Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (20) grits (14) great (12) service (12) chicken (12) French (10) delicious (10) restaurant (10) time (10) area (10)
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  • 5/5 Cara S. 1 year ago on Google
    So good we went twice in one week! After a recommendation from the barista by our hotel we walked over to Brenda’s for brunch on a Saturday. There was a wait but it moved quickly. I got the Florentine Benedict and my friend got the Corn Succotash & White Cheddar Omelette (not pictured). Everything was great - savory, a little spice, comforting! Friendly and quick service. I ended up going back to try the dinner menu a few nights later - the shrimp and grits was everything I wanted. The beignets are a must try - SO big and fluffy and filled to perfection. Love this little gem of French soul food!
    10 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Demekia B. 1 year ago on Google
    Absolutely delicious. Food was great. Im southern so I know grits but I never had grits like these. So creamy and even after refrigerated and warmed back up they were amazing and without lumps. The Biscuit just melted in my mouth and the strawberry jam was amazing. I would of course return and order doordash too. This is a place to visit.
    7 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Reichen Y. 1 year ago on Google
    We came there for Saturday brunch and it was super popular. We waited over half hour to get an outdoor table. An African American waiter was super nice and sweet to serve us. The food is fabulous! Sooooooooo good! You have to order cornmeal and fried chicken! You have to! It’s just simply delicious! And don’t forget to queue the table earlier before going there!
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kai S. 2 years ago on Google
    Top spot in SF for Southern food. The fried catfish and fried chicken have delicious, unique breading and the sides were incredible. Would highly recommend the gumbo for those who aren't too hungry - it's a smaller size and comes with just enough kick. Food came out fresh despite our late arrival around 8:30p and service was attentive.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jason O. 1 year ago on Google
    Try not to walk here as the neighborhood is quite “concerning”. Great place to have breakfast as they open very earlier. Great service & great food. We tried their signature “donut” dish. Best to select them individually, to choose 1 or 2 donuts that you like. Crab meat & apple are the best. Onion soup is incredible. Make sure you take lots of photos of this traditional French + American style restaurant.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jing L. 2 years ago on Google
    I really enjoyed my visit to Brenda’s. The decor was very reminiscent of New Orleans, and has a very unique flair, like a house of mirrors. The shrimp and grits were fantastic. Very flavorful and the grits were smooth like butter. Shrimp was well cooked and juicy. Hush puppies were fried well and paired with a tangy sauce. The beignet flight was interesting. I wasn’t a huge fan of the crawfish, but I enjoyed the other sweet flavors. Fried chicken was very crispy on the outside, but somehow the meat was only lukewarm. Waiter was very helpful friendly, and the service was good, but I ordered earl grey tea and never got it. It was not on the check, and he apologized immediately after he realized.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ashley D. 7 months ago on Google
    I recently had the pleasure of dining at Brenda’s French Soul Food in San Francisco, and it was an outstanding culinary experience. From the moment I stepped in, I was warmly greeted by the attentive staff, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The meal I ordered included tea, grits, and scrambled eggs, and each dish exceeded my expectations. The tea was perfectly brewed, offering a comforting and refreshing start to my meal. The grits were wonderfully creamy and paired flawlessly with their delectable seasoning, leaving a memorable impression on my taste buds. The scrambled eggs were skillfully prepared, fluffy, and full of flavor, complementing the entire dish. Furthermore, the service was impeccable, with the staff being attentive, knowledgeable, and accommodating to dietary preferences. The restaurant’s ambiance was charming, and the attention to detail in the decor added to the overall delightful dining experience. Brenda’s French Soul Food truly showcases the essence of soulful and authentic cuisine. It is evident that they take great pride in their culinary creations and go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction. I wholeheartedly recommend Brenda’s French Soul Food to anyone seeking a taste of southern-inspired delights in San Francisco. Whether you are a local or a visitor, this eatery is a must-visit destination for a remarkable dining experience. Without a doubt, I give Brenda’s French Soul Food a well-deserved five-star rating, and I look forward to returning soon to explore more of their enticing menu offerings.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Cat C. 1 year ago on Google
    Every time I visit San Francisco, I must stop at Brenda's. I brought my mom and sister. They trusted me and all ordered the same thing. Eggs Benedict with hash and fried chicken. It was so good! They loved it as well. The staff was also so amazing.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Charlie T. 2 years ago on Google
    Cool spot to get some hearty brunch food. We ordered the Grillades and grits (beef cutlets braised in creole gravy, served with grits, 2 eggs and a cream biscuit) and the special - Molasses Pork chop with sweet potato hash, 2 eggs, and toast. The beef had some good flavor and the grits were good. The Molasses Pork chop had a lot of flavor and was cooked perfectly. The service here is attentive and quick.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Khoi P. 1 year ago on Google
    Great spot for a hearty brunch meal! I especially enjoyed the beignet flight, which is essentially a combination of savoury and sweet filled fried doughs. The walnut iced coffee was also refreshing. Overall, a great experience if you're ever in the area.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Altinay C. 2 years ago on Google
    Delicious food, excellent and fast service, and friendly staff. My husband and I really enjoyed this place. My fave dishes were the hush puppies, fried chicken, and red beans and rice. It was a bit cold temperature wise. That's the only thing I would recommend improving.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Cassie J. 1 year ago on Google
    I give this rating based on my husband’s reaction and those sitting around me! My husband said he thought he was in New Orleans the food was so good. I watched a man lick his fingers and go on and on about the fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and greens! The restaurant itself was not the best looking, but continually crowded. The surrounding neighborhood I would say was suspect at best.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Emily S. 2 years ago on Google
    Went to Brenda's French Soul Food after coming back to SF for a concert. We visited the morning after our concert, and the food was the absolute best for that day after fix. The portions were big, so make sure to have an empty stomach when you visit, and the drinks were amazing. A wonderful place for delicious food, drinks, and service.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nyree New E. 1 year ago on Google
    OMG! 🤤 this place did not disappoint! The shrimp and grits were seasoned to perfection. The custard use to make the banana foster French toast was divine. I even brought a second dish to take home. They made a mistake and gave me the wrong order but the omelette was delicious too.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tasmiah K. 9 months ago on Google
    The best Soul food I’ve ever had. I ordered the Florentine Benedict— eggs were served over perfectly crumbly buttery biscuits with spinach and a side of potatoes that were cooked to perfection. The hollandaise sauce was also so delicious, it didn’t have that tangy/buttery kick that others may have. I highly recommend you check this place out if you’re in the area🥚🥔
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Lamarr E. 6 months ago on Google
    Checked out Brenda’s for Brunch recently. It’s in the TL, so expect some sketchiness near the area. Inside, it's all good vibes. The biscuits were hands down the star.They were crispy and very flavorful. Everything else was just ok. Not a fan of the beignets, the complete opposite of my past experiences in NOLA. They were just dense and just lackluster. Maybe next time I'll check out their dinner and lunch options instead. Word on the streets is that Kendrick Lamar really enjoys their shrimp and grits. But it's a “meh” for me for breakfast.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Manny E. 4 months ago on Google
    Wow! This place is cool. The vibe is very New Orleans style. The food is awesome here. I had the shrimp and grits. Out of this world. To drink I had a hard warm cider spiked with rum. Perfect. Service was attentive. We can at like 3pm on a Saturday so it was chill.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jennifer N. 3 months ago on Google New
    I tried as much as possible for a good experience. Food came out really fast!!! The Red Beans and Rice were my favorite!!! The chicken is good. Garlic Spinach had an earthy taste but not bad. The Mac and cheese was descent. Greens were good but have a canned taste. Watermelon tea tasted like Watermelon juice with a splash of tea. It was very sweet. I can say that I have tried it and it was decent. Small dining space.

