buddy

atmosphere and service was fabulous. intimate, cosy and dark, perfect for a date or an relaxing evening with friends. however... food needs work. yellowtail crudo just did not work with the coconut milk and pomegranate. charred cabbage was hard, bitter and the sauce was too sour.

Mixed experience at Buddy during lunch. The concept seems creative but execution needs work. Food: Corn fritters were disappointing - mushy texture, bitter taste, didn't pair well with toppings. Yellowfin crudo was okay but nothing special, a bit sweet. Trumpet mushrooms had potential but the sauce was too sweet and overpowering. Fried chicken wings were the worst dish - impossibly thick, hard batter ruined otherwise decent chicken. Drinks: Limited to 18% ABV and lower, but bartender made a solid old fashioned-style drink with good effort. Service: Automatic 20% service charge added to bill. Overall: Restaurant tries hard to be innovative with nice presentation but flavors don't come together. Food quality doesn't justify the automatic gratuity. Would not return.

One of my favorites in SF! Food/wine list constantly changing with seasonal offerings. The team delivers excellent and efficient service as well. It's compact but not overly loud. Sitting at the bar next to the open kitchen is a great way to experience Buddy.

Great ambiance, stellar service, but food falls a bit flat. The scallop crudo was a miss, the herby butter that came with the corn bread was odd and missing acidity/brightness. Best thing we ate was the mushrooms but even those the salsa matcha had burnt sesame seed. Would probably come back but just have wine and simple small plates.

I wish this bar was in MY neighborhood. Standout food, quick and efficient service, friendly atmosphere, good music, and delicious wines. We had both orange wines (one mineral and one juicy), the lambrusco, a white sparkling, and a medium-bodied red--all wonderful. For food we loved the trumpet mushrooms in chile oil, the crisp/sticky chicken sandwich on perfect toast, the fresh bread with curry garlic butter, the charred cabbage, and the refreshing scallop crudo. Plenty of sauces to sop up with bread. Could also eat the warm olive mix all day as well. I had such a nice time I forgot to take more photos. Ambience was relaxed and intimate. Everything about our late dinner was top-notch. 20% tip was absolutely earned + I appreciated not having to think about it. If I lived closer I'd be an instant regular. Can't wait to come back.

My wife and I were walking by and thought this place looked charming. Little did we know the food would blow our minds. The salad was great, the crudo was something out of a michelen star restaurant (I would go back just for this) and the chicken wings were great as well (very crunchy breading, great flavor).

This was fun! I saw this in a SFGate article, had to try. They had a great happy hour set up that I built an early dinner around. 4 drinks and 4 plates for less than what you'd pay in SF normally at this tier. Service was great, chatted the owner a bunch, plus staff seemed skilled, warm and close knit. Highly recommend, especially if you like a veg-forward menu.