice view of the SFO runway, food is better than the Serramonte location.
Buy a Costco gift card before coming.
Everything is rip off here!
The view barely makes it worth it.
The wait is long, and when you get in, you wait another half hour to get your order taken, and another half hour for food to come out.
My nephews were literally getting pale and on the verge of fainting by the time the food got here....
...and of course, the food tasted like cardboard....
Came by here around 930pm on a thursday night and this place was packed!!!!!!!
Our server was extremely friendly and did her very best to service our needs in a time efficient manor. The food was good minus the spinach dip which was less than appealing. Only reason why I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the bartenders and bussers need to step their game up. Working in he restaurant business myself, I know things happen but there is no excuse for blatantly ignoring your guests.
When you say Elephant Bar, i'm usually naaaah, meh, whatevs. But this particular location totally gets my vote. Let me tell you why...
LOCATION:
By the airport so if you get lucky like I was, you get a booth by their huge windows overlooking parts of SFO runway which means you get to see birds coming and going in close proximity. If you are on a date, ask to be seated by the booth then use these airplanes as a conversational piece e.g. Did you know that the first flight of a commercial airline was in a Benoist airboat? That kind of thing which will definitely make you look either smart or trying hard? :P Â
PARKING:
Though they have a big parking infront, finding a spot can be a b*tch especially during dinner time so be ready to wait for a couple of minutes to grab a spot.
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
5 Stars! I heart my server! We didn't have to wait long after being seated for him to take our orders. He was very friendly, attentive and efficient. Always, all the time checking on our table if we needed anything. Usually the servers are MIA in places that are always poppin' so I really appreciate it if my server is visible and available most of the time.
FOOD:
I've been to a couple of Elephant Bars and the food is always disgusting and when I say disgusting, it's either it's drenched in oil, over cooked or the Chef decided to just throw whatever digestable item he can find in his kitchen and throw it in my plate and call it a special! Blech! BUT not with this one! Being the Amerisian Rice Monster that i am (heh!) I of course got myself a meal that comes with rice. The Steak and Prawns <a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=E0S8-YEmTYa0h0Qn4kKKfg&userid=BDHDu2gEcRS6d4qz8yf7zg">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a> was a GREAT choice for me! I had my steak medium well and it came out perfect! The vegetables was cooked just right! It retains the natural sweetness of it and the crunchiness that I like. The presentation and the way it tasted impressed me big time. like seriously, am I in Elephant Bar?
DRINKS:
Aaaahhh the drink...I skipped my whiskey and had something bloody good. My Bloody Mary was on point <a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=nBzUXix-N_91o3hETmy1KQ&userid=BDHDu2gEcRS6d4qz8yf7zg">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>! I told them how I like it and they mixed it the way I requested for it.
The first EB that I actually look forward to visiting again!
KThxbai! :)
** 2.5 stars **
So what is the point of making a reservation and then the hostess says we will seat you in 10-15 minutes? Â
Ok, let's start off with the good, good service, our waiter took our drink order, followed by our dinner order, and came back several times throughout the meal to check on us and to refill our beverages. Â
That is it for the good, why were we only given one specials menu for the whole table of 7, so we each had to take a turn looking at it, same for the dessert menu, only one dessert menu dropped off at our table, so we each had to take a turn, I find this to be a very odd practice.
Food, a strong 2 stars. Â Ordered the jambalaya, the sauce was okay along with the shrimp and sausage, but the chicken was EXTREMELY dry. Â The bread looked appetizing but unfortunately it was very bland.
I don't dine here very often anymore and I don't see myself coming here much in the future.
Such a pretty location!! Big windows and great view. Â I went here for happy hour and it was crowded!! Luckily my friends and I found seats at the bar. Â The best service. Â So attentive. Â I ordered the Korean BBQ tacos with margarita special for $7.50. Â Really good!! I'm always skeptical about asian flavored stuff but the meat was very well marinated. Â I highly recommend it! Â I also ordered the artichoke dip which I didn't really like. Â Tasted kind of bitter. Â Not so great but everything else was perfect. Â Parking may be a bit of a problem due to the crowd but there's places across the street as well.
Review Source:Normally it's a "meh" experience here, but tonight was utterly amazing to me when they decided to "seat" a party of 7 at a 4 person booth, and then give the adjacent round table to a party of 6 instead.
