Salmon, fries, and calamari are my favs. I can see why there are so many die hard fans. The place is cozy and service is quick.

Simple, consistent, and reliable. Hayes Street Grille doesn't have stand out food, but it is a nice old-school place to go to after visiting the ballet. As a classical dance enjoyer myself, I rely on a reservation at Hayes Street Grill because it is conveniently close by. The portions are small and presentation may lack, but the food is always tasty and simple. I had the calamari which had a delicious smoky flavor and decadent lemon caper butter, the black miso cod, the warm goat cheese salad, and the smoked trout toasts. I enjoy that the presentation is simplistic but for the price I think an increased portion size would have been appropriate. The place features white tablecloths and pictures of local virtuosos. A nice place to go to if you are dressed up and looking for an old-school upscale ambiance. Its convenience and consistence is the reason I am a regular. Though the food is simple, the location and ambiance are enjoyable.

We had a fantastic experience here! The food was great, the service was attentive and exceptionally efficient, and the ambiance was quite traditional/"old school." If you're looking for a pre-show dinner spot in Hayes Valley, this is the place to go! Our family of 3 - 2 adults and 1 child - shared the following: 1) Black cod - quite flavorful 2) Paella - remarkably tasty, especially for something that came out within 10 minutes of ordering it 3) Calamari - excellent- my favorite dish 4) Brussels sprouts - delicious 5) fries - solid The service was friendly and attentive. We appreciated the fact that we were asked about our post dinner plans immediately upon being seated - they are skilled at getting guests out the door on time for shows nearby and it shows. All the dishes came out remarkably fast. We also appreciated the fact they brought crayons for our 6 year old daughter to color with. They also shared off menu children's dishes that were available. The restaurant is spacious and the decor is traditional. (It opened in 1979.) Overall, we had a lovely time and wish we hadn't had to rush off to a show, so we could have enjoyed our time at the restaurant longer!

Tonight before the symphony, we had a chance to go to the Hayes Street Grill and had an excellent dinner. We started off with appetizers, which was a dozen Miyagi oysters then I had the black bass and my wife had the salmon. we had an excellent bottle of wine and I also had an old-fashioned. My wife enjoyed a Mojito. Everything was impeccable, including the service. We saw lots of people that we recognize there who were also attending the symphony. Our server made sure that everything was the way we liked it before we ordered it and after we received it. It was a quiet experience and the restaurant environment was very nice. Everything was moving the drinks the bottle of wine and the dinner came right on time on this particular evening we declined dessert, but I would highly recommend Hayes Street Grill

Perfect Sunday lunch - delicious trout toast salad on crostini with lightly dressed radishes

Before watching "Hello Yellow Brick Road" at the SF Symphony, we had dinner at Hayes Street Grill. This local restaurant had survived the city's up and down economy. I was informed it has been there for almost 30 years. FOOD I ordered the 6 oyster plate as an appetizer (I forgot to take a pic of it). Thereafter I was served the Grilled Maine Scallops with White Corn Succotash, Chive Beurre Blanc. Normally, I've been hesitant to order scallops for fear that if they're not cooked well, I've gotten sick in the past due to that. But finally, I'm glad that that was not the case. In fact, I probably would've ordered a second serving. The buttered corn was a great side. One of my friends had ordered the shrimp green salad as a meal, and the other ordered the swordfish. For dessert, we all shared the Strawberry Pavlova and the Flourless Chocolate cake. SERVICE Our waiter (forgot his name; red hair) was polite and provided good customer service. He was pleasant--smile and good eye contact. AMBIENCE Since it was time for the show, it was crowded. Not a place to have a one-on-one conversation. I would come back here again. And definitely, I recommend it as a place to go before watching the symphony/show.