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oChef » Sumac – San Francisco
Sumac - San Francisco
Photo from Sumac
Sumac at a glance
San Francisco Russian Hill
- 🫒 Mediterranean Restaurant
€€
Price per Person 21 – 30 €
mentioned by 58 of the guests
#1218 out of 2403 places to eat in San Francisco
#29 Mediterranean Restaurant out of 40 in San Francisco
Good
7.4 out of 10
Food
Service
Ambience
Value
343
Reviews
72.3%
Satisfaction
Often praised
- Flavorful food
- Specific dishes
- Catering service
Frequently criticized
- High prices
- Order accuracy
- No indoor dining
The restaurant Sumac | Modern Street Food invites you to a vibrant culinary journey in San Francisco. Nestled in the charming Russian Hill neighborhood, this Mediterranean restaurant is your go-to spot for an authentic modern street food experience.
You’ll discover a casual yet trendy atmosphere perfect for a quick bite or a relaxed meal.
Overview: Introducting Sumac
Sumac offers a compelling culinary experience, with many patrons praising its flavorful Mediterranean fare. Dishes like the `falafel` and `hummus` frequently receive high marks, suggesting a kitchen that understands its craft.
The restaurant also seems to excel in certain service aspects, particularly with `catering` and quick preparation. However, the experience isn’t without its challenges.
Some guests have noted inconsistencies in order accuracy and `wait times`, particularly for pickup. The dining environment also leans towards a casual, to-go model, which might not suit everyone looking for a sit-down meal.
Good
7.4
out of 10
343
Reviews
72.3%
Satisfaction
76
negative
19
neutral
248
positive
Overall, Sumac garners a respectable 7.4 out of 10, indicating a generally positive reception. This is further supported by a solid 72.3% customer satisfaction rate.
The culinary offerings stand out, with Food scoring an impressive (8.2), reflecting many positive comments on specific dishes and ample portions. This strong performance in the kitchen is a significant draw for many.
However, other aspects present a more mixed picture. Service registers an average (6.6), with some experiences highlighting efficiency while others point to issues like forgotten items or extended waits.
The Ambience (5.8) is also average, largely due to the lack of dedicated dine-in space. The most notable area for improvement is Value (3.3), where many customers express concerns about pricing.
These insights are drawn from 343 customer observations, with 248 positive remarks outweighing 76 negative ones.
What people like
- Flavorful Mediterranean food
- Exceptional specific dishes
- Reliable catering service
What people don't like
- Perceived high prices
- Inconsistent order accuracy
- No indoor dining
If you’re seeking well-prepared Mediterranean cuisine, Sumac is certainly worth considering, especially for its standout dishes and efficient service for quick orders. With a 7.7 recommendation score, it clearly satisfies many patrons looking for quality food on the go or for catered events.
However, be mindful of the pricing, which some find steep, and the potential for service hiccups with order accuracy or wait times. If a sit-down dining experience is a priority, this might not be your ideal spot.
For a flavorful meal to take away, Sumac generally delivers.
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Verdict: Our expert take on Sumac
Food (8.2 out of 10)
mentioned by 93% of the guests
When it comes to the food, diners are generally thrilled, with a strong score of 8.2 and customer satisfaction at a solid 84.7%. Out of 235 comments, a whopping 199 rave about the delicious food, often highlighting it as a healthy alternative. Many appreciate the flavor-packed dishes and excellent vegetarian options available.
However, not all experiences are perfect, with 29 comments noting some areas for improvement. A few found certain dishes too salty or greasy, while others mentioned food being dry or lacking in flavor. Issues with portion sizes and the quality of some wraps also came up.
Food
235
Reviews
84%
Satisfaction
29
negative
7
neutral
199
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Delicious, healthy food
- Flavor-packed dishes
- Great vegetarian options
What people don't like
- Too salty or oily
- Food can be dry
- Inconsistent wrap quality
Often praised
- foodI don’t think I ever felt happy eating food without paying $150 in San Francisco anymore. This food genuinely makes me so happy.
- banana puddingThe banana pudding was a delightful surprise and easily one of the best I've ever had
- portionsample portions so that you don't feel hungry
- Mediterranean foodToda la comida mediterránea de esta tienda aparte de que es súper sana
- MuhammaraThe mezes were just amazing. Worth trying, specifically Hummus, Baba Ganoush and Muhammara, definitely a real Mediterranean experience. The banana pudding is a must-try delight.
- falafelMy experience at this restaurant was fantastic! I had the best falafel I've ever tasted. The salad ingredients are fresh and the seasoning is wonderful.
- hummusThe hummus and labneh are some of the best I've ever had.
- HummusI loved Hummus. This was delicious.
