Visited Plouf for lunch after a walk around the financial district. Plouf is casual dining tucked in an alley with fun outdoor seating, complete with an adjustable canopy to block the sun and heaters if it is chilly. The chowder was fantastic and the mussels were a real focus. Go for the food, not the elbow room! It felt very San Francisco. My favorite was the chowder. We didnt leave a drop!.

My pictures turned out horrible, but the food was great. I've eaten here many times but it has been years since I've been here. Maybe even prior to my smart phone. Yikes! Nice to know the mussels are still the star. The park fries with truffle oil are STUPID GOOD!!! $1 ousted during happy hour is tough to beat also. Service was not so great which was disappointing because there were hardly any customers yet as we were some of the first of the evening. I would go back tomorrow if I could. Love the food!.

What fun atmosphere & wonderful food! Hubby raved about the mussels & I had horseradish, cheese grits with blackened shrimp that were to die for...also don't miss the puff pastry filled with ice cream & topped with rich chocolate sauce for dessert..

Great little place. Service was good and the mussels were excellent..

Coq au Vin - Plouf - San Francisco. I ordered the coq au vin. As expected, the chicken was pretty close to "fall off the bone" tender. The portion of the chicken was smaller than I expected. The braised vegetables were delicious. I especially enjoyed the pearl onions. This dish was very salty though. For me, that is quite a statement. I love salty dishes. But, there was just a little too much. Otherwise, the broth would have been wonderful. 05 Feb, 2012 Borderline Experience. On a recent Tuesday evening, a friend and I dined here We had a reservation for 8 pm. We had a drink at Irish Bank, a nearby pub. We were hungry and decided to see if the restaurant could seat us early. It was quite full. It did not look like they would be able to accommodate our early seating. We were quickly greeted. After checking, the hostess said she could seat us in about five minutes and she did. The two tops at Plouf are simply too close together. Tables should not need to be moved for a very slim woman to slide between then to sit at the bank-head on the wall. If it is me, i can understand. The server could not even adequately stand next to our table to take our order. Not only are the two tops very close together, they are very small. It made it very difficult for the two of us to navigate in sharing the two appetizers. Another issue is the outer chairs are higher than the bank-head seating. This is not a significant issue but I do think it effects the eye level for dinner conversation. Our server appeared to be a little inexperienced. This did not hinder our meal to any great degree. He gave a solid effort. He just seemed a little uncomfortable with the process. I will also note that due to the closeness of the tables he was not really able to stand next to us and engage us in anything more than the minimal conversation required in ordering. This led to a service that was professional and functional but lacking in any warmth or hospitality. The timing and flow of the meal proceeded at a nice pace. It was neither rushed nor did we have to wait between courses. We ordered two appetizers. She selected the Anchor Steam mussels (leeks, garlic, shallots, croutons, fine herbs). I narrowed it down between the pan fried oysters and the fried calamari. She made the swing vote for the calamari. The mussels were very small. Many had also detached and fallen out of their shells. They were still pretty good. The broth was nice. I enjoyed the leeks. This is definitely a dish for garlic lovers. We ate them all. The calamari was pretty good. It escaped the first nemesis of calamari. It was tender with no hint of being rubbery. The flavor was light and delicate. The aioli did not overpower the natural flavor of the calamari. We usually sample each others main courses. However, on this evening, we did not. She ordered the sea bass. She told me it was only average. it was served on a heaping pile of mashed potatoes that almost tempted me to take a swipe with my fork. I ordered the coq au vin. As expected, the chicken was pretty close to "fall off the bone" tender. The portion of the chicken was smaller than I expected. The braised vegetables were delicious. I especially enjoyed the pearl onions. This dish was very salty though. For me, that is quite a statement. I love salty dishes. But, there was just a little too much. Otherwise, the broth would have been wonderful. The room itself is warm and cozy. They could probably survive with one or two less large fish on the wall. It's still a nice (but small) room. The pricing was relatively affordable. Our overall check was right around $130. Which, for San Francisco, is very reasonable. One thing I noticed was the wine list. In a couple of key categories, there were several choices in the $50 range. But then, it seemed like there were very few between $50 and $150. For a normal evening out, I usually select a bottle of wine in the $75 range. In the end, I selected a cabernet sauvignon from Alexander Valley and we enjoyed it. Overall, I think this restaurant could be oh so much more. Like other Belden Place restaurants, it has the general makings of a great restaurant but, somewhere along the way, it falls short. I have to wonder if their over reliance on tourist business leads to complacency. It may also be that since most of the restaurants in the alley share the same owner, the competition to become better may not exist. After all, as long as you are eating in Belden Place, the owner probably doesn't care which one of the restaurants you select. In summer, the quaint outdoor seating is always going to tempt tourist and locals alike. The seating was cramped. The service was functional but a little stilted. The food was inconsistent. In the end, I did enjoy it. I am hard pressed to think I will return. I am going to finish trying the remaining Belden Place restaurants. But, a theme of good but not great has been emerging..

I really liked #Plouf. We ate outside in this alley. The night was beautiful and my #mussels were great. I will be back, just open sooner than later..

Wonderful mussels. A friend recommended this alley-way eatery for the mussels. We ordered the Prix Fixe menu of appetizer (my husband had the clam chowder and I had the salad -- both wonderful), a huge bowl of mussels (your choice of style), and dessert. The service was excellent, as was the food and wine. Don't miss this!.

OUTSTANDING! Very good sevice,the food was excellent, I couldn't give it a higher rating. One of the few restaurants I have walked away from so totally happy and satisfied that I would recommend it without reservation..

What a fun, authentic place to eat. If you don't look quickly you'd actually miss this place as you walked by the small alley road. Don't stop at the other delicious restaurants as you walk down the road because you want to eat here! We had the chowder (so-so...I'd try another appetizer), mussels (in the coconut sauce...again, I'd suggest a different sauce. I didn't hate it but it wasn't my favorite), and the Plouf burger (very good and filling). We had helpful French waiters and even a pigeon always around our small table. The restaurant was quaint (ie...very tight fitting) and almost felt like I was in France..

My boyfriend and I loved this place! Excellent service, great mussels and a warm atmosphere! Everytime we visit the city we have dinner here..