I wish I lived here so I could try the entire menu. The food was the best tasting vegan food I've ever had in a restaurant. The price is higher than some restaurants, but reflects the quality of the food appropriately. The restaurant itself was very nicely decorated, and service was excellent. I can't wait to come back on my next trip!
Pros: best food everGreat atmosphere. Interesting flavor combinations. If you are in a hurry the service will feel a bit slow.
Pros: fine dining, wine list, all veganReading the other reviews makes me think that some of the folks are less creative, or else the chef was just not in his/her best form that night. We found it to be one of the best restaurant experiences of our lives. Each dish had a variety of flavors that made sense. My entree consisted of a pastry, with a creamy cashew center, with wonderful mushrooms, carrots, an numerous other vegetables. The desert was outstanding, being their mainstay desert consisting of a chocolate cake, with a creamy toping that was heavenly. The service was superb. She knew how to explain each dish we considered, and guided according to our preferences.
The setting was not the highlight, but more than adequate. The prices, which were on the high side for vegan dishes, was well within expectations considering the care which went into the creations.
Our strongest recommendations go to Millennium.
Love this place. It's the kind of food you would expect at a wedding, just lovely :)
Pros: very nice, friendly staff, locationOkay, I admit that I put off writing this review simply because it has a huge reputation in the vegan community, and in my eyes it completely lived up to its reputation. Basically, the food was so incredibly good that I am lost for words. But I'll try..
We made a reservation, and ended up grabbing a spot that opened at the bar instead, which was convenient. The restaurant is located in a weird fancy Best Western, but that didn't take away from the classiness to me.
The bartender made a good cocktail and was an attentive server too. He even knew some people in Nashville where I'm from (wha??) My friend and I split every dish we ordered. The black bean torte is the bomb, and the Brussels sprouts were amazing. I honestly can't name everything we tried, but everything was exciting and delicious. I won't lie- my friend who eats a regular omnivore diet was not as impressed as I was. But in fairness, I was in heaven, so that's a tough emotional state to match.
The "Little girls dream of their wedding day" cliché is an accurate comparison to the "little vegans dream of the day they get to eat at Millenium" cliché I'd heard about. Yes, it's hyped and fancy and pricey, but frankly, it's hard to find vegan places of this quality, so it's 100% worth checking out. I loved it.
Pros: Inventive flavors, Vegan mecca, SrslyAlthough we are now raw organic vegans, Millennium in Geary Street San Francisco is a heavenly place to eat. The food changes regular, its not listed as veg, people who arn't veg simply love the food,very different to the normal animal free type meals. They have a special desert chef who has amazing
creative skills. We like to sit at the bar and eat, you can watch all the chefs preparing amazing food. All organised by the wonderful owner Eric Tucker. You can buy their books too.
Millennium is know as a destination restaurant. We had 5 nights in San Francisco and ate here each night. There were
people having dinner with us from all around the globe.
Love place, love food, love chef!!!
Pros: Top food, Clean, GourmetI liked the atmosphere and the food - it's a little bit pricey but perfect for special occasions.
The dishes are tasty and very creative.
I travel a lot and have eaten at many vegan fancy-pants restaurants. This one falls short in many aspects, especially in comparison to it's peers across the US such as Vedge (Philadelphia), Blossom (NYC), Candle Cafe (NYC), etc. I obviously decided to give Millennium another shot and decided to upgrade it from a 3 to a 4, but I really think it's a 3.5 overall.
I had the roulade and my travel partner had the polenta as our main dishes. We also ordered a few appetizers too, the brussel sprouts and the potato gnocchi.
The potato gnocchi was pretty good, but I felt there could have been more gnocchi and less of the extra stuff they put in there. The brussel sprouts were just brussel sprouts, I think they could have been more innovative with this appetizer, especially for $8.
The roulade was actually good. But honestly, it tasted like vegetable samosas that you can get at an Indian restaurant. The polenta was good too, but my dining parter didn't care for it enough to finish it.
Updated from previous review on Wednesday September 22, 2010:
This restaurant was within footsteps of my hotel so my travel friend and I decided to go here for a 'fancy' dinner. Overall Millennium was really nice and fancy, but the food was just not for me/us.
My wife and I went to Millenium accompanied by our one-year old daughter for her birthday. The food was excellent and the staff could not have been nicer. Really good to see a vegan restaurant so busy: its trick is not to to be smart enough to attract anyone wanting a bit of a special night out. It was a real treat for us!
Updated from previous review on Monday October 27, 2008
We've been to Millennium a few times, but somehow never bothered to write a proper review. In a city filled with wonderful vegan/vegetarian options, this venerable spot is the crown jewel. Tucked inside the quaint Hotel California just a few blocks from Union Square, Millennium has all the trappings of an upscale, fine-dining experience but deftly evades the stuffiness usually associated with such an affair. The top-notch cocktail menu and world-class (but locally focused) wine list don't hurt in that regard, but a kitchen that's accomplished enough to be playful is what really sets the tone.