  • 5/5 Paola Martin del C. 2 years ago on Google
    Excellent brunch spot! Quick and friendly service. We did visit on a holiday and we surprisingly did not have to wait in line. Ordered the beignets, cafe au lait and the biscuit with gravy and chicken sausage. Super authentic. We’ll be back!

  • 5/5 Wilson L. 3 months ago on Google New
    Never knew new orleans food can be so good and flavourful Love the shrimp and grits 👍👍 sort of comfort food might be good food if catching cold or feeling unwell ! But otherwise will get it again and again in regular condition Crawfish beignet - super good - texture was crunchy and the “a little bit” spicy powder was flavourful - can’t explain how it taste but it is good , crawfish was well cooked and beignets were crunchy Jambalaya - will need to get more of this too - flavourfull, yums and has a nice kick of flavour. Southern Fried chicken is the best , but it felt a bit small when having it. The space is quite cozy inside the restaurant but not the outside area. Overall recommended this place but probably delivery option

  • 4/5 aphmona 3 months ago on Google New
    I really wanted to like the gumbo but there was an almost burnt, nutty taste I couldn't get past. Other than that the chicken was crunchy and juicy, reasonable price for per piece chicken. I enjoyed the crab beignet very much and the jelly that comes with the chicken was a great addition. Staff and vibes are great. I'd totally be down to try more of their food!

