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Le Central, San Francisco, CA

Le Central

4.7
4.7
2164 Reviews
$31 to $50
French

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2 people
22:30
Booked 20 times today
  • Charming
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Opened in 1974, Le Central has been serving traditional French cuisine for five decades, boasting the honor of being San Francisco’s most historic French bistro. Located on the edge of the Financial District, Union Square, and Chinatown in a rare one story brick building adorned with its iconic pink neon sign and crowned by a vintage “Tabac” sign. Step into this charming restaurant and be transported to a Parisian brasserie. With exposed brick walls, original imported brass bar, stained glass features, and cozy banquettes topped with brass railings. The atmosphere invites you to unwind and enjoy delicious French fare and exceptional wines and cocktails in an upscale, yet casual environment. Enjoy French classics like steak-frites, escargot, onion soup, and our world famous Cassoulet. Le Central’s cuisine is comforting yet sumptuous. Le Central is the downtown stop for locals and visitors looking for a taste of “La Belle Vie”!!!

Additional information

  • Location
    453 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94108
  • Phone number
    (415) 391-2233
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30–14:30 Happy Hour Mon–Sat 16:30–18:00 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–21:00
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Sutter-Stockton Garage
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,164 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Francisco

    French

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Le Central offers a classic French bistro experience with "excellent food" and "wonderful ambiance." Guests rave about the "amazing service" and standout dishes like cassoulet and beef bourguignon. While some feel prices are high, the overall atmosphere and attentive staff make it a "favorite spot" for locals and visitors alike.

2,164 Reviews

  1. Scot VIP

    Toronto23 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was very good.. staff very friendly….good food, great ambiance, nostalgic… cassoulet was better than I remembered. Beet salad was lovely!

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  2. Stewart VIP

    Las Vegas53 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding traditional French cuisine -salad Nicoise was terrific. Loved the wine pairings

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  3. Lindsay

    San Francisco15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    New ownership has really turned this great French bistro around. The menu is packed with favorites as well as some new and interesting dishes. Each of our diners gave five stars to the food. The service was outstanding - attentive without being overly famiiar. The venue is charming and as close to France as you can get without getting on a plane. We plan to go back often and try more of the wonderful menu choices

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  4. William VIP

    San Francisco83 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Came here in 1983 when I moved here. Amazing meal. 42 years later, and the new owners have brought the old girl back. Excellent cocktails, wines, and the service and food were superlative. Absolutely one of the best meals we’ve enjoyed recently. Enjoy!

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  5. Mary VIP

    San Francisco42 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was so delicious and our server was nicely attentive.

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  6. Kathryn

    San Francisco15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 27 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The goat cheese salad with beets was excellent. A great dressing. Followed by mussels in an excellent lemony broth. The tarte citron for dessert was good also. Our waiter was so nice and accommodating. Would definitely go back..they also offer a great happy hour.

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  7. Judi VIP

    San Francisco99 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 25 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Enjoyed in a perfect lunch with a dear friend at a quiet booth in the back so easy for us to catch up. My hangar steak and frites was amazing and the meat cooked just to my liking: medium rare with emphasis on the rare side. Friend indulged on their famous roasted chicken and we both devoured their frites and the delicious baguette of warm bread with melting butter (tempted to order another loaf!). Wonderful luncheon spot that made us feel we were in Paris without jet lag! And kudos to the warm waitstaff! On the way out we saw the big beautiful burger a diner had just ordered and WOW WOW WOW that's what we're going to indulge in next visit.

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  8. Reynold VIP

    San Francisco13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Party of 9 for a reunion dinner. Table placement, service was great for the group. Able to catch up over the evening. Variety on the menu for everyone!

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  9. Janet VIP

    San Francisco43 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 22 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It is great to be back at Le Central and find it so fun and delicious...as always! They kindly sat our foursome at a window table and the service was fun and impeccable. We enjoyed it all- Complete with french phrases for us to recall and use our language skills

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  10. Mike

    San Francisco9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 19 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent for classic french brasserie style menu and ambiance

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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Le Central using the Order Online button.

Le Central is rated 4.7 stars by 2164 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
22:30
Booked 20 times today
Google Map for Le Central

453 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94108

Additional information

  • Phone number
    (415) 391-2233
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    French
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:30–14:30 Happy Hour Mon–Sat 16:30–18:00 Dinner Mon–Sat 17:00–21:00
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Sutter-Stockton Garage
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
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