On our most recent visit, the globally-inspired, impossibly creative regular menu was replaced with a chef's prix-fixe tasting menu, complete with wine pairings. It's always fun to put your culinary fate in the hands of a creative professional (especially when you're confident they understand your dietary choices), and this was no exception.
Our meal began with an amuse course of King Trumpet Mushroom "Crudo" served alongside an inventive Beet Tartare (not a typo). Both were delightful, but we were especially impressed by the way the chef created vegan versions of familiar "meat"-based dishes without feeling any obligation to make them actually taste like animal products (a phenomenon all-too-common at many veg eateries). The first course was a Blood Orange, Nopales and Watermelon Radish Ceviche, continuing the theme of appropriating "meat"-based conventions. (Instead of the traditional raw fish, we got citrus-marinated, brilliantly colored fruits.) It's tough to make a memorable salad, but they pulled it off with unique ingredients, a creative approach and an absolutely sublime wine pairing (Old World Winery 2010 Pinot Gris, Russian River Valley). The second course, Poori, was split down the middle, half green and half yellow, almost like a yin-and-yang of South Asian cuisine. On the left, we had a mild, creamy Punjabi soup and on the right a heartier Sri Lankan stew -- equally delicious eaten alone or together. For entrees, I got the Musquee De Provence Tortellini while my wife got the Black Garlic and Miso Glazed Abalone Mushroom. The mushroom dish was the standout with its variety of textures and heavenly sauce, but the tortellini helds its own, offering a symphony of earthy flavors. Black and White Layer Cake was easily the most decadent chocolate cake we've had -- vegan or otherwise.
Long story short, Millennium is a must-visit restaurant whatever your diet.
Pros: Creativity, Ambience, Wine ListThe food was yummy, not much fake stuff but they really did the healthy stuff, wide selection and seasonal options available.
Service was really bad, barely anyone ever came to my table and I had to beg them to bring me desert.
Don't know whether I come back. Price too high for no service.
No reservation and little time. It took us a while to find it despite the help from Siri. When I called, they said we would have to sit at the bar, but they ended up giving us a table. It was 5:30 on a Tuesday and it looked like Saturday night. My pumpkin risotto was delicious and I ate every bite! Justine was a great waiter, darling and knowledgable. It is not often that I have the problem of deciding what to order (usually I am lucky to have one vegan choice)--his recommendation was perfect! A restaurant for all vegan restaurants to aspire to.
Pros: Great food, Seasonal, Excellent ServiceWell, Millenium was my very first visit to a 100% vegan restaurant, I have to say I was amazed. Food is delicious, dishes are very well served. I must warn, if you are very hungry, this is an expensive gourmet restaurant, so don't expect large portions.
Desserts are also exquisite.
Must go and visit. It's worth it.
Pros: delicious, tasty, nice placeI was so excited to try Millennium on my trip to SF. I ordered the Mushrooms and corn cakes and was really underwhelmed. The portabellos were bland and something in the sauce got stuck in my throat and made me cough and eyes water. I also tried the chocolate mouse pie. It was good, but not great. Having dined at Candle 79 a few weeks earlier, it just wasn't as good. A $40 meal should be better. The wait staff was quick and professional, but not friendly. The place was dark and kind of had a weird smell. Sad :-(
Pros: quick serviceSimply put, Millenium is the best vegan restaurant we have ever eaten at. I have been there multiple times on different visits to San Francisco and it has been consistently amazing. The dishes are clearly detailed on the menu and few of them can be easily recreated at home. I have never been disappointed at Millenium and love forward to every single visit there. The food may be a little pricey but everything is worth it.
Pros: gourmet food, best vegan food, cleanService, food, atmosphere, they do. It right there, it's not as good as Saf in London, but I never ever got bad food there, it's always fresh and tasty, and the staff make you feel good
My mouth waters thinking about the cornmeal crusted mushrooms!! Even just going to sit at the bar and have appetizers and dessert is worth it. Love the staff too!
Good date place. Don't worry, you can wear whatever you want. Maybe if you dress messy enough they will think you are famous!
I had read about this place on happycow, and here's my Millennium review.
On a past trip to San Francisco, my husband and I made sure to come here to try it. We were very impressed with the fine interior that felt elegance and romantic, with velvet red curtains framing tall windows at the front of the restaurant, and soft yellow lights dimly warming the inside. Everything about this place felt sophisticated.
The food we ordered mostly tasted good. We ordered a grilled bitter greens/sweet onion/figs salad, the grilled rosa blanca eggplant napoleon, and the chipotle grilled portobello & zucchini tamale -- of which the former 2 were delicious but the latter was not. The sauce on the tamales was heavy, spicy, and salty. But the salad was unique and the eggplant napoleon was tender and perfect (I recommend it).
If I lived in San Francisco and could afford to eat fine gourmet cuisine all the time, I would definitely like to come back to the Millenium.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday October 03, 2006
Millennium is seriously one of THE BEST restaurants I've been to. Their chefs are fantastic, and the food is amazing. The prices are up there, but it's worth it for what you get. It's great for a night out.