Apparently they "do this all the time" (7 people to a booth) per one of the employees. If  this was McDonalds then whatever, but at over $15 a person you can really invest in some basics like chairs, or having the sense to not seat people away if you can't actually seat them all.
As normal the food is "meh" and utterly soaked in salt, sugar, and/or fat depending on your order. Getting out of here with a less than 2,000 calorie dinner sticks you to a tiny section of the menu.
If your friends are going don't throw a fit about it, but I don't know why you'd pick this place if it was your choice.
This is a great place for long island ice tea happy hour. Â It is a go to restaurant when you have no where to go or just to met up people since it is a friendly and bustling environment. Â Location is great because they have huge open windows to see the airplanes take off and land which is a plus.
I like that they have a lot of visuals on the menu. Â Makes it easier for me to order my food. Â Oh I want that one and that one oh oh and that one doesn't look bad either!!! Â But the food ended up being is mediocre but not horrible. Â Don't get their sushi and asian noodle soup combo it is bland. Â However, I am please with most of their pasta dishes. Â I will come back though so no worries!
Best way of spending your afternoon!
Doesn't matter what you'll pick: calm family evening or noizy celebration with friends - you'll be satisfied, trust me!
Awesome steaks (New York especially, with mashed potatoes, shrimps and salad), burgers and seafood, perfect service, reasonable prices.
What else do you need?!
Kinda like Cheesecake factory, there are a million items to choose from the menu. It's a very tough decision when you're hungry.
Here is the lay down -
We started off with the Global Sampler - The Coconut Fried Shrimp Skewers were my favorite of the bunch. The two Chicken Marsalas went down the fastest. The MisoYaki Fire Grilled Salmon was a close third. The Jambalaya remained untouched and went home in a to-go box. Oh, and the grand finale of the Ice Cream Mud Pie went down without a chance.
Probably one of the best parts, and maybe the biggest reason people come here would be to watch the airplanes land and takeoff. It's very close to SFO, so it provides some good entertainment. You'll be able to see about 50 -75 airplanes land and take off during your meal.
Came to SF to visit my sister and cousin and to also drive to Half Moon Bay for the Pumpkin Festival.
Took wife, son, cousin and her husband out for dinner. They wanted to eat  this place. The server was checking on us all the time. Don't know if she was new or if her boss was watching her.
Don't remember what everyone ordered, but the end result...we were all satisfied with no complaints.
I really want to give this place 4star. I always come to this place since i am living closed by. However, i dont feel comfortable to eat here any more. Because on Oct. 04, i am very positive i wrote total of $145 on merchant copy, but when i checked my online banking today, i was charged $145.46. I know, it's only 46cents, i dont care abt 46cents, its about HONESTY!
Review Source:Meeeeh. One step above TGIF, but that's not saying much because TGIF is pretty much a cafeteria with people bringing food to your fat ass instead of your fat ass getting up and getting it.
I ordered the New York Steak. I wasn't expecting much, so it met my expectations. It tasted like the 4 AM steaks I would make at UCSB while blacked out and just throwing steaks in the microwave thinking I'm actually cooking. Whatever. I'm the fucking Iron Chef when I'm drunk. My food tastes prime but when I'm sober... totally a different story. I can cook a great cereal though. Not only is my cereal pour great, but my milk pour is even better. So anyways, Elephant Bar tasted like my cooking except I had to eat this shit sober. Not gonna lie, the food tasted a lot better because I didn't pay for it, but I definitely wouldn't pay $20 for that piece of shit again.
I would give them 3 stars, but I'm gonna give them +1 star for the great service. We came in with a party of 25ish around lunchtime last Saturday. It was a family lunch (extended family... we're not Mormon). The waitress was very attentive. I always had water in my cup, the food came out timely, etc. It was just really good service for this many people. The service is usually complete shit when we have family meals. I was surprised.
Way overpriced for what they offer - crapy customer service, lousy drink & loud tolerated drunk regulars. Â As long as you keep the rounds coming they encourage you to stay and spend $8 for a well drink.
The food isn't great - they try to come off as authentic asian/seafood/fusion but it's a rip of TGI Fridays & Cheesecake Factory with a $2 per entree surcharge because they think they are special.