- lentil ballsthey're creamy in texture and topped with truly delicious crunchy onions
- Baba GanoushThe mezes were just amazing. Worth trying, specifically Hummus, Baba Ganoush and Muhammara, definitely a real Mediterranean experience. The banana pudding is a must-try delight.
Frequently criticized
- foodThe staff is clearly overworked and had no time to attend to those waiting for pickup. You would find better food at a Safeway. Please don’t spend your hard-earned money here.
- Red Lentil Balls Rice BowlRed Lentil Balls Rice Bowl incinerated my mouth
- acme breadthey didn’t give us the acme bread that came with our soups
- aioliToday I learned it’s been taken over by a ghost kitchen. Not only did they not include any extra aioli, they didn’t include any at all. The onions were burnt.
- beef and eggplant stewThe eggplant and beef stew was basically just a beef stew with the same greasy tomatoes and potatoes side order okra had.
- chicken and beef brothI had two jars of chicken broth instead of chicken and beef.
- chicken sandwichI ordered the chicken sandwich and ate it right away
- chickpeas and riceit was so dry I couldn't finish it
- dishThe chicken itself was cooked very well and seasoned with flavorful spices. However, my only gripe is that the dish was a bit too salty overall, and some of the flavors were a bit too strong.
- extra pitaif you try asking for extra pita from them, they will demand your first born
If youre seeking a healthy and delicious Mediterranean meal, the food here is largely a hit, boasting a strong 8.2 score. While a few found dishes salty or dry, the overwhelming positive feedback suggests youll likely enjoy the flavorful and satisfying options. It's definitely worth a try!
Service (6.6 out of 10)
mentioned by 49% of the guests
When it comes to service, this spot presents a bit of a mixed bag, with customer satisfaction hovering around 58.7%. However, many guests have raved about the incredibly friendly and welcoming staff, often describing them as efficient and fast. With 37 positive remarks out of 63 total, theres definitely a strong current of excellent help, especially concerning catering services.
On the flip side, the service score of 6.6 suggests theres room for improvement. A significant 20 negative opinions highlight issues like extended and inaccurate wait times, staff forgetting items, and instances of terrible customer service, which can certainly test your patience.
Service
63
Reviews
58%
Satisfaction
20
negative
6
neutral
37
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Friendly, welcoming staff
- Efficient, fast service
- Excellent catering support
What people don't like
- Long, inaccurate wait times
- Items often forgotten
- Poor customer service
Often praised
- servicegreat service. They missed something in my order and when I called them, they immediately fixed the issue
- staffThe banana pudding is a must-try delight. Super kind staff, clean and great service. Thumbs up!
- cateringWe had an absolutely wonderful experience with Sumac's catering and highly recommend them! Their team went above and beyond to customize the food for our youth, demonstrating exceptional care and attention.
- attentionExcellent attention!!
- catering to nonprofitsThank you for catering to local nonprofits
- deliveryThey also do delivery to all over San Francisco
- delivery repThe delivery rep came on time
- efficient and fastThey are very efficient and fast
- excellent helphelped us very good
- food prepared quicklyfood was prepared quickly
Frequently criticized
- serviceThe issue with this place is that they regularly forget stuff
- utensilsthey didn’t include utensils like they usually do
- blamed usblamed us for not ordering enough utensils
- customer serviceMy experience with this restaurant was extremely disappointing, primarily due to their terrible customer service. I ordered delivery and specifically requested utensils, as I was staying at a hotel.
- extended wait timesthe extended wait times for pickup at this to-go joint, within Gastrobot, can test your patience.
- ghost kitchenit’s been taken over by a ghost kitchen
- inaccurate wait timesThe time when it is ready is always wrong.
- online orderIf you give a online order you can get next day
- ordermy order is lost and asked me to wait
- ordered directly12 minutes late when I ordered directly from the website.
Overall, service here can be a bit of a gamble. While you might encounter incredibly friendly and efficient staff, be prepared for potential frustrations like long waits or forgotten items. If you're okay with a mixed experience, it might be worth a try, but temper your expectations regarding speed and consistency.
Ambience (5.8 out of 10)
mentioned by 25% of the guests
When it comes to ambience, this spot offers a mixed bag, with a score of 5.8 indicating it's pretty average, and customer satisfaction sitting at a mixed 47.8%. Many appreciate the focus on cleanliness, the lovely view, and the overall atmosphere, often described as having a humble and casual vibe. These positive sentiments come from 11 observations out of 23 total.
However, there are some clear drawbacks, with 10 observations pointing out issues like the lack of no benches or indoor dining, leading to a feeling of mess or chaos outside. The absence of a proper sit-down space and difficulties with parking are frequently mentioned as significant inconveniences.