Pros: Good for a night out, Amazing food, Great atmosphereMillennium is a great stylish restaurant offering an upscale vegan dining experience. The changing menu is creative and elaborate, the food is very good but definitely on the heavy side. The place was packed so make sure to call in advance.
Most veg restaurants in the Bay Area are Asian, but the menu at Millennium was much more varied. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was elegant without being pretentious. The service may have been slow, I don't know, because we were having a very leisurely dinner. On the down side, it is very expensive. But that's a plus in the sense that people who want an elegant dining experience can find it here.
Pros: excellent food, healthy cuisineI love when my rich friends take me out here. It makes my life.
I will occasionally splurge myself if it is a good friend's birthday or something.
I've never been disappointed here and the service is always outstanding.
YUM.
Pros: gourmet vegan, great drinks, beautiful atmosphereMillennium was without a doubt the worst dining experience we had in San Francisco. Not only was the service terrible (I think our waiter ignored us to tend to the larger table he was working) but the food was horrible. We rarely go to an upscale restaurant and were expecting great food from Millennium but instead we got salty salad (don't know how they accomplished that), tempeh that was saturated in a sickly sweet sauce, and a vile dessert that seemed prepared by someone at their first day of baking class (how can chocolate taste bad)? The 'molten chocolate cake' was a poor excuse for a chocolate cupcake (I think they forgot to use salt since it was absolutely tasteless). The waiter didn't even comment on why it was being returned uneaten. Had the waiter come by to ask how things were, we would have told him the food was a cross between bland, salty, and sugary. Instead we left with a hefty bill, having had a poor dining experience. The atmosphere in the restaurant is quite nice and romantic but serving poor quality food court food doesn't cut it for an establishment that is supposed to be an upscale vegan restaurant.
Pros: decor/atmosphere, location is convenientMy husband and I were lucky enough to visit Millennium while we were visiting San Francisco, and it was great. It's definitely expensive, but we knew what we were getting in to, and I think it was worth it to have an elegant dining experience with fabulous food and service. As a vegan, I do not often have a chance to experience fine dining, which I think is fun to do every now and again.
The food was great, with entrees such as macadamia nut tofu and bbq plum tempeh, and the desserts were fabulous as well. I tried the chocolate almond midnight, which is a chocolate pie with white choc. mousse topping and raspberry sauce. Wow. It was great. I will say that the portions are not large, so 2 entrees, 1 side of sauteed greens, and dessert was just about right for two people.
I recommend this place if you are looking for a nice place for a special occasion or vacation.
I have to go to Millennium every time I'm in SF. Maybe I've been lucky, but each time it's such a wonderful experience. The staff is a delight and the food is fantastic. I've had only 5 cow experiences. Yes, it's over priced but I don't mind. Highly recommended.
This place was a dream come true for me. Fancy vegan food that is delicious. I had the Macadamia Nut encrusted tofu with plum chutney, thai yellow curry sauce with eggplant, mushrooms, potatoes and snap peas. It was delicious and filling. The appetizer I had was a Chickpea Panisse (Cickpea cake) with assorted mushrooms in some kind of sauce. That was also amazing. For dessert we had the chocolate almond midnight cake which was kindof like a chocolate mousse cake. It was really good as well. They also had pinot noir grape juice which was great, as I don't like wine. It is attached to the Hotel California where we stayed just so that we could go to Millenium. I'm glad we went there instead of Greens (whose online menu didn't look very vegan friendly), and I was not dissapointed.
We went to Millenium for our one week anniversary (got married in vegas!) and had a lovely meal. The food was great, and it's always amazing to have a range of vegan desserts to choose from! Also cocktails included a white russian. The atmosphere was lovely and overall a great experience.
Pros: Great food, lovely desserts, nice atmosphereWe finally made it back to Millennium after a long absence. This time we came with Dirk's non-vegan brother who wanted to try fancy vegan food. We had a reservation for 5:30pm on a Sunday night when they opened, so we were seated within a few minutes. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. We all ordered cocktails to start: Key West, Ginger Jim and a regular martini. We shared the seared asparagus and roasted beets. The asparagus was a bit too spicy for me, but the guys loved it. And the beets were perfectly roasted with a fabulous balsamic reduction sauce. Dirk also had a spinach salad with tea smoked tofu that was divine. For entrees, Dirk's brother had the portobello mushroom dish while we shared the mustard seed and black pepper smoked tempeh with barley risotto as well as the brick pastry roulade with seitan. Everything was wonderful, especially the tempeh and barley risotto which were beyond fabulous. We shared 3 desserts of tapioca pudding with almond cherry ice cream, the chocolate midnight almond cake and the mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich. We each had a different favorite although they were all great. Dirk and I also each got a nocturne dessert martini which is an espresso one. So yummy. Dirk's brother got a dessert wine and coffee. Overall, everything was absolutely excellent. This was our best experience yet at Millennium. We've had to wait before, been in a cramped table location or just had an okay dish, but it was just perfect this time, so we highly look forward to the next time.
