House of Prime Rib

Cuisine	British
Price	$$$$ (51-100)
Rating	7/10
Last Visit	March 26, 2024
Location	SFBA: San Francisco: North

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General Notes

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House of Prime Rib is a SF institution, serving up their signature prime rib since 1949. According to their website, "The House of Prime Rib serves well-marbled Prime Rib in the English Tradition". It's not clear to me what exactly the "English Tradition" is, but it's delicious. As soon as I was seated, I felt that I was transported to a 1960s power lunch / dinner. The dinner is very much also about the experience; it gives off strong retro or classical upscale vibes with the decor, ambiance, and extensive tableside service. The menu is extremely simple -- you pretty much just choose how you want your prime rib cut, how it's cooked, and baked or mashed potatoes. That's it ... so if your friends aren't big fans of prime rib, don't come here.

Anyways, there's a reason why House of Prime Rib is known as an SF institution, and why it continues to be booked out every night. Definitely worth a try! Just make sure to come very hungry.

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Positives

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> I don't know the rules of how this works, but if you finish your prime rib, you can ask them for a second (thinner) slice. You bet I got that second slice.

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Negatives

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> It is very, very challenging to get a reservation here. You'll usually need to either book far in advance, or settle for a less than optimal time (e.g. 9:30pm). That being said, they do have a decent number of cancellations, so your best bet is to probably look day of for cancellations / open reservations.

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Dishes Tasted

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• ★★☆☆ Bread Pudding -- lemon brioche, dried sour cherries, bourbon vanilla sauce. The bourbon was a touch too strong for me, and I wish the sauce had permeated the bread a little bit more, but overall decent.
• ★★☆☆ Fantasy Cake -- Triple layer chocolate, chocolate mousse, cheesecake. Also served with a raspberry sauce. This is so incredibly decadent
• ★★★☆ Creme Brulee -- excellent creme brulee; nothing super noteworthy but overall quite good! and it's huge
• ★★★☆ Pecan Pie
• ★★★★ King Henry VIII Cut -- "extra-generous, thick cut of prime beef, for king size appetites". Served with creamed spinach (delicious, bacony), potato (baked or mashed), jus, horseradish, yorkshire pudding, and salad. All the components are excellent, but oh man that beef is incredible. So tender, flavorful, and it's so good with a some jus and a touch of horseradish.