Ambience
23
Reviews
47%
Satisfaction
10
negative
2
neutral
11
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Great views
- Clean atmosphere
- Casual vibe
What people don't like
- No sit-down space
- Messy surroundings
- Tough parking
Often praised
- cleanlinessThe banana pudding is a must-try delight. Super kind staff, clean and great service. Thumbs up!
- viewThere was a great variety of selection/options. The service was relatively fast, and I enjoyed the good view of the Oakland bridge while waiting for my meal 👍🏽.
- AtmosphereAtmosphere:4
- Beautiful houses and scenesPhotos also show Beautiful houses and scenes around this place !
- atmosphereAtmosphere:3
- facadeFaçade qui ne paie pas de mine mais à découvrir !
- home away from homeHome away from home
- humble and casual vibeI got the chicken bowl and it was beyond what words can describe. It’s so hard to find such descent delicious food with a humble and casual vibe. I don’t think I ever felt happy eating food without paying $150 in San Francisco anymore.
Frequently criticized
- chaos outsideThere was a chaos outside of their store
- dine inNo dine in I think that sucks
- indoor diningI wish they had indoor dining but they don't
- messthis place is such a mess
- mess insideyou could see there is a mess inside as well
- names / aliasesWhy does this place have three separate names / aliases as if it’s a fugitive on the run ?
- no benchesWe walked up Leavenworth from Hotel Caza to eat here. We were a little disappointed to find there were no benches or any options to order and eat near this place. The woman working was very kind and we bought a few bottles of water and promised to order Grubhub that night.
- parkingParking can be tough
- sit down spaceWish this was a sit down space
- traffic and distancedespite traffic and distance
If youre looking for a quick bite with a great view and dont mind taking your food to go, this place could be a pleasant surprise. However, if a comfortable sit-down experience or easy parking is a must for you, you might find it a bit disappointing.
Value (3.3 out of 10)
mentioned by 19% of the guests
When it comes to value, a rare gem of feedback highlighted great food for a great price, suggesting that for some, the great price was a pleasant surprise. This positive view, however, is quite isolated, with only 1 positive comment among 22 observations. The overwhelming sentiment, with 17 negative remarks, points to significant concerns.
Many customers feel the restaurant is overpriced and pricey, with some even calling it expensive and accusing it of price gauging. The overall score for value is a low 3.3, and customer satisfaction is a mere 4.5, both indicating poor performance.
Value
22
Reviews
4%
Satisfaction
17
negative
4
neutral
1
positive
Rating distribution
What people like
- Great value
What people don't like
- Overpriced menu
- Unjustified prices
- Price gauging
Often praised
- great pricegreat food for a great price
Frequently criticized
- pricesUpdate: since they raised their prices, I can’t responsibly afford to eat here any more. I was always happy to pay a premium before, but paying an increase on top of the premium is hard to rationalize.
- increaseUpdate: since they raised their prices, I can’t responsibly afford to eat here any more. I was always happy to pay a premium before, but paying an increase on top of the premium is hard to rationalize. I understand that food prices are increasing everywhere due to wholesale costs increasing, but it seems like the increase is not reasonable.
- price gaugingso many places now can just get away with price gauging
- $80+spend $80+ to get this kind of treatment
- expensiveExpensive but perfectly cooked
- foodfor $19 I've had better food at McDonald's
- menu items and pricesmenu items and prices online were not the same
- overpricedA little overpriced
- overpriced chicken wrapoverpriced chicken wrap for 20$
- priceespecially for the price
If youre looking for a budget-friendly meal, this might not be your best bet, as many find the prices quite steep. While the food might be good, be prepared for a potentially overpriced' experience that could leave you feeling shortchanged.
How are the prices at Sumac?
You’re looking at roughly 23€ per person – reported by 58 diners. That puts it in the 21 – 30 € category. For a Mediterranean Restaurant, it’s comfortably mid-range: not a steal, but not bank-breaking either.
While the average is 23€, it’s interesting to see that most diners actually spend a bit less, with a big cluster in the 11 – 20 € range. This suggests a nice mix of options, from more budget-friendly bites to slightly higher-end dishes.
Here’s a quick look at what guests spend per person, based on the latest 58 reviews.
Comparing the value for money of this restaurant against similar ones in San Francisco.
Overall, we think the pricing feels quite fair for a Mediterranean spot, especially considering the range of options available. It seems like you can enjoy a great meal without breaking the bank.
Customer Reviews: what people think about Sumac
Price per Person
- 11 - 20 €
Service Intent
- Food Exploration
Group Size
- Solo
Visit Type
- Dine-in
Meal Type
- Dinner
6
Flavorful Chicken, But Too Salty
My experience at the restaurant was centered around the grilled chicken bowl. The chicken itself was cooked very well and seasoned with flavorful spices. However, my only gripe is that the dish was a bit too salty overall, and some of the flavors were a bit too strong.