Updated from previous review on Wednesday July 08, 2009
Whenever we are back in the Bay Area visiting my boyfriend's parents, we try to come here. It's definitely the nicest vegan restaurant. Lovely space and atmosphere - great for special occasions. The drinks at the bar are fantastic. All the food has been amazing, yet I still prefer Madeleine's back home in LA. Just personal preference. I would highly recommend coming here if you are in the City.
I'm Mexican and I love Huitlacoche. Is the mushroom that grows on corn. I had a great Southwest "New Mexican" style dish with Huitlacoche and it was amazing. Great vegan wines and the incredible vegan chocolate cake dessert. I loved this restaurant. Don't miss it while in San Francisco!!!
Pros: Food, Desserts, WineHaving flown from Australia, and after spending last night in LA my vegan partner and I were really looking forward to trying this place. We ate at Real Food Daily (in Santa Monica) last night where we were absolutely blown away. And reading the stellar reviews for Millennium we were really looking forward to following it up with something equally as good.
So, the atmosphere was great, and the cocktails were really good. The barman was quite talented.
However, that's as good as it got for us. Okay so firstly, the meals were tiny!! We don't expect large American portions either. For the price, I expect better. The only exception which justifies this serving size / price ratio, is quality. That's the thing. The food was served late. The temperature of the dishes were cold. My girlfriend's especially so. In terms of execution, the components which made up each of our two dishes didn't mesh well, they just didn't make any sense - the flavours were not cohesive. Overly complex. Also, the main dish I had contained an extremely bitter spinach, and broccoli - which tasted like it was cooked in rancid oil. The theme of each dish was scattered, too many strong directions all pulling in different ways. I feel like the cooks/chefs wish to be flash, and flamboyant - to live up to the price. But, the fundamentals are failing. We could see the kitchen / preparation area from where we sat. The dishes appeared to be created from largely pre-prepared components (more macro in scope than I would assume to be normal). As such, it had a dull reheated last nights dinner kind of feel to it.
The desert was nice, however the pecans contained in it were bitter / rancid as well. Also the "scoop" of ice-cream, was a little over a tablespoon worth. I mean come on guys!
I really, really dislike saying all this - but when you put yourself up that high, by charging such ridiculous prices - you need to perform!!
We have eaten at many vegan restaurants around the world, in places such as London, Lisbon, Barcelona, Sydney, Melbourne, etc.
Unfortunately, this experience just smacked us in the face. It left us feeling really ripped off and negative about the whole thing. ie. coming across as conceited, and greedy.
I hope it was just an off night. Surely the previous reviews can't be wrong. I sure hope so.
Pros: Great Enviroment, Good Location, PotentialI have been a devoted and loyal customer at the Millennium since they were on McCalister St. I have been a vegan most of life and the Millennium takes vegan cusine to a new level Their presentation is beautiful and creative, the ambience is sophisticated and the dishes are unbeleiveable. The integrity and the devotion to the vegan lifestyle and cusine at the Millennium is of the highest level. There is no vegan restaurant in the world that holds a candle to the Millennium. I have been to vegan restaurants all over the world and the Millinnium is in a class all of its own. Even my flesh eating friends and family love the Millinnium. If you are a vegan and you have not experienced the Millinnium, you haven't experienced the true delight of being a vegan.
The creativity in the cuisine is brilliant and the flavors of each dish is like art. Their presentation is eloquent and the most amazing I have ever experienced.
The staff is very accommodating, knowledgeable and professional. I have dined here 100's of times and each time I dine is fresh and unique.
I highly recommend the Millennium as a priority to the most unique dining experience of your life.....
Pros: amazing, brilliant, one of a kindBest veg food -- maybe ever.
A great night out, it's absolutely delicious.
We had almost every starter on the menu, as well as a few entrees and dessert! And just two of us celebrating our anniversary. This was perfect in every way - could not stop eating and didn't want to. We flew from Seattle for 2 nights just for a vegetarian (vegan) tour of San Francisco and this was well worth the trip alone! You can make a meal out of many starters alone and experience so many wonderful flavors.
Pros: Amazing, Busy, LocationAfter looking at the prices, I would have never chosen to take my boyfriend here for his birthday had it not been "Convert-A-Carnivore" Night -- on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, 25% off your bill if you mention the special. On the one hand, it's nice to have a fine-dining experience that caters specifically to veg*ns. The food is creative, seasonally-inspired, and well-spiced. On the other hand, it's sooo expensive, service was not that great, and the portions were tiny. Would recommend for a special night out or one-time splurge, but I don't think I'll be going back.
Pros: seasonal, romanticLast Thursday I took a second trip to Millenium, a year after my first. The fact that it is situated inside a Best Western should be your first clue that it is really not worth the extreme expense. We had the week's special, which was two minuscule appetisers followed by a large entrée followed by a small dessert. Just after Halloween, this meant pumpkin overload - everything had pumpkin. The two appetisers were quite nice, but both of our entrées were disappointing, and the pumpkin crème brulée dessert was a travesty of that creamy delight. Was this as a result of choosing the weekly special containing random stuff that would never make the cut of the "real" menu? I think unlikely - I didn't have the special last time and whilst it was better than this time, it was still nothing to write home about. Service was neither friendly nor fast - at these prices you should expect top-notch, not Dennys.