Do yourself a favor and try your local hotel bar. Â Westin, Marriott and Hyatt Regency all offer great food and stiff drinks. Â How do I know? Â I stay in SFO for work twice a month. Â
BTW, the view isn't that great if you travel as often as I do - all airports look the same.
Four stars for the view and that yummy artichoke/spinach dip.
- Pricey but what restaurants aren't.
- I had the shrimp platter with baked shrimp, teriyaki shrimp and coconut shrimp plus some veggies. Not bad but not amazing.
- Server was okay. Not super friendly, not a super a-hole.
- Good amount of TVs on for anyone interested in watching the Giants or other games in the bar area.
- Yeah, I think I'm being generous with 4 stars. Maybe more like 3.5 but I'll round up.
I never quite know how to rate Elephant Bar.  I'm almost always satisfied, but never overly excited about the food.  I like ordering the single lamb shank, because seriously fellas, I love to eat, but just thinking about the richness of eating two of these already makes my heart feel slightly clogged.  But they are sooooo yummy!  <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LHN563H-gph4RL1E8G7iEw?select=lzK8M6hYDtYWmEwDTDUb8A#UHQHt1GPeoCmJpphceCzIA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
I guess part of my problem is that I go here at odd times, and almost always during a shift change. Â I always feel guilty when the server mentions that they are leaving and we're not ready to close our tab because who wants to leave before getting a heaping mud pie slice? Â Then I don't know how I should tip? Â Maybe I want more to go to the person who started, or maybe the server that just got on shift is much nicer and pleasant. Â Do they split the tips appropriately? Â Oh the confusion...
Anyway, I'm gonna give them four stars. Â They serve what we want pretty consistently, the portions are pretty generous, and I haven't had anything that made me want to send it back to the kitchen. Â For a location near the airport, they handle tourist and locals pretty well.
Came here two weeks ago for the first time because everything else was closed around 9:30pm.
Shrimp Scampi in Lobster Sauce: 3.5 stars. Nothing extraordinarily good. Tastes like Olive Garden pastas. It's basically pasta with lobster sauce and tiny shrimps all over. The portion was ok. It could have been more flavorful.
Sautéed Chicken Marsala: 3 stars. My friend had this, they said that the portions were tiny and not worth the price.
Global Sampler: 3 stars. It was interesting because we tasted different samplers. But it was not worth $15 to me. The appetizers were average.
My friends who took me here told me NEVER to get their Asian dishes because it was badly made.
+parking: not bad, they have their own parking lot, and plus we came when it was about to close so no one was there.
+ambiance: I love the interior and exterior design of the restaurant. So unique. Also, it was kind of romantic because my friends and I were eating to the side of the restaurant where we could look out to the ocean filled with lights.
+service: our waitress was friendly and the staff were professional.
To be honest, I almost never eat here. I'm not a big fan of the food. But their bar is a whole different story. Â
I go because they have a pretty reasonable happy hour selection. Which in turn makes their liquor and beer amazing. Good appetizers and a cheap 24 oz. beer and I'm a happy camper.
Also, the bartenders are great. They make good drinks and are very charming.
Dont forget, they're also super hot! Tip well ladies and gents!!
Meh, kinda experienced better but A-OK.
I never understand why these places are so mainstream. Â I guess it's because the majority of people really don't care what they're eating or how they really should be paying for it.
I should disregard my own opinion based rant first and get down to the actual facility.
Customer Service? Â A-OK! - Our staff was kind, helpful, just always around the corner, and full of smiles. Â You know how some servers will talk about their life story to you just when you ask what drinks are available, well I didn't get that this time and here in Burlingame. - Phew...
The staff was not readily available when we needed them but once their antlers caught our vibes then they came running. - Good job.
The Food: Â Well, it's definitely a step up from what you might expect should you dare to eat a places like Outbacks or TGI Fridays. Â Of course, the Elephant Bar is known to round up different ethnic flavoured foodies and serve a menu.
I really never walk away thinking anything was worth dreaming about when I leave.  Maybe the Jambalaya  tingles my tongue when I think about it; I really do like how they flavor it but again it's nothing that I dream of when I think of the next place I want to go and eat.
