Yip on Sauce

Sauce * 131 Gough St @ Oak Street * San Francisco, CA 94102 * (415) 252-1369
Cuisine: American, Comfort
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley

The Scene

This place has a small bar and a few tall tables in the bar area for snacks and drinks, and a few more tables in the main dining room, but the place is pretty small for the most part. They have a private room in the back, which I believe also has it’s own bar. The interior is pretty generic, but it’s nice and comfortable.

The Menu

They have several salads and soups and other appetizing starters. They also have larger meals that are very “comfort inspired,” like mac’n cheese and meatloaf. They also have a pretty descent wine by the glass list, but they could use a better selection of champagne. I went here for a mini celebration recently after a friend’s concert (he was looking saucy in his tux), and could have used a descent glass of champagne to cheers with.

The Food

Well, to start, their house salad is beautiful. It is the standard by all which all house salads should be set. Perfect presentation (it almost looked like an Asian salad) and perfect salad dressing application. Lots of fresh veggies and yum cherry tomatoes. My friends both had main courses while I enjoyed a superb bowl of creamy tomato soup with mini grilled cheese bites. I had also had their mushroom bisque before which was also excellent. They also have mushroom fries, which was rich and delicious. For mains, my friend ordered the meat loaf, which he couldn’t stop raving about, and my other friend had the mac n’ cheese with asparagus, which was good but misrepresented. It was really more of a Fettuccine Alfredo. For desserts, I've tried both the PB&J and the cinnamon-sugar doughnuts with vanilla-bourbon dipping sauce. I don't think either are spectacular. Stick with the savories at this place.

The Service

It wasn’t that busy because it was kind of late on a Sunday night, but they were a little on top of each other. It’s like there were two people tag-teaming the table. One would ask for our drink order, and then the other would come ask for our drink order. One would ask how everything was, and a minute later before another bite in, another would ask. It was a little overkill and disorganized, not like special service.

The Bathroom

One of them was an olfactory nightmare, and both were so small it was hard to believe they were even up to code. I could barely even turn around inside there, but thankfully they provided a hook to hang my purse on, which I appreciate. Unfortunately, one of the mirrors was cracked, which I don’t appreciate. 7 years bad luck.

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In a spoonful, I’d say come here to sit at the bar or one of their side tables. Enjoy soup, salad, and a glass of wine. They are open late: food 'til midmight, drinks 'til 2am.

Yip gives it 3.5 spoons.

NOTE: I went to this restaurant about a year ago, and shared a delicious meal practically bite for bite with a friend. We later went to a cocktail party and partook in a few more snacks. Later that night I was deathly ill from something I ate, but my friend didn’t get sick at all. Since we shared everything I don’t have reason to believe it was something we had at the restaurant (or I had an unknown allergy to something we had), but I wanted to mention it regardless.