And so much for converting meat-eaters - my omnivorous partner was put off vegetarian places completely thereafter, begging that we didn't have to go to another veggie place.
Look, it's OK, but $150 for two? Please. Visit Golden Era on the adjacent block and be served similarly slightly disappointing food for a quarter of the price.
Pros: location, atmosphereAte here two years ago and was our best dinner in SF so had to return. Still wonderful, expensive decor and high end dining. Excellent service and informative waiters, great wine and champagne selection. Highly recommended if you are looking for a high end dining experience.
Pros: Amazing food, Great winesWe went here thinking we'd be at home as Oil Free Vegans since the owners are long time McDougallers. We explained that we didn't eat oil and wanted what Dr. McDougall would order. The waitress went back and talked to the chef and we were brought out a salad, which I believe was oil free, but also a plate of oil soaked mushrooms and veggies... we poured our water on them and bubbles of oil floated to the surface. We told the waitress and she said "I had a really long conversation with him about it" we expected our entrees would be ok, but both came out an oily mess. It seemed that the chef in fact did try to reduce the oil, but again we simply pour water and watch the oil glisten across the surface... The waitress told us they were tomato juices... what can you do, I can't sit there and get insulted. We paid the $100 and left. At least the wine and cocktails are good. I'm really upset since it was my bday and all I got was a melon salad. Even on the owner's website it says you can get oil free options there... We didn't even order just asked our waitress what the chef could do oil free and choose between the two plates they offered. This is not a healthy restaurant. We've been eating around the world oil free as you can see from my endless reviews, it just sucks since we've actually met the owners on a McDougall trip to Costa Rica and are in town to go to a McDougall weekend that we couldn't even get fed at their restaurant. I hesitate to even write this review but just want others to know that a healthy meal can not be had here. The food is fantastic if you haven't clued into the dietary problems with consuming free oils. They manager asked us if there was a problem since she noticed we didn't eat our food and we just said, we're oil free vegans and it was great, but not what we wanted... Oh well, should have ordered like I do in the rest of the world "I'm allergic to oil my nose will bleed all over the table if you put any in my food" just didn't expect to need those extremes at this of all places...
Pros: cocktails
sfliberal
Are you sure you went to the same Millennium? I never encountered oily food. Millennium is a treasure for the Vegan community. We need more restaurants like this if we expect others to convert. Try the harvest specials when they come around. They are incredible.
eric
Hey, sorry to hear about your experience, that sucks! -especially on your b-day!
btw- Happy Belated B-day :-)
Salt and lots o' cash go hand in hand at this restaurant. I've eaten here a handful of times and have been thoroughly disappointed every time. I visited so often because there is so much incredible hype surrounding this restaurant. I'm a strict vegan and have been for nearly a decade. I learned after becoming a vegan that my palate changed. It became more sensitive to flavors such as salt which is a very common and more unoticeable flavor in a lacto vegetarian diet due to eating salty cheeses frequently. So, when I eat in a restaurant with salt laden small portioned expensive food I wonder to myself 'is this chef vegan' and making up for what s/he may think is a flavor lacking in vegan foods by adding liberal amounts of salt? Or is this a salt addicted vegan who needs to be rehabilitated with fresh herbs and spices? I had a theory for 3 years that the chef here must not be vegan. Turns out I was/am right about that. Not only is he not vegan..he isn't even a full blown vegetarian. That to me explains the lack of flavor dimension and overly salted food. I have many non-vegan non-vegetarian chef friends who don't resort to salt..so I know it can be done! The food is presented beautifully, but in such a way that one may feel intimidated to criticize. How can one criticize a place that has such hype and outrageously high costs? Their menu tends to change so I can mention the dishes I recall having: the lobster mushroom with pureed potatoes, and several of their seasonal dishes involving fennel, mushrooms, tomatoes. Each one came out looking very appetizing, but the flavors fell salty flat. One more thing to add: I had a friend who took a cooking class there with Chef Tucker and she mentioned as they were cooking a soup he came over and tasted the one she was working on and commented that it wasn't flavorful enough and needed something more. His ultimate advice to her? It was to add more salt.
creative seasonal dishes. amazing and very creative cocktails. i took my carnivorous dad when he was in town visiting there and he enjoyed every bit. everytime i go i get the spinach salad because its so amazing and changes every few weeks. i am looking forward to eating here when i get back from south america and bringing some wine i got down here to eat with a spinach salad. yeah, its "exspensive" but its high end dining. you only pay a little less to eat complete crap at herbivore so folks should just get over it.
Pros: excellent food, creative food, great staffWonderful setting and location. My husband and I enjoyed the food so much and had such a great time here. I had an earl Grey sorbet for dessert and I can't stop thinking about it. It was soooo amazing!
We will def be making reservations on our next trip to the Bay area.
Thank you for creating exquisite vegan fine dining.