The Drinks: Â Nothing special. Prices are kinda hiked but expected so you should have known better than to go to a foodie place to grab drinks. Â - Isn't that what "bars" are for???
Anything worth recalling? Â Yes, these places tend to attract those who wear baseball caps while eating at dinner and also make their female dinner dates pay. Â - Geeez!!! What happened to dinner table etiquette? Am I that old school?
Decided to come here on a Sunday for my friend's farewell dinner. To be honest, I had a great time.
The hostess was very friendly and assured me that my reservation was for the time I asked for. Among the huge crowd of people surrounding the entrance, she offered me a menu of the happy hour menu while my friends and I waited for our party arrive.
As we were seated, our waitress offered excellent customer service. The seating that we got wasn't up to par so she went out of her way to see if the bar had ample seating that could fit 8 people. Unfortunately, the seating could only fit 5 so we decided to stay where we were. Not really a big deal because right across from our table was an empty table that the waitress and her team put side by side to meet our needs.
The only negative feedback I had was the bartender. As she was serving our drinks, I sensed a little hostility on her part. She was a bit in the moody side when we asked for separate checks. Aside from that, the drinks were on par. My long island ice tea was awesome. Not to strong, not to sweet, but just right.
The food: 8/10
Very large portions and very delicious. I got the Shrimp Platter. Not too shabby.
The decor: 8/10
The theme fits the whole experience . Very exotic. Dimly lit. Almost felt like I was in the jungle but in an elegant way.
The service: 9/10
Food came out quick.
Drinks were made very well.
Waitress very accommodating.
I'll definitely come back !
3.5 stars for okay food and good deals on drinks, minus 1.5 for terrible staff.
I usually go to the Elephant Bar near my house but my coworkers and I decided to drop by after work for HH. We didn't know that for HH we were supposed to seat ourselves at the bar, so... the hostess got super annoyed after seating us and when we told her we wanted HH and would like to sit at the bar; she instantly gave us a cold stare and walked away, fast. Leaving us puzzled and surprised at her action, at her JOB. We all came to the conclusion that she must hate her life. Â
So we sat ourselves and ordered our drinks and food. They were okay, not spectacular but pretty good for the price. We watched a server carry my food around the restaurant asking people if it was theirs, smh. Took her awhile to get the food to me. Then later after we were done eating, a server almost placed a random plate of salad in front of my friend on top of her cell phone. We had to quickly reject it b/c it wasn't ours and server  didn't notice she was about to place it on my coworker's new phone. smh again.
Bartender was nice, she helped us find 3 seats for us at the bar. The rest of the staff, hmm idk.
I was pleasantly surprised at the food at eBar... Â I am very familiar with their appetizers from all the happy hours I have partaken of, but the entree's were not bad at all... Â
Wifey ordered a Kona Kooler (some sort of sugar free Red Bull and juice drink that was pretty refreshing), I had the Habanero Lime Margarita on the rocks (slight kick - tasty).
Had the chicken veggie lettuce wraps (lots of texture with the chicken, water chestnut, mango, and pickled cucumbers, and peanut sauce), sweet potato fries (good), lamb shank (son devoured it), kids ribs (daughter killed it), NY Strip (not bad) and coconut shrimp (ok) combo, sweet rock sugar beef with pappardelle noodles (beef wasn't consistently tender - some tough ones, but noodles were good with the gravy). Â We ordered the wonton sundae for our kids (ok), and the blueberry, apple crumble a la mode (nice and simple). Â
Overall, I didn't expect much going in, and came out pleasantly surprised. Â Service was a bit slow, but friendly. Â It was also a busy night at that... Â Will be back for the 9:00pm happy hour and appetizers for sure, and maybe even a meal here and there (convenient and plenty of reasonably priced choices).
Wow the view here is so great, from the bar counter (and actually all the seating for this matter) you can see the water. And the airplanes. Â It is right off Bayshore Hwy, tucked away, right next to El Toritos.
So I got the lemon drop martini, hmm its adequate I think. Â Didn't feel like eating, probably couldn't finish all the food anyways. Â But wow the view is so nice... Nice for a date I suppose. Â Mainly guys sitting at the bar counter, but what do you expect. Â Everyone is evenly spaced out, and I guess thats how it works.
It's probably the same deal at El Toritos, guess thats another option.