  • 5/5 Salvadorian 4 months ago on Google
    A decrepit neighborhood with small improvements over the last weeks, I parked a few blocks away and started to walk towards the restaurant. It was lunch time and the restaurant had a Menu on the wall and a notice to beware with pick pockets in the area, I noticed a palm tree right next to the the building and went in with no waiting in line, I was greeted and sat at a table next to the service area, i was given the menu and the server got me a glass of water and took my order, I started with The Soup Gratinée and had The Catfish des Allemands for Main Course. The Onion Soup was served on a round Au Gratin piping hot dish, the soup had the classic French recipe with sweet caramelized onions beef stock and to finish it off, toasted croutons with melted Swiss Cheese on top, one of the best I tried on a long time. The server timed the main course just in time for the main course, blackened Catfish over a bed of the most delicious rice pilaf with lots of pecan nuts, the dish was covered with a savory crawfish étouffée…delicious! The server was not intrusive on a relaxed casual ambiance, a bucket of dinner utensils with paper napkins on the table and nice Louisiana tunes to make your dining experience more pleasant. The restaurant had a line of people ready to get in for lunch time by the time I finished. I will definitely be back and next on my list is to try the assorted Beignets on the menu. Overall a wonderful time that makes you forget the surrounding area.

  • 4/5 Tiffany G. 4 months ago on Google
    Great food! Good atmosphere but service was a bit chaotic. We were scratched off the list and weren’t seated - so sadly we were forgotten and when we checked in, they apologized and sat us immediately, but that did sorta lower the experience for us. Great food though and great vibe!

  • 5/5 Greg P. 6 months ago on Google
    Nice vibe in this cozy restaurant. Great fusion with Soul and French food. Everything on the menu looked great. I ordered the blackened salmon with creole sauce on cornbread stuffing with a fried oyster. Fish was really well prepared and moist. My mom got the crab cakes and said they were some of the best we had. Service was great for the most part. I took off one star because after our entrees they were a little slower when we ordered dessert to the point I was wondering if they forgot. Otherwise they were very friendly, good about removing plates we were done with quickly and checking in on us. Would love to come back and try other menu items if in the area. The desserts we tried were great. The chocolate beignet was our least favorite. Apple beignet was our favorite. The special of Banana bread pudding with chocolate chips and butter bourbon sauce and it was my favorite.

  • 5/5 ok g. 5 months ago on Google
    Second time eating at Brenda's and everything we ordered was delicious! Ordered the Chicken and andouille sausage Gumbo, oyster Flight and Fried Oyster Po Boy. Highly recommend the gumbo, it's delish! Our waitress was wonderful and was very helpful with the items on the menu and what she recommended. She was also very helpful with what areas around to avoid because I'm from out of town so thank you for going the extra mile to help me and my friends out with that!!

  • 4/5 Jael W. 4 months ago on Google
    Disclaimer: we ate here not during brunch, but around 4:30 PM so we didn’t experience the long lines and long wait. The spicy pasta was delicious. The shrimp cakes were a bit runny for my taste. The beignet sampler platter was good, but heavy - we couldn’t finish it (and my wife and I shared the pasta, what more if we each had our own entrees). If I were you, leave plenty of space for the beignets. The area surrounding the restaurant is sketchy. We took the bus (with our toddler) and as we were walking to the restaurant, I felt anxious seeing all the homeless people around. I wouldn’t recommend going here for dinner just because of the area (if you were just commuting, and walking in the dark - not ideal). A shame though, because the food was good and the service was excellent.

  • 5/5 Shantanu K. 2 years ago on Google
    Would highly recommend the Corn Succotash Omelette and of course the Beignets. I really enjoyed eating at Brenda's. Even at 9am on a Sunday morning the place was packed. I liked that they have the waitlist on a big chalkboard right by the door. The serving portions were huge. The potato hash that came with the omelette was had some sort of spice in it which i really liked. This was also my first time trying Beignets ever and I think they turned out to be as good as I imagined them to be.

  • 5/5 Urvashi V. 2 years ago on Google
    One word: WOW. We ordered several things off the menu (way too much food but made for good leftovers). My partner raved about the gumbo, the chocolate beignet was top notch, and banana french toast was heavenly. Also very much enjoyed the tofu sandwich. Big portions and loved that we were able to do half a portion of french toast. Our server was super friendly and gave great recommendations. Can't wait to go back.


Call (415) 345-8100 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Parking
    • ✓️ Paid street parking
    • ✓️ Difficult to find a space
  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Comfort food
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Organic dishes
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Popular for
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Breakfast
    • ✓️ Solo dining
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✓️ Takeout
    • ✓️ Delivery
  • From the business
    • ✓️ Identifies as Asian-owned
    • ✓️ Identifies as women-owned
    • ✓️ Identifies as LGBTQ+ owned

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