Pros: great food, locationMy husband and I ate at the Millenium during a recent visit to SF. He loved having a vegan restaurant that also served organic wines. I'm a carnivore and still enjoyed the appetizer and entre that I had. The ambiance is very nice and the location is easy to find. I would recommend to one and all - vegan, veggetarian or carnivore.
Pros: great food, good wine list, knowledgeable staffI love this place - one of the best eating expreiances that I have ever had! If you are in the area (or within a 100 mile radius) go and try the food.
Pros: Great food, Great staff, Just greatI took a group of non-vegan friends here and they were very wary. I have to admit we were very intimidated by the menu. We didn't recognize a lot of the ingredients and had to ask the waiter to recommend dishes for us. He took us through everything, and even brought us an extra dish to try when our meals arrived. The food did not have tofu or faux meats, it was all fresh and delicious and stood on it's own. My non-vegan friends were amazed at how good everything was, and we passed our dishes around sharing all of our meals and trying to decide which was the best. We also tried some of their signature alcoholic drinks. The sunrise tequila was very fresh and worth a try. The desserts were delicious, but very rich. We had trouble finishing everything at the end and had to take some home. It was the best vegan dining experience I've ever had. I wish more vegan restaurants cooked vegan food the way they do it at Millenium and that it was closer to home. The service was wonderful and the food was delicious. We were all very impressed. We were there for a long time between courses so I wouldn't go if you're in a rush, but we didn't mind and had a very nice time.
Pros: excellent food, friendly staffI went to Millennium while in San Francisco. It was a treat to be able choose anything on the menu since I am used to normally not having many options when out to eat where I live (NC). I liked it so much my husband and I went to the restaurant twice while in SF. I loved the food and the staff was wonderful, even sent over a complimentary dessert.
Pros: Excellent Food, So many vegan choices, Great staffhad a pretty bad time here. had been to greens a couple of night before, and had great expectations, which maybe didn't help.
the food was okay, but overpriced. the service was terrible, starting from arriving early and trying to get a drink at the bar, and trying, crap........and didn't get better.
So, I've never been a big fan of Millennium just because I'm not fond of fungus of any kind and they seem to just love it. Too many mushrooms, radish, hot spices, and garlic for me - if you love those things - you'll love Millennium. The service is excellent - probably the best in SF. Their desserts are the best and the only two things I could have off of the prix fixe menu were the beet salad and the crepe which were both delicious! Also, it's totally expensive, and I wouldn't complain because the service was so excellent and the desserts are the best I've ever had, but the menu is very limiting for me. Did I mention the desserts??????
Pros: Excellent Service, Clean, YummyWe ordered the Chef's Taster Menu and enjoyed a 2.5 hour feast. Everything was wonderful except it would have been nice if the grape leaves with the Dolmas could have been soft and edible. Not being soft and easy to eat, the server could have told us that . . .
The desserts were heavenly.
Not only was the food absolutely amazing (knocked my socks off!), but the staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Everything from the drinks, to the salads, to the desserts were unbelievably exquisite.
I will be back at Millennium whenever I'm back in San Fran.
Yes! i've been dying to dine at this joint forever, and my very high expectations were met! i am so happy that the place is so busy and people are willing to experience vegan cuisine at this level! great ambiance, reminds me of a classic French bistro, with worm colors and clean setting! The staff is very professional and friendly! we have a baby girl and they accommodated us tremendously! Everybody, from the host to the busser showed great deal of care, not to mention the runners explaining in details every single dish! i work in a Michelin Star restaurant and our runners don't do such a great job!
we had the tasting menu, and it was great that they actually bring you two different dishes for each course! never seen this before unless you are VIP and we were not! this gives you a chance to taste variety of food, which was great because my wife can be picky! I loved every dish, i won't go in details but it was obvious that Mr. Tucker poured his soul in his creations. Great balance and wide complexity! Nice progression nothing heavy but clean elegant flavors! I ordered the wine pairing but was a bit disappointed, so i switched to a bottle, they understood and accommodated me about that too! their wine list is nice, maybe needs a bit work but i respect the fact that they offer only environmentally conscious producers which is great! Very reasonably priced!
To anyone that reads this review and appreciates food for more that a nutrition necessity, go to the Millennium! especially if you are not vegan, because this is the food of the NEXT MILLENNIUM, and one should at least give respect to people with vision!
This is great. Staff is amazing, the drinks are to die for and if you end up at the bar, don't be bummed... the atmosphere there is super!
Millennium's location, ambience and service are all top-notch. This is arguably the ritziest veg*n restaurant in the US, no doubt. However, I went there twice and was not completely impressed by some of the food. The appetizers were uniformly excellent, especially the savory, creamy gnocchi; the desserts were out-of-this-world, either the blueberry tartlette or the chocolate-almond midnight. They have a separate pastry chef, for god's sake! But the main courses I tried---the blackened tempeh and the roulade---were a bit flat. They were tasty, and would be acceptable at any other restaurant, but not at a place like this, which charges $23 a dish.
