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Prelude, San Francisco, CA

Prelude

4.8 (99)
$50 and over
Californian
333 Battery St, San Francisco, CA 94111-3234

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 15 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Innovative
  • Romantic
Prelude, a part of Omakase Restaurant Group, offers a modern take on Southern cooking, blending cherished family recipes with Bay Area ingredients and contemporary techniques.

Executive Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones—inspired by his Alabama roots and shaped by time at Niku Steakhouse and Commis—reinterprets the nostalgic flavors of his childhood with an elegant touch.

The cocktail program balances modern mixology with playful, Southern-inspired twists, while the wine list highlights both emerging and established producers, highlighting the best-of-class in each category.

With warm, engaging service that keeps things fun and approachable, and a dining room appointed with plush velvet, Prelude invites guests to enjoy high-end dining without the pretense.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Southern
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 5:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:30 pm Bar Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Celtin Hendrickson-Jones
  • Neighborhood
    Financial District / Embarcadero
  • Cross street
    The conner of Clay and Battery on the ground floor of The Jay Hotel
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Private Room, Wine

Experiences

  • Happy Hour

    Multiple dates available
    Celebrate the end of the workday with a refreshing cocktail's and light bite's.
  • Tasting Menu

    $165.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    Join Chef Celtin for an unforgettable experience that evokes the warmth of Sunday suppers through an ever-evolving menu, celebrating seasonal produce and nostalgic dishes. Please note that due to our culinary process, we are unable to accommodate vegan options.
  • Tasting Menu + Wine Pairing

    $283.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    "Join Chef Celtin for an unforgettable experience that evokes the warmth of Sunday suppers through an ever-evolving menu, celebrating seasonal produce and nostalgic dishes. Each course is thoughtfully paired with exquisite wines, enhancing the flavors and creating the perfect balance between food and drink Please note that due to our culinary process, we are unable to accommodate vegan options.

What 99 people are saying

Prelude reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.9Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco

    Best Ambiance

  • San Francisco

    Innovative

  • San Francisco

    Great for fine wines

  • San Francisco

    Californian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Prelude offers a captivating dining experience with "exceptional service" and a menu that creatively blends Southern charm with California flair. Guests rave about the "beautifully presented" dishes and "incredible flavor" profiles, making it a top choice for special occasions. The ambiance is "elegant" yet "cozy," ensuring a memorable visit.
99 Reviews
  1. Russell

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A truly delightful evening. Staff was friendly, knowledgable and very accommodating. The tasting menu was a satisfying adventure and we never felt rushed. The pacing was a perfect for celebrating a birthday. They even nailed my champagne mojito! Hats off!

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  2. Paul VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area47 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A very nice evening. Everyone was pleasant and helpful. Excellent creative menu with great wine pairings. Will probably go back for a special occasion. The music was a bit loud and perhaps a little too rock and roll for dinner. And if you refuse to place our bottle of Pellegrino on our table then please do a better job of keeping our glasses full

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  3. Sonia

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food presentation was beautiful. Also, excellent customer service. Very high end European in feeling.

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  4. Ajay VIP

    Seattle / Eastern Washington34 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 10, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    All I will say is this. For a restaurant that is to showcase a southern bend, it failed. Food delicately and well prepared but no life as it pertains to the southern flare. The dumplings are a joke, I am sorry. The pork chop amazing, the deviled eggs fantastic, the service is out of the world. Another visit, no!

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  5. Andy VIP

    Washington, D.C. Area22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely amazing dinner. We had almost every shareable plate and loved them all. Fantastic service as well

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  6. Toune

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a wonderful birthday dinner celebration with my girlfriends. Love the staff, the chef, the ambience, the design, and most importantly, the food! Absolutely delicious! I will definitely come back again and try their other dishes that weren’t on the tasting menu. Thank you, Prelude.
    PreludeResponded on May 9, 2025
    Thank you for your kind words and for celebrating your birthday with us! It was a pleasure to have you in for dinner and to cook for you. We all look forward to seeing you again soon. -Chef Celtin and the Prelude team

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  7. Lois VIP

    Denver / Colorado1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    An exceptional experience from start to finish. The attentiveness and knowledge of the staff was impressive, the ambiance was elegant without being overstated, and the food was arguably one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. Every bite was well-balanced and full of flavor. It’s no surprise they’ve been short-listed for a Michelin Star. Run, don’t walk to book your reservation here!

    1 person found this helpful

  8. Selamawit VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing service. Can’t talk enough about how attentive the staff was. Portions were great and I was getting really full. It’s not one of the places you go to then later go get a burger. Flavor profile was great. The southern touch to a lot of the dishes was impeccable.

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  9. Jenea VIP

    Atlanta6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    From the top down everyone was extremely personable. Also as someone from the south I was skeptical about eating at a southern restaurant in California. However the menu exceeded my expectations. Hats off to chef , 10/10.

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  10. Lourdes

    Sacramento / Sacramento Valley7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everyone was awesome! The caviar and pork chop were remarkable, and the mocktails out of this WORLD!

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FAQs

Prelude is rated 4.8 stars by 99 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. San Francisco
  5. Financial District / Embarcadero

Make a reservation


Booked 15 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Prelude

333 Battery St, San Francisco, CA 94111-3234

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    The conner of Clay and Battery on the ground floor of The Jay Hotel
  • Neighborhood
    Financial District / Embarcadero
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 5:30 am–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:30 pm–9:30 pm Bar Tue–Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Californian, Southern
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Celtin Hendrickson-Jones
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Private Room, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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