- grilled chicken bowl7
- chicken8
- flavorful spices8
- dish3
- flavors4
Price per Person
- 21 - 30 €
Service Intent
- Food Exploration
Visit Type
- Dine-in
10
Excellent Falafel and Chicken Sandwich!
My experience at the restaurant was fantastic! I tried the Palestine style falafel hummus bowl and the crispy chicken sandwich, and both were an A+. The falafel bowl was the best in the city.
The food quality was exceptional, and the overall experience was highly positive.
- Palestine style falafel hummus bowl10
- crispy chicken sandwich10
- best in the city10
Price per Person
- 21 - 30 €
Service Intent
- Food Exploration
Visit Type
- Takeout
Meal Type
- Dinner
9
Delicious Gem Worth the Parking Hassle
My experience at this little take-out spot was fantastic! We absolutely loved the Falafel Hummus Bowl and the Fried Chicken Sandwich. This place is a true gem, even though it's located on a steep hill.
While parking can be tough, the food is absolutely worth the effort, with every bite being delicious. As visitors from Minnesota, where finding good falafel is a challenge, this restaurant definitely satisfied our cravings. We plan to stop by again before heading back home!
- Falafel Hummus Bowl10
- Fried Chicken Sandwich10
- food10
- parking4
Price per Person
- 11 - 20 €
Service Intent
- Food Exploration
Visit Type
- Dine-in
10
Delicious and Flavorful European-Friendly Food!
My experience at this restaurant was fantastic! The dishes were super good and full of flavor. As a European looking for vegetables, it was a welcome change.
The facade doesn't do it justice, but it's definitely worth discovering! The falafels were super good, and the meat was very tender. We recommend it 100%!
- dishes9
- vegetables8
- facade7
Service Intent
- Regular Visit
Visit Type
- Takeout
Meal Type
- Dinner
Wait Time
- Short (6–15 min.)
2
Sumac's Quality Decline: A Disappointing Experience
I used to be a big fan of Sumac, ordering several times a week during COVID and recommending it to many. I loved their grandma's banana bread pudding and found it a great, healthy delivery option. It was my go-to for Muhammara and lentil balls.
Unfortunately, my recent experience has led me to believe this will be my last order. My online order didn't go through, and the beef bone broth was unavailable. When I reordered at the window, the side of okra was disappointing, with only three pieces and mostly tomatoes and fried potatoes, all extremely greasy.
The beef and eggplant stew was essentially a beef stew with the same greasy tomatoes and potatoes, and it was excessively salty and oily, making it unpleasant. I also received two jars of chicken broth instead of chicken and beef, despite being told beef broth was available. This isn't the first issue; two months ago, the salmon wraps were a soggy mess, lacking balance and ingredients.
Earlier this year, the lentil bowl was overly greasy, and the lentil balls weren't the same. The quality just isn't there anymore.
- grandma's banana bread pudding9
- Muhammara8
- lentil balls3
- okra2
- greasy2
What Sumac offers
Crowd
- Tourists
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
Children
- Good for kids
Popular for
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Solo dining
Offerings
- Healthy options
- Vegan options
- Salad bar
- Small plates
- Organic dishes
- Halal food
- Vegetarian options
- Quick bite
Dining options
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Catering
- Dessert
Service Options
- No-contact delivery
- Onsite services
- Takeout
- Curbside pickup
- Dine-in
- Delivery
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Trendy
FAQs
What dining options and service types can you expect at Sumac?
Sumac offers a range of convenient service options including dine-in, takeout, delivery, no-contact delivery, and curbside pickup. You can enjoy lunch, dinner, or dessert, and catering services are also available for your events.
What kind of dietary preferences does Sumac cater to?
Sumac is known for its diverse and inclusive menu. You’ll find plenty of healthy options, vegan options, vegetarian options, and halal food. They also feature organic dishes and a fresh salad bar.
How does Sumac generally rate among customers?
Sumac holds a respectable overall score of **7.4** out of 10, with **Food** being its strongest aspect at (8.2). **Service** is average at (6.6), while **Ambience** scores (5.8), and **Value** is its lowest point at (3.3).
What are some of the most praised dishes at Sumac?
Customers frequently highlight the `banana pudding`, `falafel`, `hummus`, and `Muhammara` as particularly delicious and well-prepared items on the menu.
Are there any common concerns customers have about Sumac?
Yes, some customers express concerns about the perceived high `prices` and `inconsistent order accuracy`, including missing items or extended `wait times` for pickup.