I would definitely recommend Millennium for drinks, desserts and appetizers; it's a great place to take a date. Maybe I picked the wrong main courses, and their menu does change frequently, so I'll keep trying new dishes whenever I'm in town. But in terms of overall delectable, unusual and spectacular vegan food, my favorite remains Horizons in Philadelphia.
Pros: Atmosphere, Desserts, ServiceMillennium is my "treat me" place - it's expensive but soooooo worth the money for that special occasion. The food, service and presentation is to die for! My first time I did the menu sampler option - there was way more than enough food for me and my guest, in fact we brought some home because we couldn't finish.
The only part of the meal that didn't thrill me was desert, I thought it was OK but could have been better.
Pros: Excellant Food, Beautiful Ambiance, Wonderful WaitstaffLoved this restaurant, very trendy and nice atmosphere. Nice and helpful staff (our waiter was VERY nice until desert time when he started to seem less interested in being a great waiter for some reason). The food was great, but of course the prices were too high. Good for a nice night out once in a while. Good drinks at the bar too!
Pros: atmosphere, food, drinksI'm from NY and we have some terrific veggie food out there - BUT, hands down, Millennium is deservedly my favorite restaurant. Millennium is an experience - not just a restaurant. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. To begin, the cocktails are scrumptious - perfectly mixed & made with organic house-infused spirits w/ a creative and unique flair. The Kiwi Gimlet is addictive (Kiwi-Parsley Infused Vodka, Agave, & Muddled Fresh Lime & Parsley). The bread and bean spread they give each table is SO good I would almost be happy just having that as my dinner. The food is meticulously cooked - perfectly flavored, amazing textures, and everything is local, ripe, and in season. Any review I could give you on the entrees simply could not do them justice. Amazingly, I took a few skeptic meat-eaters there begrudgingly. They all LOVED it and pretty much licked their plates clean. They could not belive that there was no meat, butter, or milk in any of the dishes that they just devoured. The desserts are so rich and decadent that they were still not convinced that it was all vegan. I have been lucky to dine at this amazing place on more than a few occasions and it has never been anything short of perfection. Some people say it's pricey...but, we vegans are not used to eating at "real" restaurants where $20 for an entree is not uncommon (it's more than worth it!). Do not compare this place to somewhere where you can get a bowl of noodles for $5. That is like comparing apples to trucks. Just GO to Millennium. Splurge, indulge, and enjoy yourelf - especially for special occasions. You will be so happy that you did! They also has a wonderful, comfortable ambiance - great for dates or casual dinners with friends. Reservations are highly recommended. Even a spot at the bar can be hard to come by because this places is so damn popular - but rightfully so! Conveniently, you can make reservations online throgh their website at www.millenniumrestaurant.com.
Pros: Amazing cuisine, 100% Vegan, Awesome ServiceFinally made it to Millennium this past week after hearing a lot about it. The wait was justified! It was a real vegan dining experience, unlike any I've had before. First-rate food, service and atmosphere. The key, of course, was the delicious and inspiring food. Really interesting creations that were mouthwateringly good. Loved the desserts, especially. Don't miss this place!!
Pros: Great atmosphere, desserts, serviceI'm a vegan and my husband is a vegetarian. We loved Millennium! Their deserts were so AMAZING that we wrote the pastry chefs a thank you letter on our napkin! You MUST try this place out!
Pros: Deserts!Came to San Francisco on my honeymoon and was craving some delicious vegetarian food, as there is a limited selection where we live. This place was recommended by our hotel and did not disappoint. THIS IS THE BEST RESTAURANT THAT I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. We had a indian flavored (maybe tikka something) starter and the fresh rolls. Both were to die for. Then we had the samosa and the bolognese, more of the same deliciousness. Finished off the meal with some delicious teas and sorbets. The whole time we could hardly believe that what we were putting in our mouths tasted as good as it did. I kept saying that if non-vegetarians ate here they would never want to eat meat again.
Pros: Best Food Ever Eaten, and I mean Ever, Delicious Teas and awesome drink list, Great dessertsMost of the food here is pretty delicious. The complimentary bread with dip (I suspect they are supposed to resemble caviar and pate, made with beans) are a very tasty way to be greeted. The menu changes, but both times I went they had black bean torte and mocha midnight cake, which I would go just for those two items alone, and be full and satisfied. The black bean torte is a genius combination of flavors I would never expect to be so outrageously good together, but it is! The mocha midnight cake (not exact name, but close enough) is to die for! It's mocha cake with white chocolate cream and dark chocolate flakes accompanied by dark chocolate and raspberry sauces drizzled over. Orgasm for your mouth. I forget which wine I had there (it was the cheapest organic vegan one), but it was the best wine I've ever had... and the most expensive (I'm a college student).
The prices are kind of high, but worth it, and you actually get a decent sized portion.
A friend an I went there hungry before and just ordered the black bean torte and midnight cake, and shared the complimentary bean spread/dip that they give you, and we walked out full for about $20 each. The appetizer and dessert plates are small, but they somehow filled us up anyway. The dinner plates are a decent size.
Oh and I LOVE the atmosphere.
I've been to Millennium on 3 occasions, first at their old location and now their new.
The first time we went, the food was just okay -- nothing to write home about.
The 2nd time we went (new location) the food was so good, I LITERALLY started to cry. That's never happened to me before, but it was just amazingly flavorful and moutwateringly delicious.
The 3rd time we went the waiter was horrendous and after repeating to him about 5 or 6 times that I could not have cilantro in anything, every dish came with it and I had to send it back each and every time. I hate to waste food, but I seriously cannot stand even a speck of it in anything. He kept apologizing, but would STILL mess up the order with the next course. Crazy. (As a joke, I put a piece of cilantro on my dessert when he came over to fill my water. LOL)
The desserts are truly delectable. Props to the dessert maker!
I'll give them another chance, of course, since it's just a beautiful restaurant and a wonderful night out when you want to have a dressy night out. But it IS a hefty sum of money and should be reserved for special occasions.
Pros: Gorgeous place, Great desserts, Sometimes the food is amazingahh, the fabled Millennium. it was a treat to come here not once but twice for dinner. very much like Fressen back home in Toronto, only more grand. creative gourmet dishes which never fail to either delight or confuse. really tasty desserts.
Pros: classy
besides having delicious & amazing food, the atmosphere is great. it is a bit pricey, but worth it for special occasions. also, a great place to bring your carnie friends!
Its pretty pricey and something I would only visit on a special occasion but my first visit to SF was certainly a special occasion.
I had the 5 course tasting menu. Everything was really good but the salad with roasted pears and 5 spiced cashews, cauliflower pakoras and the grilled portobellas with smoked tofu really stood out. The dessert sampler had to be enjoyed later as I was too full to eat any more (except for the ice cream cookie sandwich, of course). All of those were delicious as well.
Pros: Great atmosphere, Wonderful food, Pleasant serviceVery upscale kind of place suitable for a special occasion. But okay also for everyday people. Good service. Decent Food. Great ambiance. Pricey but not terrible for this kind of dining and in San Francisco.
A high end, high priced dining experience that you'll need reservations to eat at. An interesting menu with well designed taste sensations. Millennium and The Greens are probably the best SanF vege restaurants...don't miss either of them.
Here's the one about the gourmet (and very expensive) vegan restaurant that was stumped by the arrival of..... a vegan.
It claims to have the most extensive organic wine list in the world. They tell you if it's made using "biodynamic production techniques" but not if it's veggie or vegan. Our waitress went to find out if they had any vegan wine and then forgot to take our order for 20 minutes.
And despite making a few phone calls it took them two hours to discover if they had any vegan beer. I was trying to show off the best in meat-free dining to a meat-eating friend. Oops.
On the plus side, the food is all vegan and it's very good. But don't go if you're expecting a lot of food to be staring up at you off those large, posh plates. It's pretty but there's precious little of it.
Sadly, I thought Millennium was lacking in character and slightly up its own backside.
On special occasions, my husband and I enjoy going to the Millennium. Before they expanded, it was pretty small, to the point of being cramped inside. The last couple times we've gone, we've enjoyed the expansion and new decor. They have wonderful food, even better desserts, and it's a vegan restaurant where we dress up, slow down, and enjoy. It's pretty pricy, so we haven't taken the family, ut it's a nice place to go for a romantic evening. The food is great from appetizer to dessert.
Pros: 100% vegan, fancy, desserts!!!
My experience here was wonderful. My date and I went for the pre-fix but upped it to a seven course tasting menu. I'm still thinking about those cornmeal oyster mushrooms!! My mouth waters. The service was impeccable and the food, well, out of seven courses I sure had my favorites, but nearly everything pleased the palate.
Pros: delicious, great service, great decor
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Hi Kindlizard - Based off of the mixed reviews, we had originally intended to go to Greens for our nice dinner. We didn't get around to making a reservation until the middle of our 1.5 week vacation in SF, so the day we set aside happened to be a day Greens was closed for a private party. Therefore we made the reservation at Millennium instead. I find that this place is similar to Green Zebra in Chicago or even Terrene in St. Louis - fancy places with fancy food. I really thought the food was just OK, hence the 3 cow rating, and not worth the price they were charging. I'm all for spending more money on good food, but this place simply didn't make the cut for me. I think you should still try it for yourself and see what you think. :)
I respect the views of folks like you who have reviewed a lot of places. I see a bad review for one of the highly acclaimed veg places in the country. As I haven't tried this place yet but see conflicting reviews, I am curious why you don't like this place. Could you please tell us more about your meal? Was the food bad? What about it did you not like? Service ok? Other than being close to your hotel and "fancy", and "nice" I know little about your opinion of this place other than it wasn't for you. Why so? quality please, over quantity
What did you order? Was just adequately done and not really "worth" it, all in all? I was going to go here the other week in SF but felt like if it tanked and I brought my in-laws to an expensive place that tanked, it somehow loses credibility for the next time. They did love Horizons fwiw... Thanks SV